Allison Anderson

Partner - Boston

Allison Anderson
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Contact Information

617.832.1204

617.832.7000

alanderson@foleyhoag.com Download vCard

Allison Anderson is a partner in the firm's Labor & Employment group. Allison's practice focuses on representing and advising employers in a wide range of labor and employment matters. In her work, she represents corporations in labor arbitrations and collective bargaining involving unions. She also defends clients against discrimination, harassment and wage and hour lawsuits. Allison represents clients in federal and state courts, before administrative agencies, such as the National Labor Relations Board and the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, and before the American Arbitration Association.

Education:

  • Boston College Law School, J.D., magna cum laude, 2013
  • Macalester College, B.A., magna cum laude, 2008

Representative Experience

Labor

  • Won multiple labor arbitrations on behalf of retail client relating to employee terminations for workplace misconduct.
  • Successfully represented multiple clients with respect to union petitions under new NLRB election rules.
  • Defeated NLRB-supervised elections on behalf of recycling and energy company.
  • Represented numerous clients in the negotiation, and implementation and litigation of card check and neutrality agreements for union organizing.
  • Represented clients in collective bargaining, including litigation before the NLRB relating to negotiations.
  • Represented clients regarding unfair labor practice charges before the NLRB.

Employment

  • Obtained a preliminary injunction on behalf of a pharmacy business in federal district court involving enforcement of a non-competition agreement. 
  • Won summary judgment on behalf of biotech company in lawsuit by former employee bringing discrimination claims. 
  • Defeated motion for class certification on behalf of financial services company in lawsuit challenging use of independent contractors for information technology functions.
  • Won summary judgment on behalf of telecommunications company in lawsuit by former employee seeking unpaid commissions.
  • Successfully tried a case before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination on behalf of a university client against a pregnancy discrimination claim. After a multi-day hearing, Complainant voluntarily withdrew her charge with prejudice without seeking any settlement.
  • Won reversal of grant of unemployment benefits to terminated employee on behalf of waste disposal company.
  • Represented clients in multiple putative class action litigations including: claims under the Massachusetts independent contractor law, and claimed violations of the Massachusetts Wage Act.
  • Won dismissal of discrimination claims against individual defendants, including CEO and Board Chairman, in federal court.
  • Successfully defended discrimination claims before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, with numerous complaints dismissed at the earliest possible stage.
  • Won voluntary dismissal with prejudice of ERISA denial of benefits case, without any monetary settlement, in Massachusetts federal court on behalf of pharmaceutical company.
  • Advised numerous clients regarding employment policies and procedures, including drafting policies and procedures and counseling on compliance with local, state and federal laws.
  • Provided many customized employment law trainings on sexual harassment, disability and discrimination laws, wage and hour laws, hiring, and performance management.
  • ABA Labor and Employment Section Committee on Practice and Procedure under the NLRA, Evaluating NLRB Action Under the Obama Administration in Historical Context, March 2017
  • Chapter editor, FLSA Midwinter Report (2014-present)
  • ABA Eighth Annual Labor & Employment Law Conference Panel Presentation, Summaries of Significant NLRB and Court Decisions and NLRB Proposed Rules, Sept. 1, 2013 through Sept. 20, 2014
  • Co-author, "Employment Law: 'But for' a Criminal Case," ABA Labor and Employment Law newsletter (with Michael Rosen, Summer 2014, Volume 42, Number 4)
  • MCLE Employment Law Spring Symposium 2014, Disability-Based Associational Discrimination: Creating a Cause of Action Not Anticipated Under the Law

Foley Hoag Alerts & Updates

Involvement

  • American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section
    • NLRB Practice and Procedure Committee, Regional Co-Chair (2017-present)
  • Speaker, "State Attorneys General and COVID-19,  What Businesses Need to Know," Webinar (April  2020) 
  • Moderator, “NLRB Basics: An Interactive Labor Law Primer,” ABA Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference (November 2019)
  • Panelist, “Dealing with Unions in the Workplace,” Lex Mundi Labor and Employment Employee Benefits and Pensions Joint Practice Group Global Meeting (May 2019)
  • Featured Speaker, "Responding to Sexual Harassment Complaints: A Legal and PR Perspective," Foley Hoag Labor & Employment seminar (December 2017; February 2018)
  • Speaker, "Human Resources Law A to Z," National Business Institute (November 2017)
  • Featured Speaker, Annual Foley Hoag Labor & Employment Seminar (2016-present)
  • Speaker, “Joint Employment: The Changing Landscape of the Gig Economy,” Mass-ALA Annual Conference (November 2016)
  • Speaker, "OSHA and Department of Labor Standards: Are You in Compliance?" Mass-ALFA (October 2014)
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Bar Admissions

  • Massachusetts