Matt Westerman is a seasoned labor and employment attorney with more than 25 years of experience advising airlines, airline service providers, and other employers on complex workplace matters.
He brings deep insight into the unique legal landscape of the aviation industry and a practical, business-minded approach to managing workplace risk.
Matt’s practice includes collective bargaining, union avoidance strategy, employment litigation, class actions, and AIR21 and FAA whistleblower complaints. He advises clients on compliance with wage and hour law, disability accommodations, leave issues, and other evolving regulatory obligations. He regularly provides clients with strategic advice on the most challenging personnel matters with the end goal of mitigating risk and litigation exposure.
Before joining FordHarrison, Matt served as Vice President and Associate General Counsel for Unifi Aviation, the nation’s largest airline services contractor, where he led the labor and employment law department for a workforce of more than 45,000 employees. He was the Deputy General Counsel of Prospect Airport Services before it was acquired by Unifi in April 2024. He has also held in-house roles in the healthcare sector and was a member of the labor and employment practices at regional and national law firms.
Matt has negotiated and administered collective bargaining agreements throughout the United States and regularly represents clients before the NLRB, OSHA, EEOC, WHD, and other federal and state agencies.