James W. Bucking
Partner
Boston
As the Deputy Coordinator of Foley Hoag's Labor & Employment Department, Jim Bucking has compiled an impressive record of success in representing corporations and other employers in union disputes, wage/hour controversies, discrimination allegations, and other labor and employment matters.
Management clients seek Jim's representation at the bargaining table in union negotiations involving the Teamsters, Electrical Workers, Steelworkers, Utility Workers, Broadcast Employees, Service Employees, Textile Workers, Building Trades, Police and Firefighters. He also advises clients on day-to-day personnel matters, drafts employment agreements and policies, and assists with sexual harassment and discrimination investigations.
Jim has in-depth experience representing clients involved in manufacturing, distribution, retail, health care, hospitality, energy, telecommunications, high tech and education. He has worked extensively on behalf of such major corporations as Anheuser-Busch, Inc., PG&E National Energy Group, Mariner Health Care, M/A-COM, Inc., PolyOne Corporation, Verizon Communications and Cornell Dubilier Electronics, Inc. He also has significant experience representing such public sector employers as the Massachusetts Lottery Commission and the cities of Boston, Lawrence, and Lowell in labor disputes. He has defended many employers in court and before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination against discrimination and sexual harassment complaints. In a number of these actions, Jim won summary judgment motions resulting in the dismissal of discrimination complaints against his clients while establishing new law in Massachusetts favorable to employers. Jim's extensive litigation experience also involves injunction and damages cases in court, in private arbitration and at NASD related to non-compete lawsuits.
Given his record of accomplishment in high-profile labor and employment matters, Jim is frequently sought out for comment by major media organizations. He has been quoted as a knowledgeable employment lawyer in Boston Business Journal, Lawyer's Weekly, Boston.com, Salon.com and Lawyer's Journal. His broadcast media activities include appearing as a guest on Emily Rooney's "Greater Boston" program, WGBH-TV. He also spoke about layoff matters on "The David Brudnoy Show" (WBZ Radio 1030 AM).
Bars and Court Admissions
Massachusetts
U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit
Representative Experience
The following is a brief summary of James's experience and accomplishments:
Represented numerous clients in the negotiation, implementation and litigation of neutrality agreements for union organizing
Tried dozens of arbitration cases and related proceedings arising out of a hotly contested 105-employee layoff, including an administrative trial before the state Labor Relations Commission upholding the lawfulness of the layoffs (19 MLC 1551, aff'd 22 MLC 1468)
Served as trial counsel for a major national manufacturer in a lengthy NLRB proceeding in which the client prevailed on bad faith bargaining, secondary boycott and threat of violence charges against the Teamsters Union, secured three separate federal court injunctions against the Union and won an unprecedented award of attorneys' fees and litigation costs [reported at 334 NLRB No. 137]
Obtained Norris-Laguardia Act injunctions in Federal Court in Massachusetts, to end illegal pickets and other strike-related misconduct in the midst of a lengthy labor dispute
Obtained Boys Markets TRO and preliminary injunction in federal court in New York, with the judge ordering 400 employees back to work after an illegal strike
Obtained dismissal of an NLRB election petition for a construction client in Region 34 (Connecticut) on the grounds that there was a "contracting unit"
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