For more than 20 years, Jessica Kastin has advised employers on complex labor and employment matters. She focuses on issues arising under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and regularly handles collective bargaining negotiations, union elections and representation proceedings, unfair labor practice charges, grievance arbitrations, and strike preparation. She also counsels clients on day-to-day employment issues arising under federal, state, and local law.
Jessica has been recognized repeatedly by Chambers USA, Best Lawyers in America, and The Legal 500 US. Clients describe her as "extremely knowledgeable, really thoughtful and really smart" and report that she is "a very experienced traditional labor lawyer" who "provides invaluable advice on significant matters."
She works closely with clients in various industries on identifying and achieving critical business objectives through collective bargaining negotiations. Notably, in 2016, Jessica represented Verizon in connection with a seven-week strike involving approximately 36,000 employees. In addition to providing strategic collective bargaining advice, she obtained a rare injunction under Section 10(l) of the NLRA enjoining the union's unlawful secondary activity targeted at hotels in New York housing workers during the strike. And, in 2021, Jessica represented the Hunts Point Terminal Market in connection with a one-week strike involving approximately 1,400 employees and related collective bargaining negotiations.
Jessica also has a robust transactional practice and has assisted on more than a hundred completed transactions. She frequently advises on complex labor and employment matters arising in high-value mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures representing clients such as ABM, Alcoa, Bally's Corporation, EagleTree Capital, Eastman Chemical, General Electric, J.F. Lehman, Morgan Stanley, and Verizon.
Experience
Speaking Engagements
- January 27, 2017
What Can Practitioners Expect From A Trump Board? New York State Bar Association Labor & Employment Section 2017 Annual Meeting - September 2014
2014 Labor & Employment Seminar - New York - December 13, 2012
What to Expect From the NLRB During President Obama's Second Term: Impact on Both Union and Non-Union Workplaces - April 12, 2011
Jones Day Railway Labor Act Symposium
"Brings a penetrating intelligence and a confident, calm temperament to any proceedings."Chambers USA
- The George Washington University (J.D. with honors 2001; Laurence E. Seibel Memorial Award for Excellence in Labor and Employment Law); Cornell University, School of Industrial and Labor Relations (B.S. 1998)
- New York
Chambers USA — clients note that she "provides invaluable advice on significant matters," "brings a penetrating intelligence and a confident, calm temperament to any proceedings," and "has an excellent ability to read situations and people"
Best Lawyers in America (2019-2022)
NY Metro Super Lawyers (2014-2017)
Legal 500 — labor-management relations
- Law Clerk to Wilma B. Liebman, National Labor Relations Board (Summer 1999)