Since 1963, the attorneys at Reid, Ballew & Leahy LLP have devoted their practice to advancing the interests of working men and women. Our major practice areas reflect that commitment.
We represent labor unions and trust funds that provide pension and health, and welfare benefits to employees covered by collective bargaining agreements. We’ve led successful efforts to enforce wage and hour laws via class action lawsuits to collect unpaid overtime. We also represent individuals who have suffered industrial and personal injuries.
The mission of RBL is to provide excellent representation to employees and labor unions throughout the Pacific Northwest
OUR TEAM
Russell J. Reid
Email: rjr@rmbllaw.com
Practice Areas: ERISA, Labor Law
Russell J. Reid is one of the Pacific Northwest’s pre-eminent employee benefits and union-side labor attorneys. A graduate of Whitman College and Stanford University School of Law, he joined the firm in 1968 and has devoted his practice to representing working men and women and collectively bargained trust funds ever since. Mr. Reid is a member of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, a highly exclusive, invitation-only organization whose membership is confined to the country’s most respected labor lawyers, union and management.
David Ballew
Email: david@rmbllaw.com
Practice Areas: Labor Law, ERISA
David Ballew represents unions in both private and public sectors throughout the Pacific Northwest in day-to-day matters, arbitration, unfair labor practice proceedings and civil litigation. In addition, David represents Trust funds which provide benefits to workers and their families. His representation of Trust Funds has included litigation involving collections, benefit denials, withdrawal liability, and Trustee deadlock arbitration. David has served as a co-chair for the Pacific Coast Labor and Employment Law Conference Labor Subcommittee and as a speaker at the 17th Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference of the American Bar Association.
David is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Washington, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court. David has also been admitted pro hac vice in U.S. District Courts throughout the Western states. David has been selected as one of the Top Attorneys in Washington by Washington Super Lawyers Magazine and Seattle Met Magazine in 2013, 2016, and 2018 – 2024.
Representative cases include Ben Franklin Transit (Teamsters Local 839), Decision 13409-A (PECB, 2022); Ben Franklin Transit (Teamsters Local 760); Decision 13550 (PECB, 2022); Pasco Housing Authority, Decision 5927-A (PECB, 1997) aff’d, 98 Wn. App. 809 (2000); Benton County, Decision 12920-A (PECB, 2019); Northwest Dairy Ass’n v. Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Tr. Fund, No. C17-0214RSL, 2017 BL 442385 (W.D. Wash. Dec. 11, 2017); Lewis County, 126 BNA LA 1336 (Romeo, 2009); United Parcel Service, 124 BNA LA 1032 (Gaba, 2007).
Thomas A. Leahy
Email: tom@rmbllaw.com
Practice Areas: Labor Law, ERISA
Thomas A. Leahy joined the firm in 2002, after serving as a staff attorney for the Service Employees International Union Washington State Council for five years. He graduated cum laude from Seattle University School of Law, where he was an associate editor of the law review, and received his undergraduate degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. Tom’s practice is equally divided between representing labor unions throughout the Pacific Northwest and various Trust Funds.
Tom is admitted to practice in the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Washington, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. Through the firm’s representation of Trust Funds, Tom has also been admitted pro hac vice in United States District Courts and Bankruptcy courts throughout the United States.
Annie Holden
Email: Annie@rmbllaw.com
Practice Areas: Labor Law, ERISA
Annie Holden is proud to be a union-side labor lawyer. Her background includes working with artists, helping to fund local artists’ careers, and enhancing the arts community throughout Washington state. Annie was inspired to expand her focus beyond the arts, and went to law school to study employment and labor law. At University of Washington School of Law, she graduated in the top 10% of the class, was named Pro Bono Student of the Year from her volunteer work, and was elected into the Order of the Coif.
A demonstrated advocate for workplace justice during law school, Annie was a Peggy Browning fellow at Teamsters Local 117, volunteered with the Workers’ Rights Clinic, with the Unemployment Law Project, and externed at the Washington State Attorney General’s Office – Antitrust Division, focusing on enforcing no-poach employment agreements. Before joining the firm, Annie clerked at the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division I. In her time at the firm, Annie has zealously represented private and public sector bargaining unit members.
PRACTICE AREAS
Labor Law
Our labor attorneys have substantial experience representing labor unions and their members. Our practice includes counseling and advising union officers and business agents on a variety of matters such as contract negotiations, grievance processing as well as reporting and disclosure requirements. In addition, we counsel our clients regarding the multitude of state and federal laws addressing employment such as the National Labor Relations Act, the Public Employees Collective Bargaining Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, Title VII, the American with Disabilities Act and worker’s compensation laws. We regularly participate in hearings and other proceedings representing our clients before arbitrators in labor arbitration, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the Department of Labor, the Washington State Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC), and state and federal courts.
ERISA and Employee Benefits
The firm represents several multi-employer Taft-Hartley trust funds which provide pension and health and welfare benefits to employees covered by collective bargaining agreements. Our representation includes day to day fiduciary counseling to Trustees and administrators as well as litigation on behalf of trust funds in state and federal court. We have a substantial practice devoted to pursuing the collection of delinquent contributions owed to the trust funds including withdrawal liability.
Wage and Hour Class Action Litigation
The firm has devoted a substantial element of our practice to enforcing Minimum Wage and Overtime laws. We have pursued class action wage and hour lawsuits on behalf of large groups of employees, union and non-union alike. As lead class counsel the firm has recovered millions of dollars in overtime pay for bread and snack delivery drivers whom their employers had improperly labeled outside salespersons. Among other class action work, our lawsuits against Frito-Lay and Hostess resulted in settlements of 3.7 million and 7.2 million respectively, with many Frito drivers receiving approximately $10,000 each, and many Hostess drivers receiving approximately $15,000 each. Of course, all cases are different and these results should not create an expectation about results in an individual case.
CONTACT US
Reid, Ballew & Leahy L.L.P.
100 West Harrison Street
North Tower, Suite 300
Seattle, WA 98119-4116
Fax (206) 285-8925
Our offices are located in the North Tower at 100 West Harrison Street, Suite 300 in Seattle, Washington. Our office hours are from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday.
