Amy Moor Gaylord and Mishell Parreno Taylor will speak at the Labor and Employment Relations Association’s (LERA) 78th Annual Meeting. The conference will explore current challenges and innovations shaping the future of labor and employment relations, while bringing together leading academics, practitioners, and policymakers

Amy will serve as a panelist on the following sessions, including:

• Bridging Legal and Contractual Worlds: Panel on External Law in Arbitration: This practitioner-focused panel will address the growing intersection between statutory employment claims and arbitration. Panelists will examine how external law is influencing grievance arbitration, offering practical insights for handling discrimination, leave, and wage disputes under the ADA, FMLA, and FLSA.
• Chicago LERA Presents “Med-Arb: Effective Models and Practices:” This discussion will offer insights on hybrid mediation-arbitration models and their effective implementation in workplace dispute resolution.
• The Role of Unions and Labor-Management Relations in Promoting American Democracy: This public policy session centers on the labor movement and the labor-management infrastructure established by the NLRA and its many state-wide public variants as the critical institution for preserving American democracy.

Mishell will co-present a session titled "Legal Trends in Arbitration and Their Impact in Employment and Beyond." This presentation reviews recent and influential court decisions shaping employment arbitration, focusing on enforceability, scope, class and collective action waivers, and procedural fairness. Attendees will gain practical guidance on emerging trends, common pitfalls, and best practices for assessing risk, implementing arbitration programs, and advising clients in the current legal landscape.