WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 25, 2023) – Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has added Alexander T. MacDonald as a shareholder in its Washington, D.C., office. MacDonald, a former Littler attorney, rejoins the firm from Instacart, where he served as Director, Future of Work and Labor Law. At Littler, he will be a member of the Labor Management Relations practice group and the Workplace Policy Institute^® (WPI^®), the firm’s government relations and public policy arm.

MacDonald has extensive experience counseling on labor and employment issues as both in-house and outside counsel. He has represented management in various aspects of labor relations, including unfair labor practice charges, grievance arbitrations, representation elections, and contract negotiations. MacDonald has also defended employers and advised on matters arising under the National Labor Relations Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act, among other labor and employment laws.

“Alex brings a depth and breadth of experience in labor management relations that will benefit our clients immensely as they continue to navigate a tight labor market, increasing union organizing efforts and other challenges affecting hiring and workforce participation,” said Erin Webber, Littler’s managing director and president. “The scope of his insights on the future of work, combined with his impressive legal practice, make him a wonderful addition to our talented labor and workplace policy teams.”

Beyond his traditional labor law practice, MacDonald is an established leader on issues relating to the future of work. In addition to his role at Instacart, he has presented and authored articles on a wide range of subjects driving transformational shifts in the workplace, from union organizing activities and the gig economy to new state and federal labor and employment regulations.

“As employers grapple with seismic shifts in the workplace – be it the growing adoption of artificial intelligence tools, increasingly active state legislatures or lingering pandemic effects – we are at a critical crossroads that will define the future of work,” said Michael Lotito, shareholder and WPI co-chair. “Alex’s strategic and innovative approach to navigating these important issues will be invaluable as we proactively advocate for our clients’ interests in this space.”

Before entering private practice, MacDonald served as a labor and employment attorney in the Office of the General Counsel for the U.S. Postal Service, where he focused on both litigation and policy work. He represented the agency in administrative proceedings before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), briefed numerous NLRB appeals, and served as chief counsel of employment law. He was also appointed as a special U.S. attorney to defend the agency in federal court.

“I continue to be impressed by Littler’s leadership not only in guiding employers through the challenges of the past several years, but in shaping the future workplace amid an ever-changing regulatory landscape,” said MacDonald. “I’m so pleased to return to the firm and have another opportunity to work alongside such a smart, sophisticated group of attorneys.” 

MacDonald is the 13th shareholder to join Littler in the past four months and the seventh shareholder to return to the firm during that time. He joins on the heels of recent high-profile growth in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office, including former EEOC Chief Counsel and AI leader Bradford Kelley and former Vice President of Labor Relations at Charter Communications Thomas Grow.

“We’re so pleased to welcome Alex back to the D.C. team in what has been an exceptional summer of talent growth,” said Joshua Waxman, Littler’s office managing shareholder in Washington, D.C. “With experience at a federal agency, in private practice and in-house for a company at the forefront of the future of work, we look forward to leveraging Alex’s unique perspective to offer insightful counsel to our clients in Washington and beyond.”

MacDonald received his J.D., summa cum laude, from William & Mary Law School and his B.A. from Old Dominion University. Earlier in his career, he was a law clerk to the senior judges in the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. MacDonald is also a veteran of the U.S. Airforce, with which he served in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

About Littler

With more than 1,800 labor and employment attorneys in offices around the world, Littler provides workplace solutions that are local, everywhere. Our diverse global team and proprietary technology foster a culture that celebrates original thinking, delivering groundbreaking innovation that prepares employers for what’s happening today, and what’s likely to happen tomorrow.