Jones Day represents businesses in relation to matters covered by the National Labor Relations Act and the Railway Labor Act, including collective bargaining work, labor arbitrations and union organizing matters. The firm’s high-profile clients operate across a wide range of industries, including food, rail and mining. Brian West Easley, partner-in-charge of the Minneapolis office, has experience representing employers in manufacturing, natural resources and transport. Washington DC-based Patricia Dunn is an experienced negotiator in labor agreements, bargaining multiple contracts and advising clients on strategy and contingency planning. Chicago-based associates Samantha Woo and Allyson Werntz are key supporting players in many cases. Willis Goldsmith brings more than forty years of experience representing clients before state and federal trials. The team is led by New York-based Matthew Lampe and Chicago-based Elizabeth McRee.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP is a strong performer in the area of labor-management relations, maintaining a reputation for its success in the space. Its labor-management relations team has recently moved into the employee plan space and expanded its work in the energy sector. Employees at the firm are also trial lawyers, meaning they have first-hand experience of all aspects of the legal process. It has streamlined efficiency by developing the Virtual Whiteboard, which allows employees to track and review progress virtually, and ClientSite, which provides analytics about client needs. The firm is led by Joseph Ragaglia in Philadelphia, dealing with healthcare, and Harry I. Johnson, III in Century City, California, with a focus on transport. Chicago and Washington DC-based Philip Miscimarra handles arbitration work for the food industry, sometimes alongside Los Angeles–based Nicole Buffalano, who also works in energy and manufacturing. Washington DC’s Daniel Bordoni has worked in the aerospace and defense sector, counseling clients through strikes which have lasted months and representing them in related proceedings before the NLRB. Jonathan C. Fritts in Washington DC has represented clients in complex work in transport, while Philadelphia-based Steven R. Wall also works with the food industry.

Proskauer Rose LLP has great experience in representing management in labor relations matters, advising employers on union-organizing situations. The firm represents a large number of sports leagues, universities and media organizations. The practice is led by New York-based Neil Abramson, who leads collective bargaining disputes with transit and railroad workers, teachers and emergency services, and Los Angeles-based Anthony Oncidi. New York-based Bernard Plum brings his years of experience as a spokesperson for entertainment and media companies into his present legal work representing companies in the sport, theatre and live events industries. Also New York-based, Paul Salvatore negotiates industry collective bargaining agreements including real estate, construction and education. New York’s Steven Porzio assists both unionized and non-unionized companies in a range of labor relations matters.

Seyfarth Shaw LLP has handled collective bargaining issues in industries as varied as professional sports, construction and hospitality. The team is led by New York-based chair Glenn Smith, Seattle-based vice chair Molly Gabel and Atlanta-based vice chair Kyllan Kershaw, a management-side labor lawyer who works exclusively in traditional labor work. Washington DC–based Bryan O’Keefe represents employers in traditional labor law matters, including charges of unfair labor practices, union organizing and collective bargaining. Chicago-based Karla Sanchez has a strong focus on counseling clients through complex labor relations issues, including corporate campaigns, impasse bargaining and strikes. Also in Chicago is senior counsel Bradford Livingston.

Jackson Lewis P.C.‘s national practice has seen particular growth in the areas of healthcare, transportation and oil and gas. The firm is led by Atlanta-based co-leader Jonathan Spitz , who works in union management for the oil and gas sector, and Hartford, Connecticut-based co-leader Richard Vitarelli, who is involved in labor relations, collective bargaining and multiemployer pensions benefits. Laura Pierson-Scheinberg, from the Orange County office, has overseen contentious negotiations between employers and unions representing thousands of workers, and assisted in negotiating a contract without labor strife. Litigation practice manager Alan Feldman is another key name in the team, handling employee discipline and unfair labor practice charges from the Phoenix office.

BakerHostetler operates a large labor and employment practice with a history of representing businesses in dealing with organized labor. Its key areas of expertise are in representing clients in hospitality, transport and mining. The team is led by Washington DC-based co-leader Jay P. Krupin, whose work includes union avoidance, strikes and due diligence, supported by Orlando-based co-leader Patrick M. Muldowney, and New York-based group chair Amy J. Traub. New York-based Paul Rosenberg remains active on behalf of a number of the firm's key clients.

Ballard Spahr LLP assists employers with collective bargaining, arbitrations and unfair labor practice cases. Regularly appearing before the National Labor Relations Board, the firm has been involved in corporate campaigns, high-stakes labor negotiations and threatened job actions, and frequently works in the healthcare, retail and manufacturing industries. The firm is led by New Jersey-based partner Denise Keyser. Philadelphia-based Shannon D. Farmer leads on many cases, including a precedent-setting University of Pittsburgh case concerning whether or not grad students are considered to be employees with the right to organize. Philadelphia-based Brian Pedrow also prominently deals with transport and other public services, while Salt Lake City–based Steven W. Suflas represents the State of New Jersey in all labor issues.

DLA Piper LLP (US) handles issues across the traditional labor spectrum, including union organizing, collective bargaining, union contract administration and advice concerning the National Labor Relations Act. The firm is led by New York–based partner Brian Kaplan. New York–based partner Evan Parness is one of the ABA’s 15 national commissioners on racial and ethnic diversity; he has notably drafted a resolution which urges employers to implement practices which take vulnerable groups into consideration as part of the COVID recovery process.

Greenberg Traurig LLP’s labor team helps both unionized and non-union employers maintain positive relations with their employees while seeking to avoid high-stakes labor litigation. Its lawyers are involved in all stages of representation and unfair labor practice proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and state labor agencies, regularly appearing before courts, arbitrators and the NLRB. The team is led by Denver-based co-chair Naomi Beer and Philadelphia-based co-chair James N. Boudreau. New York-based Jerrold Goldberg leads on many cases, including addressing labor relations issues related to the impact of COVID-19 on the real estate industry. San Francisco-based Charles Birenbaum is also noted as a key member of the team.

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP is noted for its effective labor and management-side labor litigation practice. The team is led by Los Angeles-based partner Emily Burkhardt Vicente and Washington DC-based partner Kevin White.

Jones Walker LLP counsels and defends clients in all types of employment litigation. Working across different areas of labor and employment law, there is strong co-operation between the firm’s labor relations and employee benefits, ERISA and executive compensation teams. The practice covers areas including COBRA, the Family and Medical Leave Act and group health insurance. The firm is led by New Orleans-based Sidney F. Lewis, who has acted as labor counsel and/or chief spokesman in contract negotiations and handled union elections and labor arbitrations, working across construction and finance.

McDermott Will & Emery LLP has offices across key commercial centers in the US, allowing the firm to cover a wide range of bases and to understand local issues in all major regions of the contiguous United States. In addition to this, the firm enjoys a growing profile and has secured several significant victories for its clients. The overall labor management team is led by Chicago-based partner Michael Sheehan. Ron Holland leads the San Francisco arm for the practice, counseling Fortune 500 companies on labor strategy, union-avoidance and responses to union-backed corporate campaigns.

O'Melveny & Myers LLP predominantly works in the aviation sector, dealing with labor issues arising from mergers and acquisitions, as well as handling labor disputes and employee-employer issues.  The practice is led by Silicon Valley-based partner Eric Amdursky, and Los Angeles-based Apalla Chopra. Los Angeles-based Robert Siegel is outside labor counsel for a number of major US airlines and has advised on many airline mergers during his career. New York's Mark Robertson has achieved victories for airlines in working disputes with unions.

Vedder Price advises clients on sensitive employment matters and policy development, routinely working with clients to help them proactively and effectively address workplace claims or risks and identify areas for improvement. The team is led by Elizabeth N. Hall, while Kenneth F. Sparks has worked in all aspects of healthcare claims. Patrick W. Spangler and shareholder Eugene A. Boyle primarily work with manufacturing companies. All lawyers mentioned are based in Chicago.