Best Lawyers in America for Labor Law - Union
State
Brian Olney is a partner at Hadsell Stormer Renick & Dai LLP in Pasadena, California, where his practice focuses on Civil Rights Law , Employment Law - Individuals , and Litigation - Labor and Employment . He represents plaintiffs in state and federal courts, as well as in arbitration proceedings, handling matters through all stages of litigation, including pre-litigation negotiations, discovery, trial, and appeal. Mr. Olney serves as a trainer at the annual trial college hosted by the Ca...
Charles R. “Chuck” Bacharach is Chair of Gordon Feinblatt’s Employment Group and a member of the firm’s Litigation and Health Care practice groups. He represents employers and management in a broad range of employment law matters, including employment discrimination, sexual harassment, wage and hour disputes, wrongful discharge claims, employment contract disputes, ERISA claims, False Claims Act matters, defamation claims, and negligent misrepresentation actions. Chuck...
Beth Bertelson brings over 35 years of focused employment law experience to workplace disputes. As founder of Bertelson Law Offices, P.A., she represents employees in complex discrimination cases, whistleblower protection, leave-related claims, severance negotiations and executive contracting. Clients value Beth's strategic thinking, clear communication, and unwavering commitment to achieving meaningful results. A Minnesota State Bar Association Certified Labor & Employment Law Specialist...
For more than 30 years, Wendi Lazar has practiced employment law internationally with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, employment agreements, and cross-border issues. In 2025, she founded Wendi Lazar Law PC to counsel clients seeking boutique, highly complex legal services involving M&A transactions and other executive compensation matters. Previously, she was an equity partner at Outten & Golden, where she led and co-managed the firm’s individual and international executive...
Robert Friedman practices in the area of ERISA, employee benefits and executive compensation. Since 1996, he has been the head of the firm's national Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation and ERISA Practice Group. Mr. Friedman is also co-chair of the ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plans) Practice Group. His clients include private, non-profit and governmental employers. He is a frequent speaker on employee benefits, ERISA fiduciary matters and pension and tax planning. Mr. Friedman’...
Bradford J. Smith is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Employment Law - Individuals, Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Bradford J. practices law in Boston, Massachusetts Best Lawyers has recognized Bradford J. Smith since 2019. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Bradford J. Smith is he...
Sean O'Connell is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Employment Law - Individuals and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Sean practices law in Dover, New Hampshire Best Lawyers has recognized Sean O'Connell since 2023. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Sean O'Connell is held by other lawyers.
Dennis McClelland is a board certified labor and employment Lawyer who has practiced exclusively in the area of labor and employment for over 23 years. Dennis represents employers in civil court litigation, arbitrations and administrative proceedings regarding claims involving wage and hour, employment discrimination, family and medical leave, union-management relations, employee benefits, and various employment-related torts. In particular, he has extensive experience representing companies ...
Tod F. Schleier is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Employment Law - Individuals and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Tod F. practices law in Phoenix, Arizona Best Lawyers has recognized Tod F. Schleier since 1989. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Tod F. Schleier is held by other lawyers.
Attorney Anthony Stites represents business entities in all facets of their employment matters. On a daily basis, he works with human resource personnel and in-house counsel to prevent or solve problems in the employment arena. Clients that he works regularly include Ashley Industrial Molding, New Millennium Building Systems, Micropulse, Steel Dynamics Inc., OmniSource Corp., and Colwell General Inc. With an emphasis in the transportation and manufacturing sectors, Anthony has presented hundr...
Jennifer Noya practices primarily in insurance coverage defense, employment law, professional liability, civil rights, class action and complex litigation. She has defended a wide variety of cases, including defense of insurers in class action litigation involving both life insurance and auto coverage. She has represented defendants in professional liability cases, civil rights class litigation and represents employers in employment-related disputes arising under state and federal law, as wel...
Patrick is a seasoned trial attorney, concentrating on employment and employment-related litigation and arbitration, as well as disputes between partners and shareholders in closely held corporations. Patrick leads the firm’s trial practice. Patrick began his career as a trial attorney with the United States Department of Justice and has litigated hundreds of cases (conducting both bench and jury trials) in state and federal courts across the country. Since entering private practice, Pa...
Andy Freeman obtains justice for his clients. He has won numerous verdicts, judgments, and settlements of millions, tens of millions, and in one case over a billion dollars by mastering the relevant law and getting to know his clients, their problems, and the evidence in their cases. Other lawyers bring Andy cases that present complicated combinations of law and facts or that require making new law. After finding witnesses the defendant had failed to disclose, Andy won $7 million at trial for...
Maureen S. Binetti is co-chair of Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A.’s Employment Law group. Ms. Binetti is among the few female or employment attorneys certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court as a Civil Trial Attorney. Ms. Binetti’s has represented both sides of employment disputes for over 35 years, in the New Jersey state and federal courts. These disputes include claims of harassment and discrimination based on age, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnic origin, national...
David M. deRubertis is an attorney with The deRubertis Law Firm APC, representing clients in Beverly Hills, California. His practice includes Employment Law – Individuals, Litigation – Labor and Employment, and Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs. David M. deRubertis has been recognized by Best Lawyers since 2012 for his work in employment law and personal injury litigation. This recognition is based on a peer-review process that reflects evaluations from attorneys withi...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.
