United States > Labor and employment > Labor-management relations > Law firm and leading lawyer rankings

Jones Day fields a team of dedicated lawyers experienced in representing employers in a variety of labor matters, including collective bargaining, disputes, and labor strategy. The global labor and employment practice is chaired by Chicago-based Michael Gray and Matthew Lampe in New York. Labor experts in Chicago, David Birnbaum, Brian Easley, and Michael Rossman, were active as the chief spokespeople for the Kraft Heinz Company in negotiations regarding collective bargaining agreements. Donald Munro successfully represented a coalition of the majority of the nation’s freight railroads, the National Carriers’ Conference Committee, in an arbitration against two labor unions regarding proposed healthcare plan design changes and the subsequent potential compensation entitlements. The team is also currently still involved on the side of McDonald's, which is being prosecuted as an alleged joint employer by franchisee employees. Michael Ferrell in Chicago and Jessica Kastin in New York are other names to note. In the Washington DC office, Patricia Dunn and recently promoted partner Thomas Chiavetta are recommended. Associate Samantha Woo in Chicago advises public and private employers. Willis Goldsmith and Doreen Davis retired.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP's team comprises 'smart, efficient problem solvers', who have experience with labor unions and representing clients before all relevant federal, state and local agencies. The group is 'capable of handling the most sophisticated traditional labor matters' and is jointly led by Philadelphia-based Joseph Ragaglia and the 'intellectual giant' Harry Johnson in Century City. Labor-expert Jonathan Fritts had an active year in the transport sector, which included representing Boeing Company in several matters. Senior counsel Thomas Reinert successfully acted for Southwest Airlines in arbitration proceedings with its mechanics’ union regarding the union's efforts to obtain the exclusive right to perform aircraft movement work. Philip Miscimarra, who is the former chairman of the NLRB and is considered as 'one of the single greatest traditional labor lawyers of his time', re-joined the firm in February 2018, switching positions with John Ring, who went in the other direction. Daniel Bordoni specializes in collective bargaining and matters arising under the NLRB. Aforementioned lawyers are based in Washington DC. Ross Friedman in Chicago and Steven Wall in Philadelphia are other highlighted practitioners. Los Angeles' Nicole Buffalano made partner in October 2018.

The 'exceptional' labor team at Proskauer Rose LLP has a particularly strong track record when it comes to representing US professional sports leagues in collective bargaining negotiations. It covers the full gamut of the law, with clients appreciating the group for 'providing excellent advice in every aspect of labor and employment'. The New York-based Elise Bloom and Neil Abramson jointly chair the department. The latter, who is also the head of the public sector group, negotiated a collective bargaining settlement for the City of New York with the Police Benevolent Association. Paul Salvatore and Zachary Fasman in New York and Chicago's Steven Pearlman have longstanding relations with a variety of universities, including Washington University, Yale University, and Cornell University, which they advise in labor law matters. Bernard Plum, Michael Lebowich, Joseph Baumgarten, Howard Robbins and senior counsel Steven Porzio are other key contacts in New York, while Boston's Scott Faust and Los Angeles' Mark Theodore are also names to note.

Seyfarth Shaw LLP's team is praised for providing 'sound advice and excellent representation'. It assists clients from a variety of sectors, such as healthcare, sports, hospitality and transportation, among others, in traditional labor matters. Bradford Livingston, who is based in Chicago, is the head of the practice group and has noteworthy expertise in collective bargaining negotiations. Further key contacts in this office are Kenneth Dolin and Brian Stolzenbach, while Arthur Telegen is the name to note in Boston. Atlanta's Stuart Newman is a diversified labor lawyer with experience in disputes, collective bargaining and strike situations. Joe Damato in Washington DC 'resolves issue efficiently and effectively'. The New York office fields experts such as counsel Marshall Babson and Glenn Smith. Kyllan Kershaw in Atlanta and Howard Wexler in New York made partner in January 2018. Karla Sanchez is an associate to watch in Chicago.

The 'battle-tested' lawyers at Jackson Lewis P.C. are regularly engaged in negotiations, organizing drives, unfair labor practice claims, and arbitration. Praised for being 'accessible and approachable', the labor practice is jointly led by Philip Rosen and Jonathan Spitz, based in New York and Atlanta respectively. Laura Pierson-Scheinberg, who is based in San Francisco, assisted a retail chain in reaching an agreement in a significant bargaining unit. Baltimore's Stephen Silvestri is a 'seasoned litigator and trusted adviser'. Other notable practitioners include Daniel Schudroff in New York, Howard Bloom in Boston, Jeffrey Schwartz in Atlanta, and Chad Richter in Omaha. R. Michael Lowenbaum joined the St Louis office from the now defunct firm Lowenbaum Law.

As the largest labor and employment law firm in the world, Littler Mendelson, P.C. has deep experience representing management in a wide variety of labor matters. Memphis-based Tanja Thompson and Mark Schneider in Minneapolis co-chair the large, dedicated traditional labor practice, which covers the gamut of associated matters, as well as assisting its clients with training programs. Robert Long in New York acted as the special labor counsel to the secured lenders in the Tops Markets bankruptcy with regards to the debtor’s collective bargaining agreements and the reformation of these. A. John Harper III in Houston is recommended.

International labor and employment law firm Ogletree Deakins works in dedicated industry groups for a variety of clients. The team has experience advising on union representation campaigns, collective bargaining negotiations, and strike preparations, as well as NLRB proceedings and labor arbitrations. Memphis-based W. Chris Harrison and Dallas' Fito Agraz led the team assisting Flexjet on a campaign which ended with the pilots' vote to end representation by the Teamsters union. Further names to note in the Dallas office are Ron Chapman Jr and Jonathan Wilson, who also jointly chairs the newly founded mergers and acquisitions practice group, while Brian Hayes is a key practitioner in Washington DC. Greenville's Mark Stubley is recommended. Managing partner Matthew Keen is based in Raleigh.

Baker & Hostetler LLP has a longstanding labor relations practice, which covers the full spectrum of related matters. Led by Jay Krupin in Washington DC and Patrick Muldowney in Orlando, the team advises clients from, in particular, the media and hospitality sectors on contentious and non-contentious issues. Columbus-based Mike Asensio has more than 25 years of experience and is regularly engaged by private and public sector companies. Daniel Guttman from the same office represented the Ohio Department of Medicaid in an arbitration regarding its ability to unilaterally manage operations under the state’s labor contact in a new way. David Grant, Peter Fischer and newly promoted partner Louis Cannon are other key contacts in Washington DC.

DLA Piper LLP (US) has experience assisting clients with managing a unionized work force as well as with helping maintaining non-union status. It also has a dedicated strategic campaign team, which advises companies on how to respond effectively to corporate campaigns by labor unions and their allies. Brian Kaplan in New York is the US chair and global co-chair of the group. Ryan Vann, who joined the Chicago office from Baker McKenzie LLP in July 2018, is well versed in a variety of labor matters. Washington DC-based Harriet Lipkin is another name to note. In March 2018, Michael Sheehan left the firm for McDermott Will & Emery LLP, closely followed by a team including Ron Holland, Pankit Doshi, Marilyn Pearson, Ellen Bronchetti, and David Durham.

Epstein Becker & Green, P.C. is regularly engaged by clients from, in particular, the healthcare, financial, and hospitality sectors. Its clients range from multinationals to nonprofit organizations and public employers. New York-based David Garland chairs the firm’s national employment, labor and workforce management steering committee. In Los Angeles, Adam Abrahms has a strong standing with hospitals regarding labor matters in California and Kat Paterno made partner in January 2019. Newark's Jeremy Brown represented a variety of clients against unfair labor practice charges before the NLRB and in arbitrations. Another name to note in New York, Steven Swirsky, has experience in union avoidance, organizing campaigns, and collective bargaining.

Greenberg Traurig, LLP's team is well integrated in the international network and also works closely with the firm's other departments, in particular the corporate group. The team is jointly led by Naomi Beer, James Boudreau and David Long-Daniels, based in Denver, Philadelphia and Atlanta respectively. San Francisco-based Charles Birenbaum is assisting Hornblower Cruises in its expanding transportation project regarding the negotiations with organized labor to staff the system. Jerrold Goldberg in New York is regularly engaged as the transactional labor counsel by SL Green Realty. Terence McCourt is a noted practitioner in Boston. Michael Mason re-joined the firm in Phoenix from Pinnacle West Capital Corporation in April 2018; another new arrival is counsel Alicia Sienne Voltmer in Dallas, who came from Lillard Wise Szygenda PLLC in September 2018.

The team at O'Melveny & Myers LLP is active in the full gamut of labor matters, advising employers in union avoidance, elections, strikes, injunctions, and decertifications as well as representing clients in the defense and prosecution of unfair labor practice charges and other issues before and against the NLRB. The group, which is led by Apalla Chopra, has a particularly strong standing in the aviation industry. For example, Robert Siegel is regularly engaged by Atlas Air and American Airlines, and led a team which successfully represented the latter against a proposed class action brought by the airline's pilots following the merger with US Airways. Chopra and Siegel are based in Los Angeles. DC's Aparna Joshi advises Spirit Airlines on a several matters. Counsel Tristan Morales is another name to note from this office. Jeffrey Kohn and Mark Robertson are key contacts in New York.

Reed Smith LLP is experienced in the full spectrum of labor-related matters, ranging from strike and lockout preparations and collective bargaining agreements to grievance arbitration and representation in unfair labor practice charges. The group, which is led by Houston-based Mark Temple, is particularly active for clients from the energy, healthcare and life sciences sectors. Karl Fritton in Philadelphia and Betty Graumlich are regularly engaged in labor arbitration cases. While the group added Thomas Posey, joining from Faegre Baker Daniels in October 2018, several partners, including Christina Tellado, left for Holland & Knight LLP in September 2018.

Steptoe & Johnson LLP's practice handles a high number of unfair labor practice allegations and is active in a variety of industries, including retail, healthcare, logistics, food processing, and aviation. Phoenix- based Steve Wheeless leads the team; he is representing Walmart before the NLRB regarding allegations by the NLRB that Walmart unlawfully disciplined and discharged scores of employees who participated in short-duration strikes as part of the United Food and Commercial Workers International 'work center' campaign to ultimately organize Walmart. Alan Feldman has expertise in advising employers facing union organization campaigns, as well as managing the campaigns in accordance with the NLRB and the Railway Labor Act.

Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP's New York-based team has a good standing with clients from the public sector, which it assists in collective bargaining as well as representing them in arbitration and improper practice proceedings. The team is led by Alan Klinger and Charles Moerdler, who both have a strong track record in representing labor unions from a variety of industries. Klinger co-counseled the New York State United Teachers and United Teachers of Northport in proceedings brought in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Janus v AFSCME, seeking repayment of agency fees paid pre-Janus as well as making a variety of constitutional challenges to provisions of New York labor law. Specialist counsels Dina Kolker and David Kahne as well as associate Arthur Herskowitz are other noted team members.

Vedder Price has a comprehensive labor law practice, which advises on collective bargaining agreements, strikes, union organizing and disputes, among other areas. The team is also well versed when it comes to required representation before the NLRB in unfair labor practice and representation (election) matters. Amy Bess, who is based in Washington DC, leads the  practice. A team in Chicago is regularly engaged by AAR Corp for agency representation and litigation matters. Names to note from this office are Patrick Spangler, Kenneth Sparks and Mark Stolzenburg. Heather Sager is a key contact in San Francisco. The Los Angeles office was strengthened by the arrival of Candice Zee from Seyfarth Shaw LLP in August 2018, while Eugene Boyle joined in September 2018 from Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP.

Winston & Strawn LLP is appreciated for being 'very experienced and knowledgeable'. The team handles labor matters for a variety of clients, in particular from the manufacturing, energy, construction, and healthcare sectors. Chair of the firm's labor and employment practice, Michael Roche, is based in Chicago. The group's client portfolio includes longstanding clients such as Caterpillar and LVMH. Washington DC's William Miossi, who is 'practical, extremely knowledgeable and very responsive', has more than 30 years of experience. Joseph Torres, also in Chicago, is well versed in collective bargaining negotiations and labor disputes. Derek Barella left for Schiff Hardin LLP in September 2018.