Labor Law Clinic

Unfair Labor Practices before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)

The clinic routinely files administrative charges before the NLRB. These charges often involve workers who have been terminated for trying to improve their terms or conditions of employment. We have also filed cases related to collective bargaining violations or organizing activity. These cases typically involve interviewing the client and witnesses, drafting the charge and supporting position statement, and responding to any inquiries by the administrative agency.  If the board preliminarily finds in the case has merit, student help to negotiate a settlement with opposing counsel and review any settlement documents.

Collective Bargaining

We advise clients on collective bargaining issues and draft language.

Mediation and Arbitration

Students regularly gain experience with alternative dispute resolution, either mediation or final and binding arbitration. These cases generally involve a worker who has been terminated from employment. For the arbitration cases, students handle the evidentiary hearing before a neutral arbitrator selected by the parties.  Students put their entire case together, which includes doing the opening statement, handling the witness examinations, both direct and cross, dealing with evidentiary issues, and writing the post-arbitration brief.  Sometimes these cases also involve settlement negotiations with the opposing counsel.

Discrimination Claims

The clinic regularly sees cases of race discrimination. On behalf of our clients, we have filed charges of discrimination before state and federal administrative agencies with race, national origin, and sex claims.

Know Your Rights Presentations

We periodically do “Know Your Rights” presentations on labor and employment statutes. Many times these presentations are done before immigrant workers.

Every semester we handle a few international labor law cases on behalf of clients. Oftentimes we research and draft reports that are filed with U.N. bodies related to treaty compliance. We have drafted universal periodic review reports tied to freedom of association and other fundamental labor issues on Haiti, Saudi Arabia, Zimbabwe, and the Philippines. We have also drafted complaints to the ILO for our clients and supported work before the OECD and under trade agreements.