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Employment & Labor Relations Committee

Mission

The Employment & Labor Relations Committee serves as resource for litigators whose practice involves employment and traditional labor litigation, including litigation in the courts, administrative agencies and arbitrations. More specifically, the committee provides a forum for discussion and serves as a resource for litigators who handle employment discrimination and harassment claims, retaliation and whistleblower claims, wage and hour claims, breach of employment contract claims, restrictive covenant litigation, employment torts, unfair labor practice claims and other types of employment or labor related claims.

We have a number of subcommittees designed to allow our committee to function effectively, such as the Newsletter, Membership, and Website Subcommittees. Additionally, we are always willing to consider adding subcommittees to better serve our members. If you would like to become involved in one of the existing sub-committees or to create a new subcommittee, please contact one of the committee chairs.

When you attend ABA meetings, our committee holds business meetings/ breakfasts at the Annual Meeting and at the Mid-Year Meeting of the Section of Litigation. We encourage you to attend committee meetings to find out more about what our committee is doing.

Since our committee is national in scope, you will have an opportunity to join one of the few organizations that draws resources and experience in employment law on a nationwide basis. We have many plaintiffs’ attorneys, defense attorneys, in-house lawyers, government officials, and even members of the judiciary. The personal relationships that are developed across the United States and into Canada through socializing at ABA meetings, participation in our subcommittees, and work on the many publications are invaluable benefits of membership.

 

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Announcements

In Memoriam

It is with deep regret that we inform you of the passing of active committee member and former chair John Robinson IV on January 9, 2011. Inducted as a fellow in the inaugural class of 1996, John began his career at the National Labor Relations Board in New Orleans before serving first as defense counsel and then chief prosecutor with the First Brigade, 8th Infantry as a judge advocate in Germany. Upon his return stateside, he entered private practice at Fowler White Boggs in 1980, where he worked until his passing. He served on numerous committees for both the ABA and Florida Bar's Labor and Employment Law Sections, was past president of the Tampa Chapter of the American Inns of Court, and was extremely active with his firm and the Tampa community over the past 30 years. With a reputation as the consummate professional, his legacy will be in setting the standard of professionalism and civility for younger associates and colleagues alike. He is survived by his wife, Ellen Showalter Robinson, his daughter and son, their spouses, and his grandson.

Get Involved

Involvement in our committee is a great way to keep your practice up-to-date and get more involved in the Section of Litigation. In addition to seeking contributions to our newsletter and website, we are looking for help with our subcommittees. If you think you might be interested in contributing an article, news & development, or case note; joining a subcommittee; or getting involved in leadership, please let us know.

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Employment & Labor Relations Law: Winter 2012 Newsletter

The latest edition of Employment & Labor Relations Law is now available.

Message from the Chairs

The Employment & Labor Relations Law Committee is excited about the opportunities that the 2011–2012 year brings for the Section of Litigation and the committee. The landscape for employment litigation continues to evolve for attorneys who represent both employers and employees and we expect that the coming year will continue to bring new challenges for lawyers. We look forward to the opportunity to provide valuable and timely programs and materials in traditional written as well as web-based formats. We want to ensure that our members remain well informed about changes in our practice, and up-to-date about new issues that may affect their clients in the courtroom. We also want to ensure that our committee membership is well served, and we trust that our members will reach out to us if there are ways that we can improve and enhance the benefits of membership.

The committee is led this year by cochairs Jerrilyn Malana and P. Arley Harrel. Jerrilyn is a shareholder in the San Diego office of Littler Mendelson, PC; and Arley is a member in the Seattle office of Williams Kastner.

Jerrilyn Malana’s enthusiasm and strong track record in various bar-leadership positions will help to make our committee stronger and even more successful. Her law practice is focused exclusively in employment law. Jerrilyn represents employers in all types of employment-related litigation involving claims of discrimination, wrongful termination, harassment, and wage and hour violations. She also provides counseling and training to employers to avoid employment-related claims. She is a dynamic public speaker and an effective and engaging trainer on employment-law topics. Prior to entering the practice of law, she was a human resources professional. In 2009, she served as president of the San Diego County Bar Association, which is the region’s oldest and largest law-related organization with over 10,000 members. Jerrilyn devotes a significant portion of her volunteer time on matters pertaining to equality, diversity, and inclusion; and mentoring students and young professionals to help them to succeed. She has been recognized by multiple organizations for her work in the community including, among others, the ABA’s Public Service Honor Roll award from the Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section and Law in Public Service Committee; and Trailblazer award by the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. She serves on the State Bar of California’s Council on Access & Fairness, and on the boards of the National Family Justice Center Alliance and University of California San Diego Alumni Association. Jerri also serves on the San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper community editorial board. Jerri has a B.A. in psychology from University of California San Diego; M.B.A. from Chaminade University; and J.D., magna cum laude, and LL.D., honoris causa, from California Western School of Law.

Arley Harrel is a civil trial lawyer and also counsels clients in business and real-estate matters. Arley graduated with a juris doctor degree, and was elected to the Order of the Coif, from the University of Washington School of Law, and graduated with a bachelor-of-science degree in agricultural economics from Washington State University. Arley’s numerous trials have dealt with trade-secret, employment-agreement, duty-of-fair-representation and other employment-related issues. Arley has handled a wide range of civil cases including antitrust, banking, class action, commercial, condemnation/eminent domain, construction, employment, environmental, franchise, intellectual property, municipal, personal injury, products liability, professional liability, real estate, securities, trade regulation, and transportation.

Arley is extremely active in the American Bar Association. In addition to the Employment & Labor Relations Law Committee, he currently serves as a presidential appointee on the Commission on Interest on Lawyer’s Trust Accounts (IOLTA) and as regional cochair of the Judicial Intern Opportunity Program (JIOP). Arley just completed a three-year term as a member of the Standing Committee on Paralegals for 2008–2011. Arley has also been involved in many leadership roles with the Section of Litigation and served a three-year term on the Council, its governing body. In addition to his work as a chair of the committee, Arley has been a member of the Task Force on the Independence of the Judiciary (2007–2009) of the Section, and has twice served as chair of the Products Liability Committee, most recently from 2004–2005. Arley was also a member of the Continuing Legal Education Committee of the Council, and chaired the 2000 Section Annual Conference in Seattle. Arley is a sustaining member of the Product Liability Advisory Council (PLAC) and serves on the board of advisors for BNA’s Product Safety and Liability Reporter. He is currently a board member of the University of Washington School of Law’s Alumni Association and served as its president. The committee will benefit greatly from Arley’s valuable experience and contributions to the Section and the committee. In his spare time, Arley spends time with his wife Debbie and their three adult children, including working on their family farm, and plays in a basketball league, rides motorcycles and bicycles, and enjoys golf.

We welcome you to the 2011–2012 year and look forward to your active participation. We appreciate your membership and commitment to the Employment & Labor Relations Law Committee and the Section of Litigation. If there is ever anything we can do to enhance the benefits you receive from the committee, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Warmest Regards

Paul Arley Harrel
Jerrilyn Malana
Cochairs, Employment & Labor Relations Law Committee

Subcommittees