Our practice focuses on representing labor unions in both the private and public sectors. We emphasize preventive law to minimize union legal costs and sponsor periodic free or low-cost labor law seminars to further that goal.
We also directly represent workers—often in cases involving legal issues that impact an entire workforce, such as wage & hour violations, rest and meal break compliance, and paid family and medical leave requirements, in addition to providing individual representation in contract and discrimination cases. We also represent numerous progressive non-profit organizations which play a vital part in defending and advocating for working people and their families.
Our firm provides compliance and strategic advice to Sec. 501(c)(3) and (c)(4) organizations whose missions are consistent with our labor union and other clients. Similarly, we provide a wide range of advice regarding compliance with federal, state, and local campaign finance requirements for those of our clients that participate in electoral politics.
Class Action Lawsuits
Barnard Iglitzin & Lavitt has litigated class action cases at every stage, from negotiation and settlement, to class certification, summary judgment, trial and appeal. In 2009 alone, we enabled a union to intervene in and successfully oppose class certification in a wage and hour lawsuit that threatened the way dispatch works in the longshore industry; we settled a case against a large grocery chain for failure to pay workers for time spent putting on and taking off necessary protective clothing; and we successfully resolved other class action cases relating to off-the-clock work. We also successfully represented a class of homeowners in an action against King County involving excessive utility fees the County had imposed.