If you are a labor lawyer who combines the desire and ability to relax with agreeable colleagues, with being informed in depth and engaging in intellectual debates on the latest developments in labor law, then the Committee on The Development of the Law under the National Labor Relations Act (“DLL”) is the committee for you. The primary purpose of DLL is writing and editing The Developing Labor Law treatise. The two volume Fifth Edition of The Developing Labor Law was published in the fall of 2006, and DLL members have already produced the first supplement to the Fifth Edition, which will be published in the fall of 2007. In addition, DLL continued its tradition of high quality CLE presentations combined with relaxation and the ability to meet informally with Members and the General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board at the Midwinter meeting held in March at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel on the Kona Coast of the Big Island, Hawaii.

Under the direction of Editor-In-Chief John Higgins, approximately 350 committee members acted as contributing editors, chapter editors, associate editors and editors of the Fifth Edition of The Developing Labor Law, a number of them serving in multiple roles. It is the work of this large committee of contributing editors, coordinated by chapter editors, associate editors and editors, and ultimately by John Higgins, that makes The Developing Labor Law the pre-eminent treatise of the history and development of the National Labor Relations Act. The Developing Labor Law is used by judges and their clerks, professors, law students, labor law practitioners, and anyone interested in traditional labor law, as a useful reference and research tool. DLL is proud of the quality of the publication, and each year strives to assure that the book continues to be accurate, balanced and timely in its discussion of labor law developments. That work continued in 2007 as the committee has completed and submitted to BNA for publication the first supplement to the Fifth Edition. The contributing editors again did an excellent and thorough job of summarizing the developments in labor law in 2006, leading to the preparation and final editing of the 2006 Supplement, which will be published this fall. DLL will soon begin working on the 2007 supplement at the end of the year.

The 35 th Annual Midwinter Meeting of DLL was held at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel on the Kohala Coast ( Big Island) Hawaii in March. The meeting combined the usual high quality presentations, papers, debates on important developing topics, with the usual relaxed social interaction with colleagues typical of the committee. There were some somber moments, as the committee acknowledged the passing of Butch Powell, a leader and original member of the committee and a well-loved and well-respected member of the management bar. There were lighter moments, as, for instance, the absence of perennial golf tournament coordinator Tim O’Reilly, permitted other committee members the opportunity to win the tournament, and, despite his earlier announced retirement, Bob Morgan again coordinated the tennis tournament.

The centerpiece of the meeting, as always, was the program, coordinated by program chairs Joe Torres (management) and Vickie Hedian (union). A number of excellent presentations and high quality papers provided a tremendous learning experience for all who attended. The presentations began with the annual ethics session on Sunday, March 4, and continued through Wednesday, March 7, concluding with the annual presentations by the General Counsel and the Members of the National Labor Relations Board. Highlights of the presentations included Do Too Many Arbitrators Spoil The Soup? Should NLRA Claims Be Subject To Private Dispute Resolution Procedures? a lively presentation by Liquita Lewis Thompson and Nicole Cuda Perez that featured a bewildering array of soup cans as props. There was also an illuminating ethics presentation by John Higgins that included skits performed by Howard Z. Rosen and Bernie Siebert.

The meeting included social activity as well, from the opening reception on Sunday night, through the Wednesday night dinner dance and awards ceremony that concluded the meeting. The over 100 attendees proved as capable as ever of mixing intense intellectual discussion with relaxed social interaction.

The midwinter meeting in 2008 will be held from February 17-20 in Naples, Florida. We hope that you will join us for a stimulating educational experience that is also fun for the whole family!

Together with the Practice & Procedure Committee, DLL has planned, coordinated and will participate in the Traditional Labor Law Track for the Section’s Inaugural CLE Conference this November in Philadelphia. A full description of the Track is found elsewhere in this edition of the Flash.

Commitment to Diversity

DLL is committed to implementing the Section’s Diversity Plan. That commitment is evident in the speaker selections at the midwinter meetings, the leadership of the committee and the panels of contributing and chapter editors, all of which reflect the diversity of the lawyers practicing labor law. All lawyers with an interest in labor law are welcome to become an active member of the committee and to contribute to The Developing Labor Law treatise.