About

Matthew Watts represents labor unions, employee benefit plans, and individual employees in a variety of legal matters in the public and private sectors.  His practice primarily consists of advising clients in traditional labor relations, including collective bargaining, organizing campaigns, grievance arbitrations, and internal union affairs.  He also represents multiemployer benefit funds and individual workers in litigation.

Mr. Watts helps leads the Firm’s practice that is dedicated to protecting fire fighters that are discriminated against because of their union activities.  He litigates and oversees First Amendment retaliation claims, unfair labor practice charges, grievances, and other claims brought on behalf of fire fighters that are unlawfully fired or disciplined for supporting their union or speaking out about related matters of public concern.

Mr. Watts handles disputes arising under the National Labor Relations Act, the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute, the Railway Labor Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, and a broad array of employment discrimination and wage-and-hour laws.  He routinely represents clients in proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board, the Federal Labor Relations Authority, state and federal courts, and in arbitration.

Mr. Watts earned his J.D. from American University Washington College of Law, cum laude, in 2014. In law school, he represented low income clients for the Civil Advocacy Clinic and served as a member of the American University Law Review. Mr. Watts received a B.A. in Philosophy and Political Science from Boston College in 2010.

Mr. Watts is a contributing editor for the seminal treatise, The Developing Labor Law: The Board, the Courts, and the National Labor Relations Act.  He has also served as a speaker for the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans on topics such as “COVID-19 and Legal Issues in Returning to Work.”

Highlights