FordHarrison LLP, one of the country’s largest management-side labor and employment law firms, is pleased to announce that Edward (Bud) F. O’Donnell, Ryan A. O’Donnell and Michael J. Spagnola from Siegel, O’Connor, O’Donnell & Beck, P.C. have joined the firm’s Hartford office as Partners.
“The Hartford office and entire firm are excited to welcome three accomplished Partners to the team,” said Johanna Zelman, Office Managing Partner of the firm’s Hartford office. “Bud, Ryan and Mike are seasoned attorneys with impressive backgrounds and we cannot wait to see the phenomenal work they do with our growing Hartford family.”
Bud O’Donnell has exclusively practiced employment law and worked with his clients to find sound solutions to their most complex labor and employment law issues for more than 40 years. His focus is private sector labor law including union avoidance, contact negotiations, strikes and lockouts. Bud also represents employers in both the private and public sector in all areas of employment law, including in the defense of claims of discrimination, harassment, and violations of FMLA and FLSA. He also frequently works with restaurants and advises them through a host of legal challenges unique to the restaurant industry. In the private sector Bud has handled more than 100 organizing drives and decertification efforts and appears regularly in all matters before the National Labor Relations Board. Bud’s industries of focus are cannabis, employment law, healthcare, HR consulting, labor relations, restaurants and wage and hour.
Ryan O’Donnell frequently represents and counsels employers in union avoidance campaigns, union decertification campaigns, contract negotiations, and unfair labor practice charges, including appearing on behalf of clients before the National Labor Relations Board. Ryan has significant experience advising both private employers and public entities in issues impacting the employment relationship in both unionized and nonunionized workforces, as well as all areas of employment law, including in the defense of claims of discrimination, harassment, and violations of FMLA and FLSA. As labor and employment counsel to the Connecticut Restaurant Association, Ryan also routinely works with restaurants to ensure they remain compliant with Connecticut’s wage and hour laws, Covid-safety regulations, and a host of other legal challenges unique to the restaurant industry. Ryan’s industries of focus are cannabis, employment law, healthcare, HR consulting, labor relations, restaurants and wage and hour.
Michael Spagnola concentrates his practice on the representation of management in all aspects of labor and employment law, and in particular, litigation and preventive counsel. Mike represents clients in state and federal courts and before administrative agencies on a full range of employment law issues, including cases relating to discrimination, whistleblowing, wrongful discharge and wage and hour law. He also represents management in connection with labor relations matters, including unfair labor practice charges, union election petitions, grievance arbitrations, and serving as lead negotiator in collective bargaining. Mike also handles severance negotiations, negotiates contractual language on behalf of businesses, and represents businesses in commercial litigation. Mike’s industries of focus are construction, healthcare, hospitality, insurance, restaurants, and retail.