As a management labor and employment attorney with over 30 years of experience, Steve serves as respected outside counsel to company executives and human resources leaders of both public and privately held companies in a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, retail, transportation and logistics, health care, newspapers and media, chemical, service, communications and technology.
Steve has extensive experience in all aspects of traditional labor relations and employment law, including negotiating collective bargaining agreements, union organizing and representation election campaigns, decertification proceedings, arbitration and litigation before the NLRB. He regularly defends employers in cases before the EEOC and state civil rights agencies all over the country.
Steve has litigated single plaintiff and class action employment cases in federal and state courts, including cases involving breaches of contract and covenants of non-competition, non-solicitation and confidentiality, independent contractor/employee misclassification, discrimination and retaliation based on age, disability, race, gender, pregnancy, religion and national origin, whistleblower retaliation, sexual harassment, equal pay, minimum wage and unpaid overtime under the FLSA, WARN Act, FMLA, wrongful discharge, constructive discharge, fraud, and defamation.
Representative Experience
- Represented publicly traded nationwide manufacturing company in contract negotiations with the Teamsters’ Union in Minneapolis, Minnesota, reaching agreement on new 4 year contract in September 2025.
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Lead negotiator representing the Bergen N.J. Record in 3+ years of hard bargaining for a first labor contract with the Bergen Record NewsGuild. Bergen Record journalists ratified the contract in March 2025.
- Represented the Austin American-Statesman as lead negotiator in bargaining with the Austin NewsGuild to reach agreement on a first labor contract between the Statesman and its front-line journalists following 3.5 years of bargaining culminating in a 21 hour marathon bargaining session before a federal mediator in Austin, Texas. Statesman journalists unanimously ratified the contract November 21, 2024.
- In litigation before the NLRB, obtained dismissal of an unfair labor practice charge which enabled a decertification election to proceed in timely manner. The Communication Workers of America Union filed a blocking charge with the NLRB in an attempt to thwart a decertification petition. By successfully refuting the union’s position at hearing that the petition was barred by an automatic extension of the parties’ collective bargaining agreement, the NLRB dismissed the Union’s charge which allowed the decertification election to continue and gave employees the right to vote regarding union representation.
- Represented a professional dental group in a lawsuit it filed against a dentist who it alleged violated her non-competition and non-solicitation agreement and misappropriated Plaintiff’s trade secrets when she went to work for a competitor dental practice. The dental group additionally asserted claims against the dentist and her new employer for interference with contractual rights and business relationships. The dental group obtained a favorable monetary settlement on the eve of trial and various other protections for the dental group client.
- Represented the CEO and COO of an automotive products manufacturer during its acquisition by a private equity firm in connection with their employment agreements as well as their investments in the company.
- Represented logistics service provider in employee non-compete dispute.
- Represented the buyer in its acquisition of a manufacturer and distributor of piston sealing, retaining and snap rings.
- Represented Watkins Associated Industries, Inc. in its acquisition of Nova Engineering and Environmental, LLC, a provider of environmental consulting and engineering and construction testing and inspections services.
- Represented Gridiron Capital Partners in its initial platform acquisition of Jacent Strategic Merchandising, a provider of strategic impulse, in-line and check stand, merchandising products and solutions to retailers.
