Doug Hall concentrates his practice on representing employers in labor and employment matters with a specific focus on the airline industry and the Railway Labor Act.
Doug's work includes responding to and litigating issues involving union organizing drives, collective bargaining, and contract interpretation, and in the mediation and arbitration of grievances. He also represents air carriers in cases arising under the whistle-blower protection provisions of the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR21).
Doug represents management before federal and state courts and administrative agencies in matters involving rights and obligations arising under a variety of federal, state and local labor and employment statutes, including RLA, AIR21, Title VII, ADEA, ADA, FMLA, and ERISA. He also counsels clients on compliance with such laws and on the labor and employment issues engendered by contemplated corporate transactions, as well as on efforts by employers in bankruptcy to reject their collective bargaining agreements. He regularly appears on behalf of air carriers before the National Mediation Board (NMB) in representation matters, including those in which it is alleged that two or more carriers constitute a single transportation system for representation purposes. Doug is a member of the Senior Editorial Board of The Railway Labor Act (BNA), the leading treatise on that statute.
Doug has spoken at and/or moderated various conferences on matters relating to issues arising under the RLA, the FMLA, and other employment laws. During law school, he was awarded Order of the Coif and served on the staff of the Georgetown Law Journal.
Recent Experience
- In 2009, Doug represented a regional air carrier in litigation with respect to the carrier's decision to apply the flight attendant rest and duty regulations, rather than the pilot regulations, to its flight attendants. The litigation was settled in the company's favor, with an agreement to arbitrate the dispute. Doug represented the company at the arbitration as well, at which the company prevailed.
- In 2011-12, Doug oversaw a team of FordHarrison attorneys in assisting a major air carrier with an organizing election among its passenger service employees.
- In 2012, Doug represented an airline service provider in obtaining a favorable decision from the NMB with respect to the proper scope of the employer's system for representation purposes under the RLA.
- In 2011 and 2012, Doug represented a national airline with respect to petitions filed with the NMB to represent the carrier's pilots and flight attendants. In both cases, the carrier prevailed.
- In 2012, Doug represented two commonly-owned cargo/charter airlines with respect to petitions alleging that the carriers constituted a single transportation system for representation purposes. The carriers ultimately were held not to constitute a single transportation service.
- In 2012, Doug obtained an injunction prohibiting non-union employees of an airline service provider from carrying out a threatened strike that, if successful, could have shut down operations at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Recent Speaking Engagements
- Speaker on "Traps for the Unwary When Laws Collide-RLA, ERISA and Retaliation Claims," Bloomberg BNA Webinar (February 21, 2012)
Honors and Awards
- The Best Lawyers in America – Labor and Employment Law
- BTI Client Service All-Star - 2012