
Overview
Rachel Gonzalez represents management in traditional labor law, employment counseling and litigation.
Rachel regularly partners with clients and serves a strategic advisor on labor and employee relations issues. Rachel represents employers during union election campaigns, collective bargaining negotiations, arbitrations and before the National Labor Relations Board. She leads employer bargaining committees during collective bargaining negotiations. Rachel provides clients with advice on strike preparations and during strike injunction proceedings. Rachel also advises corporations on workforce planning during business changes including business sales, acquisitions, stock and asset purchases, and plant closings and relocations. She has represented management in matters involving the IBEW, CWA, UAW, IBT, IAM, SEIU, AFSCME, RWDSU, UFCW, USW, IATSE, Amalgamated Lithographers, Hotel Workers, IUOE, AFM and NOITU unions.
Rachel regularly counsels and trains employers on wage and hour issues, workplace investigations, the FMLA, the ADA accommodation process and compliance with other federal and state employment laws. She has represented employers in claims involving discrimination and retaliation under Title VII, ADA, NJLAD NYHRL, Section 1981 and USERRA; breach of contract; workers' compensation retaliation; wrongful discharge; negligent hiring and Section 301 claims, in state and federal courts and agencies. She also regularly advises foreign corporations establishing U.S. operations on federal, state and local employment and labor laws.
Prior to entering the legal profession, Rachel worked as a human resources professional in unionized and non-unionized facilities in the United States and Sweden. While in law school, Rachel worked with the National Labor Relations Board in Hartford, Connecticut.
Rachel serves in a leadership role with the Day Pitney Diverse Attorneys Network and is a member of the firm's Diversity Committee. She is also the co-chair of Day Pitney's Hiring Committee.
Experience
Represented buyer in conducting due diligence on labor and employment matters in conjunction with the multi-billion dollar acquisition of public infrastructure
Represented buyer in conducting due diligence on labor and employment matters, involving 13 separate unions, in conjunction with the multi-million dollar acquisition of utility company assets
Represented lender in conducting due diligence on labor and employment matters in connection with multi-million dollar hotel acquisition
Led team negotiating the effects of the closure and relocation of a parts manufacturing business
Lead negotiator or legal advisor at several collective bargaining negotiations achieving significant client objectives
Obtained injunctions during strikes occurring at Fortune 100 company
Obtained a jury verdict in New Jersey federal court dismissing plaintiff's disability discrimination and workers' compensation retaliation claims
Obtained a directed verdict in New Jersey federal court in favor of the employer on hostile work environment and failure to promote claims a former employee brought against the company and a jury verdict in favor of employer on its counter-claim against the former employee for conversion and unjust enrichment
Obtained dismissal of sex discrimination claim following lengthy bench trial before an administrative law judge of the New York State Division of Human Rights
Obtained summary judgment for employer on age, race, and public policy claims in New Jersey federal court
Obtained summary judgment for employer on battery/offensive physical conduct, bias crime, failure to render assistance, negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and constructive discharge claims in New Jersey state court
Obtained summary judgment for employer on Section 301 claim in New Jersey federal court
Defended employers in over 100 unfair labor practice charges filed with the National Labor Relations Board resulting in dismissal or withdrawal
Education and Credentials
Education
- Cornell University, B.S., School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Dean's List
- University of Connecticut School of Law, J.D., with Honors, Articles Editor, Connecticut Journal of International Law
Admissions
- State of New Jersey
- State of New York
- U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
Affiliations
- Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA), Law Student Division, former Region I Co-President
- New Jersey Hispanic Bar Association, Press Secretary, 2017-2018
- New Jersey State Bar Association, General Council, Delegate
Recognition and Community
No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the highest court of any state. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. See Awards Methodology.
Recognitions
Selected to the Lawyers of Color's Inaugural Nation's Best list (2019)
Selected to the list of New Jersey Super Lawyers Rising Stars (Thomson Reuters), 2014-2018
Selected to "Forty under 40" by NJBIZ (BridgeTower Media) for "commitment to business growth, professional excellence and to the community," 2017
Chosen as one of the New Leaders of the Bar by the New Jersey Law Journal (ALM Media Properties, LLC), 2016
Recipient of a Day Pitney Coleman Award for her commitment to pro bono and public service for her work supporting refugees seeking asylum in the United States, 2009
Community Involvement
American Dream Pipeline Mentoring Program at Union City High School, 2015-2018
Human Rights First, 2007-2010
Asylum and Human Rights Legal Clinic, while at the University of Connecticut School of Law
News & Insights
Thought Leadership
- No Consequential Damages: Third Circuit Refuses to Recognize NLRB's Remedial Authority Beyond Reinstatement and Back Pay , January 3, 2025
- New Jersey's New Pay Transparency Law Is on the Horizon , November 20, 2024
- In a Blow to Employers' Ability to Defend Against Union Organizing Drives, NLRB Outlaws Mandatory Captive Audience Meetings , November 15, 2024
- NLRB GC Proposes Significant Penalties for Employers' Use of Non-Compete and Stay-or-Pay Agreements , October 11, 2024
- Supreme Court’s Clarified Standard Makes It Harder for NLRB to Obtain Injunctions , June 18, 2024
Events
- "Annual Scholarship," Garden State Bar Association, June 29, 2024
- 2023 Annual Employment and Labor Conference, June 7, 2023
- "13th Annual Corporate Counsel Conference," Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey and Prudential, February 15, 2023
- Day Pitney's Annual Employment and Labor Conference Session 1, June 9, 2022
- Managing the Workplace in Wake of COVID-19, September 3, 2021
News
- Rachel Gonzalez Receives Salute to the Policy Makers Award from Executive Women of New Jersey, May 4, 2022
- Day Pitney Represents TriStruX LLC in Sale to Huron Capital, December 23, 2021
- It's Not Going to Happen by Magic': What the 2020 Top Women in Law Said, December 10, 2020
- Rachel A. Gonzalez Honored as One of Top Women in Law 2020, October 28, 2020
- Day Pitney's Rachel Gonzalez Named to "Nation's Best" List by Lawyers of Color, October 4, 2019
In The Media
Media Mentions
- Experts Say Tentative Dockworkers Deal Strikes Balance, The Food Institute, January 13, 2025
- After Hours: Gonzalez Receives Executive Women of NJ Award, New Jersey Law Journal, June 29, 2022
- Diverse Lawyers Network: Industry News, Diverse Lawyers Network, May 6, 2022
- New York City Protects Fast Food Workers with Ban on At-Will Terminations, GOBankingRates.com, June 23, 2021
- Women in Law Have New Allies: Men, Connecticut Law Tribune, May 14, 2021
- Power of The Past, Force of The Future, Hispanic National Bar Association, September 30, 2019
- NJBIZ Announces Forty Under 40 for 2017, Day Pitney Press Release, July 19, 2017
- Announcing the 2016 NJLJ New Leaders of the Bar, Day Pitney Press Release, April 25, 2016
- Unions set to begin voting on NJ Transit rail contract, NJ.com, March 15, 2016
- New Partners Yearbook 2016, New Jersey Law Journal, March 11, 2016
- Attorney Named Partner, The Jersey Journal, February 25, 2016
- Career Ladder, The Hartford Courant, January 12, 2016
- New Partners for Day Pitney, New Jersey Business, December 29, 2015
- Two Big Conn. Law Firms Make Partner Promotions, The Connecticut Law Tribune, December 29, 2015
Speaking Engagements
- "Best Practices for Retaining and Elevating Diverse Attorneys," AFBNJ and the HBA of New Jersey, October 16, 2024
- "Pathways to Success," Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey, June 24, 2024
- 2023 Annual Employment and Labor Conference, June 7, 2023
- "NLRB Updates: The Biden Administration Board," New Jersey State Bar Association, November 18, 2022
- Employment and Labor Conference Session 1, Day Pitney Webinar, June 8, 2022
- Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey’s Women Empowerment Leadership and Law Conference, June 26, 2020
- Women's Empowerment Leadership & Law Conference, March 24, 2018
- 37th Annual NLRB Labor Law Conference, November 13, 2015