LC
Lisa Charles Arbitrator LC
Lisa Charles Arbitrator Lisa Charles is a full-time, neutral arbitrator, mediator and fact-finder. She resolves union and management workplace disputes in the public and private sectors. Ms. Charles is a member of the National Academy of Arbitrators. She is listed on a variety of labor arbitration rosters, such as the American Arbitration Association (AAA), Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), National Mediation Board, as well as the state appointing agencies for arbitrators in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. She is also on permanent panels for the Department of Education in New York City, the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police, and the PSE&G utility panel in New Jersey. Ms. Charles received her Master’s degree in Labor and Employment Relations from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and her bachelor’s degree in Journalism from The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. She receives annual training certificates from the National Academy of Arbitrators, the FMCS Symposium, and the National Association of Railroad Referees. She served as an adjunct professor at Rutgers University, and at Mercer County Community College where she taught classes on Labor and Employee Relations, Collective Bargaining, Conflict Resolution, Negotiations, and Diversity in Organizations. She was formerly the Director of Employee Relations at Dow Jones & Company, which publishes The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, and other periodicals. She was a member of the negotiating team, which secured changes to collective bargaining agreements. Ms. Charles is the Past President of the Philadelphia Labor and Employment Relations Association (LERA), Past President of the New Jersey LERA, and a member of the New York City LERA. Ms. Charles speaking engagements includes panel speaker for the AAA Labor Series Program, the FMCS Symposium panel on How Arbitrators Rule, the Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Bar Associations, Pennsylvania Council of Mediators, New Jersey PERC conference, New Jersey LERA, Philadelphia LERA, Rutgers University Student LERA, and guest lecturer at Villanova Law School, Rutgers University, Montclair State University, and The College of New Jersey.
CG
Cristina Gallo Partner at Cohen, Weiss and Simon LLP CG Cristina Gallo, who joined the firm in 2018, became Of Counsel in 2020 and a Partner in 2021, provides full-service representation to unions and employee benefit funds. Ms. Gallo practices primarily in the areas of labor and employee benefits, providing counsel to unions and representation in elections, negotiations, and arbitration proceedings and to benefit funds in compliance matters. Prior to joining Cohen, Weiss and Simon LLP, Ms. Gallo was an associate with Kennedy, Jennik & Murray P.C., where she also practiced in the labor and employee benefits areas. Ms. Gallo previously worked at the firm of Friedman & Anspach. Ms. Gallo attended UCLA School of Law on a public-interest merit scholarship and graduated with honors and with specializations in Public Interest Law and Policy and Critical Race Studies. During law school, she was submissions and staff editor of the Los Angeles Public Interest Law Journal. Prior to law school, she worked as a strategic campaigner at the union UNITE HERE for five years in New York City. Ms. Gallo graduated from Brown University in 2002 with a degree in Africana Studies.
IH
Ian Hayes Partner at Hayes Dolce IH Ian Hayes practices in all areas of labor and employment law. He received a B.A. from Fordham University and a J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law. Before law school, Ian was an organizer with Service Employees International Union. Ian’s practice includes advising and representing unions in all matters, most recently by representing the Starbucks Workers United campaign and coordinating the campaign’s legal work. He regularly represents individual and groups of workers in wage and hour litigation, representing employees in discrimination and harassment actions, and representing employee benefit funds. He has extensive experience practicing at state and federal agencies, including the National Labor Relations Board, the New York Public Employment Relations Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the New York Division of Human Rights. Ian has also represented clients in New York’s state court system, including at the Court of Appeals, as well as in federal court.
TP
Teresa Poor Regional Director of NLRB Region 29 - Brooklyn TP A native of Yakima, Washington, Teresa Poor earned a Bachelor of Arts from Evergreen State College in Washington State and a Master’s of Labor and Industrial Relations from Rutgers University in New Jersey. During her 23-year career with the Agency, in which she served in Regions 2 and 29, Ms. Poor worked as a Labor-Management Relations Examiner, Compliance Officer, Supervisory Examiner, and Assistant to the Regional Director. Prior to her career with the Agency, Ms. Poor worked with unions and research organizations focused on economics and health and safety issues that affect workers in the United States.
AS
Andrew Strom Associate General Counsel at SEIU Local 32BJ AS Andrew Strom has been an Associate General Counsel of Service Employees International Union, Local 32BJ in New York, NY since 2002. He is also a Senior Contributor for the OnLabor blog, where he has written over 100 posts on labor and employment law issues. He is the author of several law review articles, including Caught in a Vicious Cycle: A Weak Labor Movement Emboldens the Ruling Class, 16 U.St. Thomas L.J. 19 (2019), and has written for New Labor Forum, Dissent, and Dollars and Sense. He received his J.D. magna cum laude from Harvard Law School.
KS
Kate Swearengen Partner at Cohen, Weiss and Simon LLP KS Kate represents national, regional, and local labor unions in a broad range of industries, including postal delivery, healthcare, federal court security, maritime transport, laundry and food service distribution, and piano manufacturing. She provides strategic advice to unions, including in connection with organizing drives and strikes, and represents them in collective bargaining. She frequently appears on behalf of unions in federal and state court; in administrative proceedings, including before the National Labor Relations Board and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; and in arbitrations involving employee discipline and contract interpretation. Kate also represents and counsels individual employees with respect to various employment matters. She is a chapter editor of How to Take a Case Before the National Labor Relations Board and The Developing Labor Law, both published by the American Bar Association’s Section of Labor and Employment Law, and is a member of the Section’s Committee on Development of the Law Under the National Labor Relations Act. Kate speaks and writes frequently on labor and employment law topics affecting workers and unions.
OT
Olga Torres Regional Attorney at NLRB Region 2 - Manhattan OT Olga C. Torres began her career with the National Labor Relations Board in 1994 as a Field Attorney in Region 2 (Manhattan Office) investigating unfair labor practice cases and prosecuting cases before Administrative Law Judges and the Board. In 2015, Ms. Torres was promoted to the position of Supervisory Field Attorney, and in 2022 to her current position as Regional Attorney for Region 2. Ms. Torres graduated in 1991 from Queens College, City University of New York with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and in Political Science. In 1994, she received a Juris Doctor from the University of Connecticut School of Law.