The Legal 500 > United States > United States > Labor-management relations

Jones Day impresses with a broad coverage of the labor field, which includes experience in collective bargaining, disputes, labor strategies and labor integration issues in M&A transactions. The team is able to act in front of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) as well as the National Mediation Board (NMB). Minneapolis' Brian Easley is a highly regarded traditional labor lawyer with a broad practice. Curt Kirschner in San Francisco is well versed in disputes, in particular in the health care sector. Transportation-specialist Donald Munro, Douglas Hall, Thomas Chiavetta and Patricia Dunn, who knows the media and eduction industries well, are highlighted practitioners in Washington DC. James Urban in Pittsburgh, New York's Jessica Kastin and Chicago-based Michael Rossman are also noted. After several leading figures retired in the previous years, more junior yet experienced and dedicated talent like David Birnbaum and senior associate Samantha Woo in Chicago as well as Houston's Joanne Bush are filling their shoes.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP impresses with a dedicated labor practice which is regularly involved in assisting clients with corporate campaigns, collective bargaining, union-organizing campaigns and business changes causing workforce change, among other matters. The group is experienced in acting before all related agencies and is headed up by Harry Johnson in Los Angeles and Philip Miscimarra in Washington DC, who both have extensive expertise in handling matters before the NRLB. Joseph Ragaglia in Philadelphia is noted for his comprehensive practice. Jonathan Fritts is well versed in collective bargaining, arbitration, and litigation cases. Like Daniel Bordoni, who knows the defense, manufacturing and trucking sectors well, they are both based in Washington DC. Steven Wall in Philadelphia, Douglas Hart, who joined from Sidley Austin LLP in February 2019, Nicole Buffalano in Los Angeles, and Ross Friedman in Chicago are also noted.

The team at Proskauer Rose LLP has established itself as a go-to practice in labor issues and enjoys a particularly strong standing in the US professional sports leagues but also in the education and media segments. The group covers all related matters, such as unions and collective bargaining, as well as litigation and arbitration proceedings. Neil Abramson, who has special expertise in the public sector, and labor claims specialist Joseph Baumgarten jointly lead the practice. Bernard Plum is well versed in collective bargaining, arbitration and strategic planning. Paul Salvatore impresses with more than 35 years of experience in the field. In Boston, the key contacts are Mark Batten and Scott Faust, while in the Los Angeles office, Mark Theodore is highlighted. Michael Lebowich, Howard Robbins, Adam Lupion and senior counsel Steven Porzio are also names to note. All individuals are based in New York except when stated otherwise.

Seyfarth Shaw LLP's traditional labor practice is experienced in representing clients in unfair labor practice charges as well as proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board and in labor arbitrations. The team also handles collective bargaining, union organizing campaigns and strikes, and it has companies from various industries, such as health care, sports, construction, hospitality, transportation, manufacturing and media, on its client roster. In Chicago, Bradford Livingston is an expert in collective bargaining negotiations, while Brian Stolzenbach specialises in developing strategies. Together with the San Francisco-based Joshua Henderson they lead the practice. Arthur Telegen in Boston and Stuart Newman in Atlanta are highlighted for their longstanding activity in labor management relations. Other noted practitioners are New York's Marshall Babson and Howard Wexler, Kyllan Kershaw in Atlanta, Robert Fisher and associate Skelly Harper in Boston, as well as newly promoted partner Karla Sanchez in Chicago. Bryan O’Keefe strengthened the Washington DC office after joining from Kirkland & Ellis LLP in February 2019. Joseph Damato is also recommended in the same office.

Baker & Hostetler LLP has an established traditional labor practice, which is particularly active in union avoidance, collective bargaining, strikes, corporate campaign activities and labor policies. Led by hospitality-industry-specialist Jay Krupin in Washington DC and Orlando-based Patrick Muldowney, the group also regularly assists clients with labor-related disputes. Cleveland's Todd Dawson is well versed in unfair labor practices, while M.J. Asensio in Columbus is experienced in grievance arbitration and labor litigation. Other key practitioners from this office are Joseph Devine, Daniel Guttman, Ronald Linville and Jennifer Edwards. Further names to note include Paul Rosenberg in New York and the Washington DC-based Louis Cannon, David Grant and Peter Fischer.

The team at DLA Piper LLP (US) has a considerable track record in advising clients on labor management relations. It advises on a regular basis on union organizing activities, collective bargaining, the management of workforces and litigation proceedings before the NRLB. Companies on the group's client roster are often from sectors such as financial services, media and food. The Washington DC-based Harriet Lipkin has notable experience with unfair labor practices, while Joseph Turzi is able to assist with corporate campaigns. Joseph Piesco in New York is a key contact in contentious matters and Ryan Vann is the name to note in Chicago. Team leader Brian Kaplan is based in New York.

The team at Greenberg Traurig, LLP works closely with union-free and unionized clients on labor-related steps along the way, be it day-to-day counsel or proceedings before the NRLB. Co-chair of the firm's labor relations management group, Boston-based Terence McCourt, is also well versed in labor arbitrations. He jointly heads up the practice with Jerrold Goldberg in New York, who is well versed in the real estate and hospitality industries, and the key contact in the San Francisco office, Charles Birenbaum.

O'Melveny & Myers LLP has developed a reputable practice in acting for the aviation industry. The team covers the full gamut of labor relations management matters, such as union management, strategies and litigation mandates. Robert Siegel is the go-to labor counsel for clients such as American Airlines and United Airlines and is noted for his broad practice. He and department head Apalla Chopra are both based in Los Angeles. Other noted practitioners are Aparna Joshi in Washington DC, who is well versed in collective bargaining negotiations, and New York's Mark Robertson.

The team at Vedder Price is regularly engaged to handle union organizing campaigns, unfair labor practice charges as well as other NLRB proceedings. It is noted for its expertise in representing managements in collective bargaining negotiations. The firm has a particularly strong offering in Chicago, where the line-up includes the experienced Kenneth Sparks, Eugene Boyle, Mark Stolzenburg and Patrick Spangler. Candice Zee is a key practitioner in Los Angeles. The team is led by Amy Bess in Washington DC.

Winston & Strawn LLP is noted for its involvement in labor disputes, be it in arbitration proceedings or before the NRLB. Beyond those, the team also handles collective bargaining and day-to-day labor matters for clients from the manufacturing, energy, construction and health care sectors. Practice co-head William Miossi has longstanding experience in the contentious space and splits his time between Washington DC and Chicago, where practice co-head Michael Roche is based. Joseph Torres left for Jenner & Block LLP in May 2019.