Melinda B. Bowe is a partner in the Labor & Employment, Education, Municipal and Government Relations Practices. She specializes in the representation of employers in all aspects of labor and employment law, including serving as chief spokesperson in collective bargaining, contract administration and grievance arbitration. She presently serves as general and special counsel for several school districts. She has extensive experience representing employers before administrative agencies, including the New York State Division of Human Rights, the New York State Department of Labor and the New York State Public Employment Relations Board (PERB).
Prior to joining the Firm, Ms. Bowe represented over 20 school districts as the administrator of the Madison-Oneida BOCES Personnel and Labor Relations office.
- Defense of public and private employers in sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, First Amendment and Section 1983 claims in federal and state court.
- Representation of employers in a variety of labor arbitrations involving both contract interpretation and disciplinary matters, including a recent case involving the application of just cause to an employee discharged for misconduct and incompetency.
- Representation of school districts and other public employers in numerous Section 75, 3020-a and alternative discipline/discharge proceedings (e.g., recent charges preferred against instructional staff member involving inappropriate conduct with students).
- Defense of employers before the PERB against improper practice charges and in certification proceedings.
- Serving as chief spokesperson in collective bargaining on behalf of employers with numerous unions, including NYSUT, CSEA, SEIU, Teamsters, UPSEU, Police Benevolent and Deputy Sheriff Associations (NYSUPA/Council 82) and SAANYS.
- Representation of public sector employers in interest arbitration proceedings involving police and fire unions.
- Achieving dismissal, on the basis of lack of probable cause, of complaints alleging discrimination and/or retaliation filed with state and federal administrative agencies.
- Representation of school districts in impartial hearings regarding students with disabilities, with an emphasis on early resolution of complaints during the resolution/mediation phase.
- Member, New York State Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law and Municipal Law Sections
- Member, Onondaga County Bar Association
- Member and Past President, New York State Public Employer Labor Relations Association (NYSPELRA)
- Member, National Public Employer Labor Relations Association (NPELRA)
- Member, Management Advocates for School of Labor Affairs, Board of Directors (MASLA)
- Member, New York State Association of School Attorneys
- Member, North American Association of Educational Negotiators (NAEN)
- NYS Association of School Business Officials, “Personnel Management Webinar Series” (2011)
- Higher Education Legal Update Conference, “Managing Employees in a Unionized Environment” (2011)
- NYS Association of Towns and NYS Conference of Mayors, Personnel Management School, “Taylor Law and Collective Negotiations” (2010)
- Gilroy, Kernan & Gilroy, “2010 Labor and Employment Review” (2010)
- MASLA Annual Summer Conference, “Discipline, Discharge and Removal of Civil Service Employees” (2009)
- NYS Bar Association, “Basics of Public Sector Labor Law” (2008)
- NYSPELRA Annual Conference, “Removal of Civil Service Employees Pursuant to Section 71, 72 and 73 of the Civil Service Law” (2008)
- Lorman Education Services, “Employment Law from A-Z” (2007-2009)
- Syracuse University College of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2006
- State University of New York at Brockport, B.S., cum laude
- New York
- United States District Court (NDNY)
- United States District Court (WDNY)
