Richard M. Naness has practiced in the field of labor relations and employment law for over forty years. Although he advises the firm's clients regarding all aspects of the employment relationship, he has focused mainly upon representing management in collective bargaining. Richard's clients include large Fortune 500 companies, as well as smaller companies that want an experienced labor lawyer to negotiate, and to assist in the administration of, collective bargaining agreements. Richard's experience and insight into the dynamics of dealing with Union officials make him an asset to any employer seeking to deal with labor relations issues.
Clifford Chaiet has been involved in labor relations and employment law for over thirty years. He started in the labor relations field as an examiner with the National Labor Relations Board ("NLRB") in 1971, and left as an attorney prosecuting NLRB complaints in 1979. Cliff's experience with the NLRB, as well as his years in private practice, have given him insight into representing management before the NLRB, and a host of other Federal, State and Local Government administrative agencies. His experience also includes discrimination litigation, contract arbitration, human rights hearings, contract administration, and contract negotiation.
Jeffrey N. Naness has well over a decade experience representing management in labor relations, employment law, and related litigation. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law and Wesleyan University, where he graduated with Honors and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. He has represented private sector companies, municipalities and public benefit corporations in all facets of employment and labor law, including collective bargaining, human resource advice, and litigation counsel. On a number of occasions he has been brought in to assist primary counsel in complex restrictive covenant and employment law cases. Jeffrey also excels in counseling his clients to avoid exposure to costly employment litigation.
William Matthew Groh received his Juris Doctorate from Hofstra University School of Law where he received a Faculty Award for Excellence in the Study of Labor and Employment Law and a Jonathan Falk Memorial Scholarship (demonstrated interest in labor law). Matt, as he prefers to be called, received his undergraduate Bachelors of Science Degree in Accounting from St. Joseph’s College, where he graduated with departmental honors. During law school, Matt interned at the National Labor Relations Board. After graduating law school, Matt developed an extensive practice dealing with a wide variety of labor, employment, and employee benefit related issues, including representing private sector employers concerning collective bargaining, union election campaigns, unfair labor practice charges, and discharge arbitrations. Matt has also aggressively defended against numerous audits by the United States Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, the New York State Department of Labor Division of Labor Standards and Unemployment Insurance Division, as well as FLSA and New York State Labor Law wage and hour collective/class actions.
With respect to public sector employers, Matt has successfully defended Nassau and Suffolk Counties and various other municipalities in Section 1983 14th Amendment Due Process and Equal Protection cases, Article 78 proceedings, and Civil Service Law matters. Matt has represented both private sector and public sector employers in connection with employee allegations of discrimination and harassment under the ADA, ADEA, Title VII, New York State and New York City human rights laws in Federal court, State court, and before the EEOC and New York State Division of Human Rights. Matt also takes pride in having developed an employment law audit checklist to help employers, from a risk management prospective, comply with the myriad of laws that govern the workplace and significantly reduce liability through implementation of policies, procedures, and progressive discipline and the training of supervisors.
Larry Singer has been involved in labor relations and employment law for over thirty six years. He started in the labor relations field as an examiner with the National Labor Relations Board ("NLRB") in 1977 and graduated from law school in 1984. He recently retired from his position as Deputy Regional Attorney where he trained and supervised a staff of attorneys. He has extensive experience in the litigation of all types of NLRB cases, including seeking injunctions against labor organizations in Federal District Court. He has a wealth of knowledge in the areas of practice and procedure before the NLRB in both unfair labor practice and representation matters. His wide-ranging experience has afforded him unique insight into representing management before the NLRB, as well as a host of other Federal, State and Local Government administrative agencies.