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Todd A. Lyon

Partner


Portland/Los Angeles/San Francisco/Seattle

t:503.205.8095

f:503.242.4263

m:503.715.7842

Email

Service Focus

  • Labor Relations
  • Litigation and Trials

Industry Focus

  • Cannabis
  • Healthcare
  • Hospitality
  • Manufacturing
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Overview
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Credentials
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Affiliations

Overview

Todd Lyon is the co-chair of the firm's Labor Relations Practice Group and practices throughout the West Coast. He has been a labor lawyer for nearly 25 years, representing public and private sector employers in labor negotiations, collective bargaining, grievance and interest arbitrations, strikes/lockouts, relocation and closures, work jurisdiction disputes, and other litigation involving employment law and benefits.

Todd formerly represented labor organizations in both Chicago and Seattle. Drawing from this union-side experience, Todd provides a unique perspective to the advantage of his employer clients.  His practical and efficient approach allows him to help clients reach their goals without creating a wake of destructive relations. 

If litigation is required, however, Todd has obtained superior results in hundreds of arbitrations concerning virtually every aspect of contract interpretation, discipline, union security, and interest arbitration. Relatedly, Todd has conducted labor board hearings concerning representation, unfair labor practices, work jurisdiction disputes, and unit clarifications. 

Todd is a skilled negotiator who bargains pro-employer collective bargaining agreements. He has negotiated over a hundred labor agreements covering industries including:

  • Construction
  • Aerospace
  • Manufacturing and food processing
  • Logistics, transportation & warehousing
  • Cannabis
  • Hospitality
  • Healthcare
  • Public sector employers including cities, counties, and special districts

He has developed and implemented union awareness and strike & replacement worker contingency plans. He regularly assists clients in responding to union organizing campaigns and developing labor strategies to avoid campaigns altogether. This work includes successfully defending against multi-site organizing blitzes and card-check neutrality campaigns.

Todd is a regular speaker at industry conferences, continuing legal education programs, universities, law schools, and client training programs. He has led countless management training sessions focused on investigating disciplinary misconduct, effective discipline, union awareness, responding to grievances, contract negotiations and interpretation,  and employment discrimination.

An avid researcher and writer, Todd’s work has appeared in various labor publications. For example, since 1998 he has been a Chapter Editor of The Developing Labor Law, the nation's leading labor law treatise. Todd has also served as a Chapter Editor for Oregon's public sector labor law treatise, Labor and Employment Law: Public Sector.

Due to his experience in representing parties on both sides of the labor spectrum, the American Arbitration Association has certified him as an Employment Law Arbitrator to adjudicate employment disputes.

Insights

  • Insights

    09/29/23

    We Know What the NLRB Did Last Summer: 7 Recent Labor Board Moves That Could Haunt You This Fall and Beyond

    Steven M. Bernstein, Todd A. Lyon

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  • Insights

    09/28/23

    Agreement on Key AI Terms Leads to Writer’s Strike Resolution: What Employers Need to Know

    Landon R. Schwob, Todd A. Lyon

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  • Event

    09/26/23

    The Return of the Strike: How to Counter Strikes, Pickets & Boycotts

    Todd A. Lyon, Steve A. Miller

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  • Event

    09/13/23

    Are You Ready for a Union Organizing Drive at Your Workplace?

    Todd A. Lyon

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  • Insights

    09/01/23

    Workplace Law Update: 10 Essential Items on Your September To-Do List

    Alba V. Aviles, Brian Balonick, Steven M. Bernstein, Raeann Burgo, Kathleen McLeod Caminiti, Michael D. Carrouth, Charles S. Caulkins, Jessica D. Causgrove, Steven R. Cupp, Patrick M. Dalin, J. Micah Dickie, Joseph W. Gagnon, Lonnie D. Giamela, Marty Heller, Brett Holubeck, Wendy Hughes, Corina Johnson, Jennifer S. Kiesewetter, Emily N. Litzinger, Todd B. Logsdon, Todd A. Lyon, Eleanor F. Miller, Andreas Mosby , George A. Reeves III, Deniz Uzel Reilly, J. Hagood Tighe, Travis Vance, Melanie L. Webber, Sheila M. Willis

    Read more 

  • Insights

    08/28/23

    Labor Board Overhauls Representation Process to Boost Union Organizing: Your 8-Step Plan to Respond

    Steven M. Bernstein, Michael D. Carrouth, Charles S. Caulkins, Todd A. Lyon

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  • Insights

    08/25/23

    Comprehensive FAQs For Employers on Hurricanes and Other Workplace Disasters: 2023 Edition

    Erin Waldron Anderson, Steven M. Bernstein, Sheldon J. Blumling, Risa B. Boerner, Kathleen McLeod Caminiti, Myra K. Creighton, Steven R. Cupp, Amanda Davinson, Edward F. Harold, Brett Holubeck, Matthew R. Korn, Sarah Leon, Todd A. Lyon, Robin Repass, Shanon R. Stevenson, Travis Vance, Joshua H. Viau, Spencer W. Waldron, Megan C. Winter

    Read more 

  • Insights

    08/25/23

    The Return of Quickie Union Elections: Top 10 Things Employers Need to Know About Labor Board’s Broad New Rule

    Steven M. Bernstein, Todd A. Lyon

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  • Insights

    08/04/23

    Workplace Law Update: 22 Essential Items on Your August To-Do List

    Emily Alvarez, David E. Amaya, Michelle I. Anderson, Andrew J. Baer, Amanda M. Blair, Ted Boehm, Suzanne K. Bogdan, Jennifer B. Carroll, J. Micah Dickie, Anet Drapalski, Benjamin M. Ebbink, Jason A. Fischbein, Ilanit Fischler, Lonnie D. Giamela, Rosemary S. Gousman, Darcey M. Groden, David H. Han, Marty Heller, Melissa Huether, Jang Hyuk Im, Megan L. Janes, Usama Kahf, Nicole Kamm, Anne Yarovoy Khan, Sarah Leon, Courtney Leyes, Emily N. Litzinger, Todd A. Lyon, Richard R. Meneghello, R. Henry Moore, Joshua D. Nadreau, Alden J. Parker, Christopher G. Peterson, Erin Price, Monica Snyder Perl, Nan Sato, Landon R. Schwob, Evan Shenkman, Shanon R. Stevenson, Sharon Suh, Hannah Sweiss, Spencer W. Waldron, David J. Walton, Sheila M. Willis, Arthur M. Wolfson, Annie Ziesing

    Read more 

  • Insights

    07/19/23

    Why AI is a Critical Issue in the Hollywood Strikes – And Takeaways For Introducing AI into Your Workplace Without Conflict

    Todd A. Lyon, Richard R. Meneghello, Joshua D. Nadreau, Evan Shenkman

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Credentials

Education

  • J.D., 1997, cum laude, Hamline University School of Law
  • B.A., 1994, magna cum laude, Saint Norbert College

Bar Admissions

  • Oregon
  • Washington
  • California

Court Admissions

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington

Recognitions

  • Chambers USA, Labor and Employment (2023)
  • Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America (2021 - 2024)
  • Recommended as a leading practitioner for Labor-Management Relations by The Legal 500 United States (2022 - 2023)
  • National Public Employer Labor Relations Association’s 2017 Pacesetter Award
  • Listed in Oregon Super Lawyers Magazine, Rising Star (2011-2012); Super Lawyer (2013 - 2018)
  • Received AV ® Preeminent™ rating by his legal peers at Martindale-Hubbell
  • 2016 Oregon Public Employer Labor Relations Association Pacesetter Award

Affiliations

Professional Activities

  • Communications Director, NorCal LERA Board (2022)
  • President, Labor and Employment Relations Association – Oregon Chapter (2015-2016); Board member (2010-2017)
  • Faculty Member & Employment Law Arbitrator, American Arbitration Association – Employment Law
  • General Counsel, Oregon Public Employer Labor Relations Association (2016-2017); Vice President (2011-2016)
  • Opinion Evaluation Committee Co-Chair (2012); Rule Advisory Committee Member (2012-2017), State of Oregon Employment Relations Board

Community Activities

  • Classroom Law Project – Board of Directors (2012 - 2015)
  • Oregon High School Regional & State Mock Trial Judge (2008 - 2017)
  • Rose Villa Foundation, Inc. – President (2013-2015); Vice President (2012-2013); Board of Directors (2009-2015)

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