Union Labor Lawyers

The Law Offices of Brian J. Smith, ltd. represents unions and their leaders throughout Ohio. In its labor practice the firm works only for unions, never management, handling collective bargaining, labor arbitration, unfair labor practice charges, grievances, and union elections for public and private-sector locals. Consultations are free, and an attorney is available by phone.

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Attorney Brian J. Smith is an outstanding attorney. As the President of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 268, I can attest that Attorney Brian J. Smith represents 1,900 ATU members strong at Local 268 in arbitration hearings and contract negotiations. Attorney Smith is the right choice to represent you whether you are a labor organization or an individual.

William H. Nix, Sr.

President / Business Agent, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 268

Direct Union Services

The firm supports union leaders in the day-to-day work of running a local and in the matters that reach a hearing or a courtroom:

Ongoing counseling and advising, including participation in board and membership meetings.
Contract negotiations, fact-finding, mediation, conciliation, and interest arbitration.
Grievance and labor arbitration, including discipline and contract-interpretation disputes.
Leadership training for stewards, trustees, executive board members, officers, and business agents.
Representation before the State Employment Relations Board (SERB), the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the U.S. Department of Labor, the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Filing and defending unfair labor practice charges, with related litigation in state and federal court.
Internal union governance, including conducting elections for union officers.

Experience Unions Rely On

Brian J. Smith has practiced labor law since 2005 and has represented Ohio unions in hundreds of grievance and interest arbitrations and contract negotiations, from small locals to large bargaining units. The firm works only for unions, never management. That focus, along with decades of experience before the State Employment Relations Board, the National Labor Relations Board, and the courts, means a union gets seasoned representation whether the matter is a single disciplinary grievance or a contract campaign affecting hundreds of members.

Legal Research and Resources

The firm maintains labor-specific research tools, including Bloomberg Law (BNA) and the full set of Labor Arbitration Reports. These sources cover union organizing, unfair labor practice law, internal union operations, and arbitration precedent, which support arbitrator evaluations, case-law research, and the drafting of briefs.

Fee Arrangements

Every union balances its duty to protect members against the need to control costs. To fit that reality, the firm offers several fee structures, and a union can choose the arrangement that matches its budget and the matter at hand.

Per-Project Fees

A single agreed fee for a defined matter, such as a grievance, an arbitration, or a round of contract negotiations.

Flat Monthly Retainer

A predictable monthly rate for ongoing counsel and day-to-day representation, so the cost is known in advance.

Hourly Rates

Billing by the hour at an agreed rate, with time recorded and reported to the union.

Sectors We Represent

Over more than twenty years, Brian J. Smith has represented unions and their members across a wide range of fields, including public and private transportation, policing, corrections, dispatching, manufacturing, mining, health care, education, security, ready-mix concrete, construction, baking, and public services. That experience spans hundreds of labor arbitrations and contract negotiations, for locals of every size. Represented employees have worked at organizations such as the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority, the Ohio Turnpike Commission, the Cleveland public schools, the Medina County Engineer's Office, the Lorain County Detention Center, Cargill, Inc., Granger Trucking, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Akron Beacon Journal, Smucker's, Pierre's, and Schwebel's, among others.

Transit

Police officer speaking with a resident on a town street

Public Safety

Dispatch

Skilled Trades

Construction

Health Care

Education

Grocery & Retail

Union Labor Law: Frequently Asked Questions

Does the firm represent individual employees or management?

In its labor practice, the firm represents unions and their leaders exclusively. It does not represent management or employers in labor matters.

What is the difference between SERB and the NLRB?

The State Employment Relations Board (SERB) administers Ohio's public employee collective bargaining law for government workers such as teachers, police, fire, and transit employees. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) administers the federal National Labor Relations Act for most private sector workers. Which agency applies depends on whether the employer is a public or private entity.

What is an unfair labor practice?

An unfair labor practice is conduct that violates the governing labor law, such as an employer refusing to bargain in good faith, interfering with the right to organize, or retaliating against workers for union activity. Charges are filed with SERB for public employers and with the NLRB for private employers.

How do grievances and arbitration work?

When a dispute arises over how a collective bargaining agreement is applied, such as a disciplinary action or a question of contract interpretation, it moves through the grievance procedure set out in the contract. If it is not resolved, it proceeds to binding arbitration before a neutral arbitrator.

What types of unions does the firm work with?

The firm has represented unions across many industries, including public and private transportation, police services, manufacturing, mining, health care, security, ready-mix concrete, construction, baking, and public services.

How does the firm charge unions for its services?

The firm offers several fee structures designed to control costs, including per-project fees, a flat monthly retainer, and hourly rates, so unions of any size can budget for dependable representation.

Does the firm offer a free consultation?

Yes. The firm offers free consultations and can be reached by phone 24 hours a day at 800-641-1970.

Ohio Union Labor Law Blog

Brian J. Smith, Esq

Maria Romito, Esq

Shula Goldstein, Esq

John A. Sivinski, Esq

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Telephone: 800-641-1970 Fax: 855-241-0700 Email: contact@SmithTrialLawyers.com https://www.briansmithlaw.com

Privacy Policy/Disclaimer

Please keep in mind that the success of any legal matter depends on the unique circumstances of each case and we cannot guarantee particular results for future clients based on successes we have achieved in past legal matters.

The Law Offices of Brian J. Smith, ltd. provides legal services throughout Ohio, from Cleveland to Toledo, including Sandusky, Akron, Vermilion, Huron, Elyria, Lorain, Port Clinton, Rocky River, Parma, Oak Harbor, Norwalk, Milan, Amherst, Sheffield, Avon, Oberlin, North Ridgeville, North Olmsted, Bay Village, Westlake, Cleveland Heights, Lakewood, Brook Park, Garfield Heights, Euclid, Maple Heights, Bellevue, Clyde and Berea, and within counties such as Cuyahoga, Lorain, Erie, Ottawa, Sandusky, Huron, Geauga, Lake, Ashtabula, Portage and Summit.