Founded over sixty years ago, Cohen, Weiss and Simon LLP has long experience in the representation of labor unions, union-affiliated health and retirement plans and employees.

The firm serves as counsel to a wide variety of international and local labor unions, representing their interests in collective bargaining, representation and organizing campaigns, arbitration, litigation, government agency proceedings, and internal governance matters. As special bankruptcy counsel to numerous unions, the firm has particular expertise in representing unions and benefit funds when employers file for bankruptcy. We also specialize in designing and negotiating plans for employee stock ownership and for union and employee representation on corporate boards.

In representing health and retirement plans, our benefits lawyers advise plan trustees, prepare plan documents, and represent plans in disputes and litigation. In addition, we assist unions in designing and implementing benefit plans, both for union members and union staff. The firm also uses its expertise on benefit matters to advise unions and individual clients during contract negotiations with employers.

The firm also has had notable success in class-actions and other types of group litigation on behalf of employees who have been improperly denied overtime pay and other employment benefits. We are currently lead counsel to a group of janitors suing Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. for unlawful employment practices, including failure to pay overtime. (See www.walmartjanitors.com).

In representing individual employees, we provide legal and strategic advice and help negotiate all aspects of employment contracts, severance packages and other work-related matters, and we bring litigation as necessary to enforce employees' rights.