Employment, Benefits & Immigration | Davis Wright Tremaine (2024)

We represent five of the largest air carriers in the United States and a variety of other businesses related to the industry, providing labor relations, employment counseling, benefits, immigration and litigation services. Airlines for America (A4A) selected us to represent them in two lawsuits challenging Washington and Massachusetts law in part because of our experience and familiarity with many of the key players in the airline industry.

We assist many of the nation's leading financial services companies, including banks, mortgage lenders, mortgage service providers, credit card companies, and insurers. For example, Bank of America has been a significant client for employment litigation on the West Coast since 2007. We represent them in employment disputes of all kinds in Washington, Oregon, and California.

We are proud to serve as employment counsel to many agricultural producers, and food and beveragepackers, processors, and brands – from family-owned businesses, private equity backed middle market companies, and leading global enterprises. Our industry-focused employment services team assists our agricultural, food, and beverage clients by providing practical advice and strategic solutions regarding their employment practices (including various agricultural exemptions, piece-rate pay issues, scheduling rules, and worker safety), H2A and other immigration needs, benefits programs, and incentive arrangements for executives and other key employees (including M&A related stay bonuses).

Healthcare entities rely on our team for full-service employment work for the full range of potential issues. From collective bargaining to litigation defense, we combine industry knowledge with our extensive legal experience. We have one of the largest healthcare labor practices for independent acute care hospitals on the West Coast. We also represent clients in long-term care, physician practices and other affiliated healthcare services to navigate the complex landscape of employment laws.

Work in the media and entertainment industries lends itself to issues not found in other workplace environments. We work across the industry, and represent clients in key markets, including the hubs of California and New York. We have defended large clients against suits filed by industry workers from actors to production assistants and everything in between. And we collectively tap into the experience of our team members who have served as in-house counsel in the entertainment industry.

Restaurants are dynamic, fast-paced and stressful environments that rely heavily on their employees. This exciting environment is also challenging to manage. Our employment services team works with restaurants on everything from the moving target of tip pooling, to risks associated with wage and hour and equal pay laws, health and safety concerns, immigration issues, high-profile sexual harassment claims and respectful work place training.