(April 7, 2016) – Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has named John Cerilli (Pittsburgh) and Kelley Edwards (Houston) as co-chairs of the firm’s Energy Industry Practice Group.

“John and Kelley have a firm grasp of how turbulent market conditions and increasing federal regulations in the energy industry impact labor and employment issues,” said Tom Bender and Jeremy Roth, co-managing directors of Littler, in a joint statement. “This is a highly technical market and John and Kelley are in a strong position to help clients address all complex facets of employment law impacting energy companies.”

Littler has a long history of working with the energy industry and its subsectors, including oil and gas exploration and extraction, alternative energy, mining and utilities. The firm advises clients on complex employment and labor law matters stemming from changing market dynamics and heightened regulatory scrutiny.

“The rise in oil and gas production in the U.S. between 2009 and 2014, and subsequent drop in energy prices, have placed significant strain on energy companies and created a host of new challenges in managing their workforces,” Cerilli and Edwards said in a joint statement. “Companies in the energy industry have seen a rise in litigation and other legal actions that challenge a wide range of employment decisions, including workforce reductions, wage and hour practices and workplace safety matters. Littler’s depth of experience in the energy sector allows us to serve as a resource for our clients as they navigate this shifting landscape.”

About John Cerilli

Cerilli advises clients in a variety of sectors, including oil, gas, coal, electrical power and manufacturing. In addition to being a founding member and the office managing shareholder of Littler’s Pittsburgh office, he is a core member of the firm’s Traditional Labor Practice Group, a member of the Corporate Transactions Practice Group and Littler’s Technology Committee. He has an extensive background in labor law, focusing on the National Labor Relations Act, arbitration, contract administration, organized labor issues, plant closings, mass layoffs and corporate transactions.

About Kelley Edwards

Edwards has extensive experience in oil and gas and energy services, among other sectors. She represents employers in federal and state court and before administrative agencies, including the Texas Workforce Commission, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the U.S. Department of Labor. In her work representing management, Edwards has argued cases involving a variety of issues, including wage and hour disputes, workers’ compensation and discrimination.

About Littler

Littler is the largest global employment and labor law practice, with more than 1,000 attorneys in over 70 offices worldwide. Littler represents management in all aspects of employment and labor law and serves as a single-source solution provider to the global employer community. Consistently recognized in the industry as a leading and innovative law practice, Littler has been litigating, mediating and negotiating some of the most influential employment law cases and labor contracts on record for over 70 years. Littler Global is the collective trade name for an international legal practice, the practicing entities of which are separate and distinct professional firms.