David L. Weissman

Overview

David Weissman focuses his practice on labor and employment matters. David has a diverse and wide practice. He advises both unionized and union-free clients on a full range of labor and employee-relations matters. In the area of traditional labor, David represents clients in collective bargaining negotiations, labor disputes, grievances and arbitrations, and proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board, and state and federal courts. David has negotiated with virtually every major union over the course of his career, including the IBEW, UFCW, UNITE HERE, SAG-AFTRA, LIUNA, IBT, GCIU, UAW, SMW, IUOE, SEIU, CWU, OPEIU, MEBA, ILU, and AFSCME. David also advises clients on the legal aspects of remaining union-free.

David represents local and national companies, as well as not-for-profit and think tank organizations. He has negotiated collective bargaining agreements for clients in a variety of industries, including the hotel and restaurant industry, equipment manufacturing, airline service, food, cable, waste management, pharmaceutical, television commercials, newspaper, retail, real estate, shipping, advertising, and construction. His experience on both sides of the negotiating table brings a unique perspective to labor negotiations, which has proved to be effective for his clients.

With respect to employee-relations matters, David has extensive experience assisting human resource managers and general counsels in numerous industries with the development and maintenance of personnel policies and personnel infrastructures. In this regard, David often works on these issues with clients as business needs and culture change as a result of business transactions, such as mergers and acquisitions.

Due to his tax background, David advises employers on employee benefits issues, particularly with the administration of Taft Hartley Multi-Employer Health and Welfare Plans. He serves as a national management trustee on behalf of the advertisers and ad agencies to the SAG-AFTRA Pension & Health Funds, which manages over $4.0 billion in assets, and MEBA Benefit Plans, which manages over $1.0 billion in assets.

David also represents high-level executives in their negotiations and drafting of employment contracts. This includes reviewing the various stock option plans associated with employment. He also advises executives on their separation from employment and entitlements under their employment contracts. Among David’s clients are individuals from both public and private companies, hedgefunds, private equity, along with high-net-worth executives entering and leaving Fortune 500 companies. He regularly represents COOs, CEOs, CFOs, GCs, and human resource professionals, and has negotiated with companies such as NASDAQ, Hallmark TV, Wasserstein Perella, SAC Capital, and Barclays.

David also represents companies in wage and hour disputes before both the New York State and United States Departments of Labor, along with cases filed in state and federal courts. He takes an inventive approach to these types of disputes and works with clients on achieving cost-effective results.

David is a regular speaker at conferences and is a yearly speaker at MAGNET conferences, the leading HR organizations in the advertising industry. He is recognized by the Legal 500 US in the area of Labor-Management Relations. A recent edition noted: “clients feel confident going into battle with him by their side.” David was also elected by his peers in 2023 to the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers as a leading management side attorney.

Representative Matters

• Represents HERC Equipment Rentals in both the US and Canada for all traditional labor matters.
• Represents the Gallagher’s Steakhouse in employment and labor relations matters, including negotiations, NLRB charges, wage and hour litigation, and NYS DOL investigations.  Worked with the New York City Mayor’s Office to reach a collective bargaining agreement with the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Union in New York City. Quoted in Crain’s New York Business throughout the process.
• Represents Bombardier, including handling negotiations and union campaigns on a national level.
• Represents Key Food Supermarket Owners in labor relations matters. Successfully enjoined an illegal strike by UFCW by relying on the threat and preparation of a Boys Market Injunction. Achieved a favorable settlement on a complex withdrawal liability issue.
• Represents major partners in the TAO/Lavo/Marquee group, which operates the highest grossing restaurants and nightclubs in the US.
• Represents a large Dunkin Donut franchise in all labor matters in NY and Federal Court.
• Represents a large logistics company in New York, providing advice and counseling on corporate and labor matters.