Seyfarth Shaw LLP has further bolstered its Labor & Employment practice with the move of noted labor lawyer Matthew Huntsman to the Am Law 100 firm as a partner in its expanding Dallas office.
Huntsman is the fourth partner to move to Seyfarth in Dallas so far this year. Jonathan Bull, Jeff Cash, and Deborah Ryan all joined the firm’s Dallas office in lateral moves in February. Seyfarth opened in Dallas in the second half of 2023.
Huntsman has built extensive airline industry proficiency by focusing his practice for more than a decade on representing labor unions and their members in negotiations, arbitration, litigation, and administrative proceedings. He comes to Seyfarth from the Air Line Pilots Association, the largest pilots union in the world, where he was Labor Relations Counsel.
Huntsman represents clients in all facets of traditional labor law under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and Railway Labor Act (RLA). He has extensive experience representing clients in collective bargaining and labor arbitration under the NLRA, RLA, and various public-sector labor statutes. He advises and counsels clients on every aspect of labor law.
“Matt’s compelling background reflects steady leadership, a strong understanding of labor relations strategy, and a practical, client facing approach informed by years of working directly with union leadership,” said Laura Maechtlen, chair of Seyfarth’s national Labor & Employment department.“ His proven ability to manage negotiations, pilot arbitrations, employment litigation matters, and internal operations, align him seamlessly with Seyfarth’s outstanding airline labor and employment law practice. We are excited to add him to the team.”
Seyfarth offers a wide range of practice support for the aviation sector, including employment, labor, employee benefits, executive compensation, AIR21, pilot-related employment matters, and stock programs/incentive pay programs. The firm also provides a keen focus on international employment laws which impact airlines flying beyond the United States.
“Matt Huntsman is another important addition to our steadily growing Dallas office,” said Amy Simpson, managing partner of Seyfarth’s Dallas office. “He broadens the scope of our offerings in Dallas with his far-reaching experience in traditional labor law, serving both the private and public sectors, combined with his deep knowledge of the airline industry. We know he will be a key player in the continued growth of our Labor & Employment practice in Dallas, and the Dallas office overall.”
Huntsman spent nine years in private practice at a labor union-focused firm before joining the Air Line Pilots Association. During that time, he handled all aspects of labor arbitration—primarily as lead counsel—representing clients in disciplinary appeals and contract interpretation cases in both the private and public sectors. He also represented unions in collective bargaining negotiations, litigated administrative hearings related to employee discipline and collective bargaining disputes, conducted discovery, and represented clients in appellate actions.
“Seyfarth presents an irresistible opportunity to cultivate my own practice and service a broader array of clients,” said Huntsman. “Seyfarth has been at the forefront of labor management relations for decades, offering unparalleled counsel and representation to some of the largest companies in the world. I am thrilled to be joining such a world class labor and employment team.”
Huntsman received his JD from the University of Kansas School of Law and his BA from Austin College.
With more than 1,000 lawyers across 19 offices, Seyfarth Shaw LLP provides advisory, litigation, and transactional legal services to clients worldwide. The firm is recognized for its innovative approach, advancing the standard of legal service delivery in an evolving global marketplace. Seyfarth’s market-leading and award-winning Labor and Employment practice delivers strategic counsel and defense of disputes across the full employee lifecycle and every facet of labor and employment law, backed by more than 400 attorneys and a global reach spanning nearly 200 countries.
