Labor Representation

Our work strengthening the labor movement allows us to use our legal expertise in service of our passionate belief in workplace justice and fairness.

For nearly 50 years Levy Ratner has provided comprehensive representation and counsel to labor organizations, union leaders and workers. We are creative, tactical lawyers with decades of experience supporting union organizing drives, corporate accountability campaigns, contract campaigns and other union activities.

What We Offer

We are skilled advocates and negotiators. We have successfully negotiated hundreds of major collective bargaining agreements covering tens of thousands of workers and represent our clients in arbitration, administrative proceedings, and labor-related litigation. We are also well versed in internal union affairs, including reporting and recordkeeping requirements. We have represented unions, election boards, incumbent candidates and challengers in significant and heavily contested internal union elections.

  • Real World Experience

    Our attorneys have experience as organizers, nonprofit administrators and campaign managers, and are uniquely positioned to understand our clients’ operations from a practical as well as legal perspective.

  • Guidance

    There are few law firms that can match our creative and responsive approach to helping workers organize. We understand collective action and give our clients advice to win.

  • Industry Leadership

    We have the privilege of representing some of the most well&8209;established and largest labor unions in the country. We also have the good fortune of working with inspiring emergent worker campaigns.

  • Relationships

    We maintain strong relationships with mediators, arbitrators and judges, and have earned the trust of major clients who we have represented for decades.

  • Scale

    We’re uniquely equipped to scale our team of attorneys to meet the diverse needs of our clients. When necessary, we can bring a large team of experienced lawyers to remedy unlawful conduct by employers or bargain large multi‑employer collective bargaining agreements covering thousands of workers.

Case Spotlights

  • Researcher and Google Activist

    Meredith Whittaker is a Research Professor at New York University, the Co-founder of NYU’s AI Now Institute, and the founder of Google’s Open Research group.

    She was also a leader in labor organizing efforts, including the Google Walkout and other mobilizations, while employed at Google 

    Her organizing drew from her research, recognizing that a powerful multinational tech corporation was unlikely to make ethical and just decisions without the force of worker power compelling it.

    Levy Ratner represented Meredith in a retaliation charge before the National Labor Relations Board. 

    She has since moved on from Google, but she continues to promote tech worker organizing through her research and advocacy. 

    Our firm stands with Meredith in fighting for the rights of tech workers to speak out and hold their employers accountable.

    Press

  • Fight for $15

    In our role representing the Fast Food Workers Committee, Levy Ratner attorneys helped structure successful workplace actions and demonstrations in New York City that formed a foundation for the national living‑wage movement known as Fight for $15. Micah Wissinger was one of the architects of landmark litigation before the National Labor Relations Board involving McDonald’s Corporation and served as the primary attorney representing the union. The breadth and scope of the case were unprecedented, resulting in a multi‑year hearing before an Administrative Judge to determine whether McDonald’s was liable for its franchisees’ workplace violations, including retaliation for attempts to unionize.

Who We Work With

We work with unions across industries, sectors and roles — from representing highly compensated health care professionals at landmark New York City hospitals to hourly workers in fast‑food and retail settings.

Areas We Address

  • Negotiations

    1. Obtaining First Contracts
    2. Contract Re-openers
    3. Large Multiemployer Bargaining Units

  • Litigation & Arbitration

    1. Federal, State and Appellate Court Work
    2. Individual and Class Arbitrations
    3. Arbitration for Contract Violations

  • Employer Accountability

    1. Protecting job security
    2. Getting what’s owed to workers
    3. Workplace disputes

  • Internal Union Affairs

    1. Reporting and Record Keeping Requirements
    2. Union Officer Elections
    3. Internal Affairs and Administration

Labor Representation Attorneys