Last year the Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision ruled that individual arbitration agreements are enforceable; thus allowing for employment agreements which waive employees’ rights to bring class action lawsuits or pursue private class action arbitrations. This is one of the most important decisions from the Supreme Court to impact workplace issues. Join us for a discussion from those who argued before the Supreme Court, those who study mandatory arbitration, attorneys who have clients impacted by the EPIC decision, and efforts to change state law to challenge EPIC’s impact.

Panelists include:

Alexander J.S. Colvin

Interim Dean and Martin F. Scheinman Professor of Conflict Resolution, Cornell ILR School

Author of The Growing Use of Mandatory Arbitration

Richard F. Griffin, Jr.

Of Counsel, Bredhoff & Kaiser, PLLC, Washington, DC

Former General Counsel of the NLRB, arguing against mandatory arbitration before the US Supreme Court

Matthew Carlson

Law Office of Matthew D. Carlson

Of Counsel, Lichten & Liss-Riordan, PC

Represents workers in class action litigation, including cases against "gig economy" companies, Uber and Lyft

Sean Ryan

NYS Assembly Member, District 149

Discussing Private Attorney General statute pending in New York State

Moderated by:

Catherine Creighton

Partner, Creighton, Johnsen & Giroux, Buffalo, NY

Co-sponsored by:

ILR Buffalo Co-Lab

Partnership for the Public Good

WNY ILR Alumni Association

Bar Association of Erie County

with program support from NLRB