People here are invested in the law firm. They like what they’re doing and they care about the firm, so they do a... read more »
Otto G. Klein III
Labor Attorney
315 Fifth Avenue S, Suite 1000
Seattle WA 98104
206.676.7000
slg@summitlaw.com
©2023 Summit Law Group PLLC
website by efelle
Profile Introduction
Rod’s practice focuses on labor and employment law and involves litigation, counseling, training, and negotiating. Rod has extensive experience defending both public and private sector employers in discrimination, wrongful discharge, and unpaid wage cases in state and federal courts. He has also represented public and private employers in union organizing campaigns, representation proceedings, unfair labor practice proceedings, and union discrimination matters before the Public Employment Relations Commission and the National Labor Relations Board.
Rod spends a significant amount of time counseling and advising clients about labor and employment issues. In this capacity, he assists clients with hiring, firing, and discipline issues; wage and hour issues; grievance processing; employment contracts; and employment policies. He also advises employers regarding collective bargaining strategies, and represents employers at the bargaining table during collective bargaining negotiations. In addition to his labor and employment law experience, Rod has extensive experience with complex insurance coverage, environmental and mass tort litigation.
Memberships
- Washington State Bar Association
- King County Bar Association
Education
- Stanford Law School (J.D., 1991); President, Stanford Law & Policy Review
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (B.S., 1987); Phi Beta Kappa
Bar Admissions
- Washington State
Honors
- Named in The Best Lawyers in America for Employment Law – Management (2013 - 2023)
- Martindale-Hubbell A.V. rated
- Rated 10/10 "Superb" by Avvo
Publications & Speaking Engagements
- Regularly asked to speak on a wide variety of labor and employment topics.
- Has written and published numerous articles regarding various labor and litigation topics.
-
Frequently presents topics at conferences sponsored by the following organizations:
- Association of Washington Cities (annual presenter at the AWC Labor Relations Institute)
- National Public Employer Labor Relations Association
- Washington Public Employer Labor Relations Association
- Washington State Association of Municipal Attorneys
Representative Cases/Matters
- American Water Services
- Central Washington University
- Eastern Washington University
- The Evergreen State College
- Housing Resources Group
- Kitsap County Health District
- Pioneer Newspapers
- SNOCOM
- Snohomish Health District
- Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department
- Western Washington University