Akerman LLP represents private and public sector employers across a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, distribution, healthcare, and real estate. The practice is led by Eric Gordon in Florida and Marissa Alguire in Los Angeles. The team advises employers at all stages of union activity, including campaigns, card checks, elections, and decertification efforts.

Steptoe LLP advises on the full spectrum of labor law matters, representing clients in disputes before courts, administrative tribunals, and arbitration panels, as well as at the bargaining table. The practice is led in New York by Alan Klinger and Dina Kolker, who together bring extensive experience in labor and employment advisory work.

Seyfarth Shaw LLP advises employers on unfair labor practice charges, collective bargaining negotiations, and representation proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board. The practice is led by Glenn Smith in New York, who focuses on collective bargaining agreements; Molly Gabel in Seattle, who is active in employment litigation; and Karla Sanchez in Chicago, who handles the full range of traditional labor law matters. In Washington DC, Bryan O’Keefe represents employers in traditional labor disputes, including NLRB unfair labor practice charges and trials before administrative law judges. Chicago-based Harrison Kuntz counsels clients of all sizes across multiple industries on labor arbitration, work stoppages, and organizing campaigns. In Atlanta, Rachael Reed advises on all aspects of labor-management relations, supporting employers with day-to-day labor issues and representing them before the NLRB. In New York, Jason Silver and Marshall Babson are key practitioners, both active in unfair labor practice litigation and collective bargaining work.

A strong presence in unfair labor practice proceedings underpins Fisher Phillips’s practice, alongside regular involvement in labor contract negotiations and the management of strikes, boycotts, and picketing. Leadership of the group is shared between three partners: Los Angeles-based Todd Lyon, who advises clients nationwide on collective bargaining, labor negotiations, and both grievance and interest arbitration; Tampa partner Steven Bernstein, a long-standing traditional labor specialist; and Boston’s Joshua Nadreau, who is regularly engaged in collective bargaining matters, arbitration proceedings, and appearances before state and federal administrative agencies. On the contentious side, Raeann Burgo in Pittsburgh and Rick Grimaldi in Philadelphia represented Safeway on labor issues, including union elections. From South Carolina, Stephen Mitchell supports a diverse client base that spans private equity houses, multinational manufacturers with extensive distribution operations, and businesses active in the oil and gas sector.

Ford Harrison LLP is a national firm dedicated exclusively to labor and employment law, advising employers across a broad range of industries. Its client base spans sectors such as healthcare, air transportation, restaurants, retail, and manufacturing, reflecting the firm’s depth across both traditional labor and employment matters. The practice is led by a trio of partners: St. Louis-based Corey Franklin, Tampa’s Tammie Rattray, and Atlanta partner Henry Warnock. Franklin concentrates on representing management in labor relations matters and employment law disputes, while Rattray maintains a wide-ranging practice encompassing litigation as well as traditional labor law. Warnock brings particular strength in advising clients in the healthcare, construction, and technology sectors. Additional support comes from Atlanta-based Paul Beshears, who counsels companies on labor and employment issues arising from mergers and acquisitions, reductions in force, and the labor law aspects of government contracting.

Jackson Lewis P.C. supports employers on a wide range of labor relations matters, including collective bargaining, strike and contingency planning, and advising on how bargaining objectives and positions are communicated to employees and other stakeholders. The practice is jointly led by Laura Pierson-Scheinberg, who splits her time between the firm’s San Francisco and Maryland offices, and Hartford-based Richard Vitarelli. Pierson-Scheinberg represents employers across labor and employment matters, with a particular emphasis on traditional labor issues, union elections, and unfair labor practice charges. Vitarelli acts as strategic labor and employment counsel to employers and multi-employer associations, advising clients in sectors such as construction, infrastructure, new energy, and healthcare. Further depth is provided by Atlanta-based Jonathan Spitz, who assists employers in responding to NLRB representation proceedings, corporate campaigns, and demands for card check and neutrality.

Regularly acting as labor relations counsel on purchase and sale transactions, BakerHostetler is also well regarded for its work on hotel management agreement matters. Oversight of the practice is shared between New York-based Amy Traub, Todd Dawson in Cleveland, and Washington DC partner Peter Fischer. A key figure within the group, Fischer is known for designing bespoke labor strategies and negotiating complex union arrangements on behalf of owners and management companies operating across the hospitality and food service industries. In Philadelphia, Christian White frequently appears before the EEOC and NLRB in federal and state courts and handles arbitration and mediation proceedings. Columbus-based Jeremiah Hart advises on labor relations and employment compliance, counseling clients on issues such as grievance arbitration and collective bargaining.

Ballard Spahr LLP acts for employers in their interactions with trade unions and organized labor, including within highly unionized industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, transport, and the nonprofit sector. Based in Philadelphia, team head Meredith Dante frequently supports clients on issues including harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and whistleblowing claims. In Seattle, co-head Priya Vivian advises and represents employers throughout the entire employment lifecycle, covering everything from recruitment through to dismissals and related matters.

DLA Piper LLP (US) advises on the full range of traditional labor matters, including union organizing, collective bargaining, union contract administration, and issues arising under the National Labor Relations Act. In New York, Joseph Piesco focuses on employment-related class actions, including wage and hour class and collective actions, ADEA claims, and Title VII litigation. Los Angeles-based Steve Hernandez previously investigated and prosecuted unfair labor practices and now defends employers in such matters, drawing on his experience running union-representation elections to provide clients with insight into union campaign and election processes. Marc Katz has left the firm.

Supporting both unionized and non-union employers, Greenberg Traurig focuses on helping clients foster constructive employee relations while reducing the exposure, expense, and disruption associated with litigation. The group is jointly headed by Atlanta-based John Richards, Naomi Beer in Denver, and San Francisco partner Ronald Holland. Beer is regularly engaged in complex disputes, including class actions and multi-district litigation, with particular strength in overseeing and managing large-scale matters. Holland, meanwhile, advises on a broad range of labor issues, encompassing wage and hour class actions, whistleblower claims, breach of contract disputes, and other high-stakes employment litigation. Also based in San Francisco, Ellen Bronchetti represents employers in wage and hour disputes, trade secret misappropriation cases, and matters involving whistleblowers.

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP’s labor and employment practice is recognized for its expertise in complex union and labor matters before the National Labor Relations Board and in the courts. The team is co-led by Emily Burkhardt Vicente in Los Angeles and Kevin White in Washington DC. In Atlanta, key partner Bob Dumbacher regularly represents clients before the NLRB, including the prosecution and defense of unfair labor practice charges.

The team at Littler Mendelson, P.C. guides employers through the full lifecycle of labor management relations, including corporate campaign response, NLRB matters, global labor relations, and pension withdrawal liability issues. The practice is led by Jonathan Levine in Milwaukee, Brooke Niedecken in Columbus, and Tanja Thompson in Memphis. In Los Angeles, Robert Millman represents employers in proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board and in unfair labor practice litigation, as well as in employment disputes, including complex class actions. Millman also acts for clients in arbitration and mediation and has significant experience handling collective bargaining negotiations.

Union organizing challenges are a core focus for McDermott Will & Schulte, with the firm advising employers on how best to prepare for, navigate, and respond to organizing activity across the US. The team also draws on the strength of Washington DC-based Tony Torain II, who is highly experienced in defending major organizations in unfair labor practice trials and proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board. Christopher Foster departed the team in April 2026.

O'Melveny is a regular adviser on investigations and litigation stemming from DEI-related claims, campus protests, and disputes involving allegations of antisemitism. The practice is led by Aparna Joshi, who represents airlines across the country in federal court litigation, labor arbitrations, and collective bargaining matters. Alongside Joshi is Silicon Valley-based Eric Amdursky, who acts for public and private company employers in the defense of high-stakes disputes, including claims relating to sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and executive compensation.

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.