In an environment of increasingly complex labor and employment laws, our lawyers provide effective human resources strategies, counseling, and training to help our clients avoid costly litigation, lengthy government investigations, and other outside party intervention. We have assisted clients in the implementation of arbitration agreements and policies that enable them to avoid costly and high-risk jury trials. When litigation cannot be avoided, our labor and employment lawyers consistently provide our clients with comprehensive services that lead to cost-effective, favorable results. Where reasonable settlements have not been possible, we have often secured summary judgments for our clients and have thereby avoided trials. If trials are necessary, though, our lawyers are fully prepared for them. We have successfully tried cases in courts and agencies around the country.
Frantz Ward’s Labor & Employment Practice Group ranks among the very best in the nation. For seventeen consecutive years, the labor and employment practice has received the highest possible ranking – Band 1 – in the prestigious Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Our labor practice is also nationally-recognized by U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Law Firms” in the areas of Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management; and Litigation – Labor & Employment. Individual lawyers in the labor group have been recognized by peer ratings, including Chambers USA, The Best Lawyers in America, Ohio Super Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell and others for their exceptional client service and expertise in this practice area.
Frantz Ward’s labor and employment lawyers represent national, regional, and local employers in the full spectrum of traditional and emerging labor law issues. Members of the group counsel our non-union clients on how to retain their status, and routinely represent employers in union organizing campaigns and unfair labor practice proceedings before the NLRB. We also negotiate collective bargaining agreements and are well-versed in the issues that arise in the bargaining process. Additionally, we advise clients on contract interpretation issues and represent many clients in arbitration proceedings under collective bargaining agreements. Members of the group actively work with our clients in planning for and dealing with work stoppages on a local and national level. This representation includes training management; obtaining injunctive relief against mass picketing violence or illegal or wildcat strikes; preventing disruption of our clients’ business relationships through secondary boycott charges and related damage suits; counseling regarding replacement of strikers; and handling post-strike litigation.
Our Labor & Employment Practice Group has extensive experience in the following areas: