Todd A. Lyon

Partner and Labor Relations Group Co-Chair

Portland, OR Los Angeles San Francisco Seattle

503.205.8095503.715.7842

503.242.4263

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Overview

As Co-chair of the Labor Relations Practice at Fisher Phillips, Todd Lyon guides public- and private-sector employers through their most intricate labor matters throughout the West Coast. Nationally recognized for his management-side labor work, Todd brings nearly 30 years of experience to a practice that blends sophisticated labor relations counseling, strategic advocacy, and high-stakes litigation.

Todd represents employers in complex labor disputes involving collective bargaining, union organizing, unfair labor practice proceedings, strikes and lockouts, picketing, work jurisdiction disputes, grievance and interest arbitration, and labor-related litigation. He has negotiated more than 100 collective bargaining agreements on behalf of employers, built strike contingency plans, steered clients through bargaining impasses, and defended employers before the National Labor Relations Board and in federal court.

Recently, Todd's practice has focused increasingly on litigation at the intersection of labor law, constitutional rights, and public policy. In one notable win, Todd secured a significant victory challenging state laws that threaten employers' constitutional and statutory rights. In California Chamber of Commerce v. Bonta, he represented employer associations in defending a preliminary injunction before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit — and won a unanimous affirmance blocking enforcement of California SB 399, the state's captive-audience law, with the court finding the challengers likely to succeed on their First Amendment claims.

In another timely matter, Casala, LLC v. Kotek, Todd successfully challenged Measure 119, Oregon's voter-approved mandatory labor-peace law, on behalf of Oregon cannabis businesses. He secured a federal court ruling permanently enjoining enforcement of the measure, with the court finding it preempted by the National Labor Relations Act and in violation of the First Amendment.

Before entering management-side practice, Todd represented labor organizations in Chicago and Seattle. That experience gives his clients a rare perspective on labor-management relations and shapes Todd's strategic approach to helping employers navigate organizing campaigns, collective bargaining, and contentious labor disputes. His industry experience spans healthcare, beverage distribution, waste and recycling, food manufacturing, hospitality, construction, aerospace, logistics, and transportation.

Todd is also a recognized scholar and educator in labor law. He has served as a Chapter Editor of The Developing Labor Law and authored chapters for the Oregon State Bar's labor law treatise and XpertHR.com for over 25 years. He is certified by the American Arbitration Association as an Employment Law Arbitrator and is a frequently requested speaker at industry and association events.

Todd is regularly recognized by Chambers USA, The Best Lawyers in America® and The Legal 500 United States.