Overview

Russell J. McEwan combines real world business experience, legal acumen and pragmatism to effectively manage labor and employment law issues faced by clients in a wide variety of industries, including the construction, manufacturing, retail, service, and transportation industries. His practice entails representation of clients in federal and state court litigation, before labor arbitrators, at the bargaining table, and before regulatory agencies such as the National Labor Relations Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the U. S. Department of Labor, and numerous state departments of labor.

Russ proactively counsels employers on strategies to promote workplace harmony, strengthen the employment relationship, and minimize the risk of litigation. He assists clients in developing training tools, crafting effective employment agreements and policies, and training supervisory employees on a wide variety of workplace issues.

Russ has extensive experience helping clients during times of labor strife. He has advised clients on issues related to union organizing drives and representation petitions involving virtually all of the major U. S. labor unions. He has guided employers through:

  • Reductions-in-force and shutdowns
  • Large-scale business contingency planning related to threatened labor disputes
  • Temporary restraining order actions related to strikes and mass picketing

During the course of his legal career, Russ has developed a depth of knowledge in representing construction industry employers in matters involving:

  • Negotiation and administration of pre-hire collective bargaining agreements and project labor agreements
  • Prevailing wage compliance
  • Union benefit fund audits
  • Arbitration and litigation
  • Corporate campaign preparedness
  • A multitude of issues related to government contracting

Before embarking on his legal career, Russ was a business banker for a leading New York City commercial bank and worked in the general counsel’s office of a major accounting firm.

Professional & Community Affiliations

Member

New Jersey State Bar Association

Member

Labor and Employment Law Committee

Monmouth Bar Association

Recognition

Named, The Best Lawyers in America®*

2013-2024

  * For information about the standards for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America, please see https://www.bestlawyers.com/about/MethodologyBasic.aspx.

News, Analysis & Press

Construction Contractors Seeking Workers. Bring Your HR 'A-Game'

Bloomberg BNA Construction Labor Report

March 23, 2017

Court Upholds Open Shop in Jersey City Labor Pact Challenge

Engineering News-Record

October 5, 2016

A Banner Day for Union Boycotts

Insight

September 17, 2010

Speaking Engagements

A Practical Primer on Inclusion, Equity & Diversity Programs

Littler Executive Employer Conference

May 4, 2022

Weathering the Great Resignation: Strategies for Employee Engagement and Retention

Monmouth Bar Association CLE

March 25, 2022

Project Labor Agreement Webinar

The Associated Builders and Contractors New Jersey Chapter and the African American Chamber of Commerce

June 23, 2021

Current Labor and Employment Law Issues Impacting Your Contracting Business

Newark, NJ

March 29, 2021

Labor Law Changes Under the Biden Administration

Monmouth Bar Association CLE

February 26, 2021

Decision 2020: What’s at Stake for Employers in the Upcoming General Election

October 30, 2020

Prepare for Liftoff: Minimizing Employee Relations Risks as Construction Sites Rebound from the Pandemic Shutdown

May 14, 2020

Apprenticeship and Prevailing Wage Update for New Jersey Public Works Contractors

November 7, 2019

Navigating New Jersey’s Aggressive New Wage Theft Law

CLE Presentation

October 14, 2019

Navigating New Jersey’s Aggressive New Wage Theft Law

October 14, 2019

Apprenticeship 101 for New Jersey Public Works Contractors

Newark, NJ

June 27, 2019

Lawful Hiring and Firing

ABC Professional Services Committee Webinar

May 30, 2019

Traditional Labor Law Symposium: What Union and Nonunion Employers Need to Know About Today’s Unions and Employer Obligations Under the NLRA

2019 Executive Employer Conference

May 10, 2019

Apprenticeship 101 for New Jersey Public Works Contractors

April 11, 2019

Can An Apprenticeship Program Help My Contracting Business? The Ins and Outs of Building and Operating a Program in New Jersey

December 18, 2018

New Jersey’s Earned Sick Leave Law Update: The Proposed Regulations are Out

October 19, 2018

New Jersey’s Paid Sick and Safe Leave Law Goes Into Effect on October 29, 2018

August 29, 2018

Double Breasting in the Construction Industry

NJ State Bar Association CLE

April 10, 2018

Labor Law Issues Affecting Public Works Contractors

Newark, NJ

March 20, 2018

Detecting and Mitigating Common Construction Industry Fraud and Legal Risks

NJ Society of CPAs, Neptune, NJ

December 7, 2017

How to Lawfully Detect and Respond to Union Organizing in the Workplace

ABC Excellence in Construction Symposium, Atlantic City, NJ

November 30, 2017

2017 Hot Topics in Employment & Labor Law

Newark, NJ

May 2, 2017

Employer Election Alert! Trump Presidency and Its Impact on Employment Laws and Regulations

Center for Competitive Management webinar

December 7, 2016

What’s in Store for Employers Now That the Election is Behind Us?

Newark, NJ

November 17, 2016

The 2016 Election: A Labor & Employment Update

Monmouth County Bar Association

October 26, 2016

Educational Roundtable on Union/Non-Union Construction Activity in the NYC Marketplace

NYC CFMA

April 26, 2016

NYC Construction Outlook 2015-2017

NYC Surety Association

February 3, 2016

Workforce 2016: How to Energize Your Employees, Reduce Your Legal Exposure and Boost Your Business

Newark, NJ

January 21, 2016

2015 Tri-State Employer Conference

New York, NY

November 5, 2015

While You Were Busy Building: The Most Significant Labor Law Developments of 2015

Newark, NJ

October 20, 2015

There’s Something Happening Here (What it is ain’t exactly clear)

Fairport, NY

June 16, 2015

Practical Tips for Managing the Obama Administration’s Labor Agenda

The 2014 Executive Employer® Conference

Littler Mendelson, Phoenix, AZ

May 9, 2014

Important Issues for Construction Employers

The 2014 Executive Employer® Conference

Littler Mendelson, Phoenix, AZ

May 7, 2014

5 Steps for Building Defensible Macro-Bargaining Units

Associated Builders & Contractors, New Jersey Chapter

March 12, 2014

Double Breasting in the Construction Industry

Construction Financial Management Association, New Jersey and New York Chapters, Secaucus, NJ

October 22, 2013

Understanding and Responding to the U.S. DOL's Investigation Initiative Targeting the Construction Industry

February 7, 2012

New Workday

New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants

September 2011

Doublebreasting in the Construction Industry

Pennsylvania Bar Institute

April 12, 2011

Protecting What You’ve Built

Littler Mendelson, Newark, NJ

March 2011

Prevailing Wage Fundamentals

New Jersey Electronic Security Association

May 2010

Back to Work! Practical Tips for Managing Employee Leaves of Absence

American Society of Safety Engineers

November 2009

Understanding and Complying with New Jersey Prevailing Wage Laws: Update 2008

Newark, NJ

April 18, 2008

2008 Construction Industry Primer - Overcoming Barriers to Success in the Coming Year

Newark, NJ

December 6, 2007

Employment Law Essentials for the Construction Industry

Newark, NJ

January 18, 2007

Education

  • J.D., New York Law School, 1995cum laude
  • B.A., Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 1987

Bar Admission

New Jersey
New York

Courts

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 3rd Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia