David B. Walston

After more than 25 years of practicing labor and employment law, David Walston has developed a formula for building successful client relationships. He believes that all good engagements begin with a face-to-face meeting to perform an assessment of the current policies and practices of the client’s human resources operations. David’s assessment is designed to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations and agency and court interpretations. David then offers day-to-day employment advice on workplace issues and suggests possible courses of action available to the client – suggestions to aid the avoidance of administrative charges and lawsuits. He provides these services through the client’s election of a flat-fee retainer arrangement or on an hourly-rate basis.

If an issue evolves into administrative proceedings or a lawsuit, before any response or pleading is filed David conducts a comprehensive evaluation of the underlying facts, and the claims and applicable defenses. He then has an extremely candid conversation with the client regarding the risks the matter presents so the client can make a fully informed decision regarding how to address the matter. With the client’s goals developed, David maps out a strategic case management plan. David keeps in constant contact with the client regarding all significant developments so he and the client modify the model as the defense of the matter proceeds.

This approach has served David well, whether he is planning the defense of employment discrimination, hostile work environment or retaliation claims, FLSA individual and collective actions, defending unfair labor practice charges before the NLRB, directing the opposition to a union organizational campaign, or negotiating with governmental agencies in audits or charges of violations of employment laws or regulations.