Labor Law Update

Speakers

Nicholas DiGiovanniNicholas DiGiovanni, brings over four decades of experience to his diverse clientele and has handled cases and issues in virtually all aspects of labor and employment law. Over the course of his illustrious career, Nick developed a particular niche in labor and employment matters affecting colleges and universities, focusing especially on collective bargaining with faculty, staff and graduate student unions, proceedings before state and federal labor board agencies, arbitration cases, advice on union organizing, and management training. For example, Nick successfully litigated at the National Labor Relations Board the managerial status of full time faculty members at Tufts University Medical School and Elmira College under the standards of the Supreme Court’s Yeshiva University case. He has also negotiated dozens of initial and successor faculty, staff and graduate student collective bargaining agreements at both public and private institutions, including community colleges, private four year institutions and  R1 Doctoral research universities. As a result, Nick is one of the foremost authorities on higher education labor relations in the country and represents many institutions of higher education around the Northeastern region of the country.

In all of his work, Nick brings an acute awareness of the special dynamics of employee relations and the continual need to balance the changing interests of employees and labor unions against the vital operational needs and fiscal responsibilities of the institutions and companies he represents.  His approach to labor relations is one of thoughtful engagement and respect for the other side while nonetheless providing the highest caliber of legal advice, support and strategic analysis to ensure the best possible outcome for his clients.


Vanessa MartinezVannesa joined the University’s Office of the General Counsel in 2012.  Prior to her appointment at Yale, Vannesa served as Assistant University Counsel at Princeton and was an Associate at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLC.  Vannesa earned her A.B. from Princeton University and her J.D. from the University of Michigan.  Her work focuses primarily in the practice areas of Labor & Employment, Litigation, and Student & Academic Affairs.  Vannesa is a member of the Undergraduate Organizations Committee.  She served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of College and University Attorneys from 2015-2018.  She also chaired its Latino Lawyers Affinity Group from 2013-2015 and served on the Board Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion from 2016-2018 and 2019-2021.