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

Jones Day’s David Birnbaum acted for The Kraft Heinz Company (KHC) in major collective bargaining negotiations with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union regarding plant closures. In addition to this, Birnbaum negotiated a new collective bargaining agreement for the Fullerton plant, which remained open, and is defending KHC in ongoing arbitration with The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union, which alleges that the company owes millions in healthcare benefits to employees impacted by the Madison plant closure. Jessica Kastin represented Verizon Communications in two matters related to a strike conducted by the Communications Workers of America (CWA), obtaining injunctive relief from two New York courts and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB); one mandate prevented CWA members from engaging in prohibited secondary activity with employees that worked during the strike. BNSF Railway, Bloomberg and Advocate Health Care are also clients. Stanley Weiner, Willis Goldsmith, F. Curt Kirschner, Doreen Davis, Aaron Agenbroad, Joanne Bush, Brian Easley, Patricia Dunn and Jonathan Linas are also noted. Liat Yamini made partner and in Washington DC, Railway Labor Act (RLA) guru Donald Munro was joined by fellow transport experts Elizabeth Dougherty and Douglas Hall, who joined from Ogletree Deakins and Ford & Harrison LLP respectively. Other named partners are based in either Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco or the recently opened Minneapolis office.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP ‘delivers sound legal advice’ and has notable expertise in the transport, hospitality and manufacturing industries. Thomas Reinert filed a lawsuit for Southwest Airlines, which alleged that the Transport Workers Union breached the RLA by encouraging workers to partake in mass absences during contract negotiations. Reinert and Daniel Bordoni successfully represented General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in several arbitration and litigation actions with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Industrial Union of Marine and Shipbuilding Workers of America Local S6 regarding midterm bargaining for subcontracting and employee trade flexibility. In another highlight, ‘highly skilled lawyer’ and joint practice head John Ring acted for Olin in effects bargaining negotiations with two unions following the closure of one of its facilities and the termination and relocation of employees. Co-chair Joseph Ragaglia, managing partner Steven Wall, Ross Friedman, Jonathan Fritts, Harry Johnson and senior counsel Charles Cohen are well regarded. Attorneys work out of the Chicago, Philadelphia, Santa Monica and Washington DC offices.

Singled out for its ‘excellent’ service, the ‘extremely responsive’ team at Proskauer Rose LLP leads on collective bargaining, NLRB proceedings, preventing union organization and other complex matters. A ‘top expert in his field’, Los Angeles-based Mark Theodore, who heads the practice group with hospitality expert Michael Lebowich, defended T-Mobile in a lawsuit filed by the CWA concerning an alleged violation of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) in terminating an employment contract; in another case, the NLRB dismissed allegations that T-Mobile undermined the CWA’s efforts by making changes to employment terms and conditions without notice and collective bargaining. Paul Salvatore acted for The Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations in negotiating two collective bargaining agreements with the 32BJ Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to successfully prevent strike action. Other clients include The City of New York and Duke University. Other key figures include public sector group head Neil Abramson, sports expert L Robert Batterman, department co-chair Joseph Baumgarten, Bernard Plum, Zachary Fasman, Boston-based Scott Faust, Howard Robbins and recently promoted partner Evandro Gigante. Unless stated otherwise, attorneys are based in New York.

Seyfarth Shaw LLP’s ‘knowledgeable lawyers’ advise clients including Verizon Wireless and Ametek on the full range of matters. Arthur Telegen represented two lines of Verizon’s business in injunction proceedings in state and federal courts, and also defended the company against unfair labor charges before the NLRB and advised the businesses on collective bargaining to end a strike, which had been initiated by thousands of employees from its Northeast region; the strike ended in 2016 and several proceedings are ongoing. Peter Walker won a Fifth Circuit appeal against the NLRB for UnitedHealth Group concerning unfair labor claims brought by current and former employees, who allege the client’s arbitration policy violated the NLRA by prohibiting class and collective actions. Bradford Livingston, Brian Stolzenbach and Joshua Henderson lead the practice, which also includes senior counsel John Toner, Jeffrey Berman, Joseph Damato, Nick Geannacopulos, Marshall Babson and John Telford. The team grew at counsel level and Robert Fisher joined as partner from Foley Hoag LLP. Attorneys are based in the firm’s Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Washington DC offices.

Jackson Lewis P.C.’s ‘solid team’ handles collective bargaining, arbitration, unfair labor cases, strike matters and challenges to NLRB decisions. The firm has been handling nationwide faculty contract negotiations for numerous colleges and universities. Boston’s Michael Bertoncini acted for Northeastern University in long-running negotiations with the SEIU concerning a contract for part-time faculty members teaching across the client’s nine colleges. Managing principal James Stone in Cleveland defended Ingersoll Rand in an arbitration filed by an employee, who was represented by the United Automobile Workers (UAW), following an employment termination. Other well-known clients include ExxonMobil, Pall Corporation and Saint Louis University. In Atlanta, co-head Jonathan Spitz and Jeffrey Schwartz are recommended, while Stephen Silvestri and Thomas Piekara are highly regarded in White Plains and Baltimore respectively. The ‘tremendous’ Philip Rosen also leads the group and, along with Peter Moss, is the name to note in New York. The firm absorbed Denlinger, Rosenthal & Greenberg’s team, adding Daniel Rosenthal, Gary Greenberg and James Mills in Cincinnati. Patrick Vaccaro and Bradley Kampas retired from practice.

Mark Schneider, Tanja Thompson and John Skonberg lead Littler Mendelson, P.C.’s practice and cover all manner of work between them, including NLRB proceedings, collective bargaining and California Labor Code matters. Thompson represented American Yeast Corporation (AYC) in a union organization case before the NLRB, which was governed by rules the agency recently introduced to speed up union elections, and assisted AYC with pre-election negotiations and a campaign that resulted in the company remaining union free. Phillips 66, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Sherwin-Williams are also clients. Robert Millman, A. John Harper III and Galen Lichtenstein are highly regarded along with workplace policy institute co-chair Michael Lotito and Stefan Marculewicz, who co-heads the business and human rights team. Michael Moschel joined from Bass, Berry & Sims PLC. Named attorneys are based in the firm’s Houston, Century City, Memphis, Minneapolis, Nashville and San Francisco offices.

At Ogletree Deakins, Houston’s managing shareholder Jeffrey Londa, practice co-head Brian Hayes and Christopher Murray acted for the National Federation of Independent Business, Texas Association of Business, Lubbock Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Home Builders and the Texas Association of Builders in a major case, where they obtained a national injunction which enjoined the Department of Labor’s enforcement of the ‘persuader rule’, which required employers and labor relations consultants to report certain agreements and activities. Kevin Kinney obtained a permanent injunction for Kohler that stopped a strike conducted by the UAW, and also advised the company on collective bargaining. Other clients are from an array of sectors, including finance, transport and entertainment. Also recommended are group co-head C. Thomas Davis, Mark Kisicki, Kim Ebert, chairman emeritus Homer Deakins and Rodolfo Agraz. Bernard Bobber’s arrival from Foley & Lardner LLP was among recent team changes. Named attorneys are based across the firm’s Atlanta, Dallas, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Nashville, Phoenix, Rayleigh and Washington DC offices.

Baker & Hostetler LLP handles diverse mandates, ranging from NLRB proceedings to labor contracts and election campaigns. Daniel Guttman provides ongoing statewide advice to the administration of Ohio Governor John Kasich on its unionized workforce and recently negotiated contracts with several organizations, including the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which is involved in an ongoing arbitration action against the State of Ohio, together with the Ohio Civil Service Employees Association, challenging the state’s privatization of food service operations in prisons. Other clients include media, transport and healthcare employers. Jay Krupin and Patrick Muldowney co-head the practice. Marc Antonetti, Paul Rosenberg, David Grant and Thomas Seger are also noted along with Todd Dawson, Ronald Linville and recently promoted partners Jennifer Edwards and Peter Fischer. Attorneys are based in Cleveland, Columbus, New York, Orlando and Washington DC.

DLA Piper LLP (US)’s David Durham, who is based in San Francisco, is representing American Baptist Homes of the West in two ongoing appeals against NLRB decisions, which overturned precedents that stated that employers are not required to disclose confidential witness statements to unions within the context of workplace investigations and that management have the right to permanently replace striking employees. The ‘excellent’ Chicago-based Marilyn Pearson advised United Airlines on labor negotiations with flight attendant unions. Other clients include Station Casinos, Michelin and Prime Healthcare. Washington DC’s Harriet Lipkin and Joseph Anthony Turzi are recommended. Ron Holland and Ellen Bronchetti joined the San Francisco office from Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP. Nicole Smith departed to Venable LLP.

Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.’s ‘outstanding’ team handles NLRB proceedings, labor matters related to M&A transactions and restructurings, litigation, arbitration and union organizing attempts. The firm represented Alcatel-Lucent in challenging a temporary restraining order request filed by the CWA and three retirees concerning the company’s plans to transfer thousands of participants in the Lucent pension plan to others sponsored by the company. Healthcare is a key sector for the practice, which frequently advises hospitals, health systems, life sciences companies and health insurers on a plethora of mandates, including union disputes and collective bargaining. Retail, energy and logistics companies also feature on the client roster. Chicago-based Mark Trapp is ‘very effective’ and is recommended with the experienced Jeremy Brown in Newark and Steven Swirsky in New York. Adam Abrahms stands out in Los Angeles and Adam Forman is highly regarded in Detroit and Chicago.

Greenberg Traurig LLP was particularly active in the hospitality sector, with New York-based Jerrold Goldberg providing ongoing labor contract advice to Anbang Insurance Group relating to its ownership of the Waldorf Astoria New York. In the same office, co-head Jonathan Sulds acted for Time Inc in collective bargaining negotiations and defended it against the NLRB’s unfair labor opposition to the company outsourcing jobs and temporary employees to allow for the cross-utilization of workers, industry standard wage increases and the elimination of senior layoffs. Recently promoted shareholder Justin Keith and managing shareholder Terence McCourt are key names in Boston. Miami’s Joseph Fleming, San Francisco’s Charles Birenbaum and Atlanta’s Erik Rodriguez are experienced individuals.

O’Melveny & Myers LLP has a first-rate client list, which includes Spirit Airlines, United Airlines, Gate Gourmet and other leading aviation sector companies. Robert Siegel defended American Airlines in arbitration proceedings filed by a pilots union concerning the implementation of contractual scheduling provisions for pilots following the merger between the company and US Airways. Jeffrey Kohn acts for Mylan in labor negotiations, discharge arbitrations and contract interpretation cases deriving from its Morgantown facility. Practice head Apalla Chopra, Mark Robertson and Aparna Joshi are the primary contacts with RLA gurus Michael McGuinness and Chris Hollinger, who focuses on representing airlines under the RLA. Named attorneys are based in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Washington DC.

Reed Smith LLP’s team acted for Verizon Communications and its subsidiaries in numerous matters, including representing two of its businesses in Pennsylvania and Delaware in a six-week strike, where Betty Graumlich - who divides her time between Richmond and Tysons - and Joel Barras obtained statewide injunctions to prevent mass picketing, harassment and the blocking of employees going to work. Its recent caseload also included matters involving wage rates, collective bargaining, arbitration and the labor aspects of M&A. Other clients include Hertz, Tenet Healthcare and companies in the energy and education sectors. Gary Tocci, John DiNome, New York’s David Weissman and Karl Fritton, who splits his time between Philadelphia and Chicago, are also noted. Eugene Connors became a consultant and senior counsel William Bevan retired. Unless stated otherwise, named attorneys are based in Philadelphia.

At Vedder Price, Chicago-based J. Kevin Hennessy handled union contract negotiations, workforce changes, arbitration, organization campaigns and elections for clients in diverse industries, ranging from aviation to logistics. In the same office, Kenneth Sparks led collective bargaining and M&A-related work in the healthcare sector, while Heather Sager in San Francisco advised a transport sector company on union avoidance and employment counseling. The firm’s expertise also includes corporate campaigns, NLRB investigations and proceedings, and strike matters. A+E Networks, Astellas Pharma and Evergent Group are key clients.

Winston & Strawn LLP advises non-unionized companies on employee relations, maintaining a union-free workplace and preventing litigation. On the unionized side, the firm represents its clients before the NLRB, federal courts and in arbitration regarding a wide range of matters, including union withdrawal and organization. Washington DC-based William Miossi and Chicago’s Derek Barella defended Arlington Metals against an NLRB attempt to bring an injunction against the company relating to its decision to withdraw from having United Steelworkers as its bargaining representative for production employees. Caterpillar, Paccar and Addus HomeCare are also clients. Chicago-based Joseph Torres and Los Angeles’ Michael Chamberlin are also noted.