Advising traditional labor clients in the healthcare, transportation, and retail sectors is the labor & employment team at Vedder. The team is led in Chicago by Elizabeth Hall and Kenneth Sparks, with Sparks bringing extensive experience representing healthcare organizations in complex labor law and litigation matters nationwide. In Los Angeles, Candice Zee focuses on traditional labor issues, including unfair labor practice charges, interpretation of collective bargaining agreements, and grievance matters. Chicago-based Peyton Demith and Bill Whalen are both well-versed in contract administration, union organizing campaigns, and unfair labor practice charges. Demith, alongside practice head Hall, is also seen representing Ferguson Enterprises in organizing and collective bargaining matters across multiple Midwest and Southeast locations, including successful negotiations with affiliates of the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters and the Teamsters Union for new collective bargaining agreements.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Billing & efficiency
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'I think the people have great depth and diversity of experience. I also appreciate the firm's dedication to succession planning; this provides comfort as newer attorneys enter the prime of their careers in this specialty field of practice.'
- 'Experience, dedication, and flexibility. The attorneys on the ground do a great job of providing advice scoped to business objectives as opposed to pushing a decision on management.'
Key clients
- BTX Precision
- Graymont Limited
- Ferrara Candy Company
- SSM Healthcare, St. Louis University Hospital
- University of Chicago Medical Center
- Vulcan Materials
Work highlights
Negotiated a first contract covering more than 1,000 University of Chicago Medicine residents and fellows who work at multiple hospitals around the region.
Represented Ferguson Enterprises in organizing and collective bargaining matters at multiple locations in the Midwest and Southeast, including successful negotiations with affiliates of the United Associate of Plumbers and Pipefitters and Teamsters Union for new collective bargaining agreements.
Served as the primary negotiator and spokesperson for Innophos, Inc. in negotiations with the International Union of Operating Engineers.
Practice head
Elizabeth Hall; Kenneth Sparks
Other key lawyers
Candice Zee; Peyton Demith; Bill Whalen