Stoneman, Chandler & Miller LLP was originally formed in 1945 as a traditional labor law firm. Since then we have evolved into a full service labor, employment and education law firm engaged in the representation of private sector and school committee clients in all phases of labor relations, employment law and education law, including special education. The services we provide include the following:

Employment Law

  • Advice and counseling on a wide variety of human relations and personnel matters with the intent of avoiding litigation or unionization and finding workable solutions to complex problems

  • Assist employers in development, drafting and revision of personnel policies and procedures, affirmative action plans, disciplinary policies, employee handbooks, drug and alcohol testing programs, and reductions in force

  • Advice regarding compliance with state and federal prevailing wage laws

  • Advice and counsel regarding federal and state anti-discrimination laws

  • Negotiating and drafting executive and employee employment contracts, which often include protections for the client’s intellectual property rights, trade secrets, and confidential information, protecting against unfair competition through non-competition provisions

  • Advise clients to help minimize the risk of litigation when hiring a competitor’s employees

  • Counseling employers regarding compliance with federal and state laws including the Americans with Disabilities Act, COBRA, HIPPA, Family Medical Leave Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act , Title VII, Title IX, and I-9 compliance

  • Provide legal advice regarding reductions-in-force, plant closings, violence in the workplace, sexual harassment and termination of employees

Traditional Labor Practice

  • Considerable experience in negotiating collective bargaining agreements on behalf of employers in both the public and private sectors

  • Advice regarding interpretation and application of collective bargaining agreements

  • Defend employers before the National Labor Relations Board and the Massachusetts Labor Relations Commission in both representation and unfair labor practice proceedings

  • Advice regarding union avoidance and the employer’s legal rights during union election campaigns

  • Wage and hour matters before the United States Department of Labor and the state Attorney General’s Office, including wage and hour audits

  • Represent employers in arbitration matters

  • Management of union picketing at construction jobsites

Litigation

  • Represent employers in state and federal courts in age, race, sex, national origin, religion, and disability/handicap discrimination litigation, and sexual harassment claims

  • Represent employers in affirmative action and discrimination matters before administrative agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs

  • Represent employers in wrongful discharge cases, contract and commission claims, implied employment contract claims and non-competition agreement cases

School/Public Sector Law

  • Provide advice and assistance to school committees and administrators regarding personnel issues involving teachers and other school employees

  • Negotiation of collective bargaining agreements

  • Grievance processing

  • Special Education

  • Student discipline

  • General school law issues such as compliance with Open Meeting Law and Public Records Law

  • Represent school committees in arbitrations and litigation before courts and administrative agencies involving school personnel and student related issues