About Labor & Employment Law
Lawyers in the field of labor and employment law deal with the relations between workers and their employers. Labor lawyers represent either union workers or management and deal with issues such as unfair labor practice charges under the National Labor Relations Act, collective bargaining negotiations, union organizing, and arbitration of union and employee grievances. Attorneys in this practice area may also advise labor or management on other workplace issues, such as affirmative action policies, issues concerning wages and work hours, preparation of employee handbooks, employee policies, covenants not to compete, employee terminations and severance arrangements.
An outgrowth of labor law is employment law. Employment lawyers represent plaintiffs and employers on a wide variety of issues that are not covered by union contracts. They may represent or defend clients on issues such as employment discrimination based on race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, or other types of civil rights violations. Employment lawyers may also represent clients who are sued for breach of employment contracts, breach of covenants not to compete, wrongful discharge, invasion of employee right to privacy, and sexual harrassment.
Labor and employment lawyers, particularly those representing management, often work in medium or large firms or as in-house counsel for large corporations. Plaintiffs' lawyers can be found in firms of all sizes, including boutique and solo practices. Unions also employ labor lawyers to handle issues concerning its members, and attorneys specializing in labor and employment law work for federal and state government agencies, such as the National Labor Relations Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission, to name a few.
Other labor & employment websites:
Courses
Note: Whether a particular course is scheduled depends on faculty availability and student demand. View the Course Descriptions for more information about each course and when it's offered.
Students may earn the Labor and Employment Law Concentration by completing the required coursework outlined on the curricular concentrations page.
Core/Foundation Courses
These are the entry level courses that — at a minimum — employers expect a student interested in this specialty to have.
Recommended Courses
Students interested in this practice area should consider including one or more of the following courses as electives.
Enrichment Courses
These courses deepen or broaden the skills and substantive information that a lawyer in this field needs and also provide advanced courses for students interested in a specialty within this area of practice.
Clinics & Externships
Unemployment Compensation Appeals Clinic
The Unemployment Compensation Appeals Clinic is staffed by volunteer student advocates who assist clients in obtaining unemployment compensation benefits. Student advocates work closely with supervising attorneys and gain litigation and case management experience while helping those in need of benefits who cannot afford representation.
Learn more about the Unemployment Compensation Appeals Clinic »
Law Externship
In externships, students spend their time working for course credit, not payment, at a field-placement site under the supervision of a practicing attorney or judge. This unique experience allows students to receive credit for learning on the job, typically in government or public service sectors, but also in other settings. Externships also include an instructional component, and students receive mentoring and supervision from an in-house Law School faculty member as well.
Student Organizations & Related Activities
Students involved in student activities and organizations are often strong job candidates. Employers look for students who show leadership, public service, and community involvement.
For a full list of student organizations at UW Law, view the Student Organizations, Journals, & Activities.
Faculty
Here are some of the full-time faculty who teach or have an interest in this subject area:
In addition to our full-time faculty, the Law School's adjunct faculty members — prominent practicing lawyers and judges — bring their specialized knowledge and experience to the classroom. Filter by "Adjunct" in the Law School Directory for a full list.
