William P. Lewis

“Whether the issue involves a union negotiation, employee benefits, or an employment dispute, my approach is the same: thorough preparation, careful attention to detail, creative problem-solving, and zealous advocacy.” —William P. Lewis

Employers, multiemployer benefit funds, and companies facing high-stakes labor and employment disputes turn to attorney Bill Lewis for his ability to cut through complexity and deliver strategic, results-driven solutions.

His practice spans traditional labor relations, ERISA and employee benefits law, and employment litigation—giving clients a single point of contact for the full spectrum of workforce legal challenges.

In traditional labor law, Bill represents management in unfair labor practice proceedings and union representation elections before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). He has extensive experience negotiating collective bargaining agreements with a wide range of unions. He also regularly represents employers in grievance arbitrations and provides advice on contract administration issues.

Bill’s ERISA and employee benefits practice focuses on multiemployer trust funds and the disputes that arise from them. He has handled withdrawal liability claims, delinquent contribution actions, controlled group liability matters, and alter ego and successor liability claims in both federal and state courts. He regularly counsels employers regarding withdrawal liability risks and strategies and advises on transactions involving the sale and acquisition of unionized businesses with multiemployer pension funding obligations.

Additionally, companies rely on Bill to defend them in a diverse array of employment and complex commercial litigation and regulatory matters, including wage and hour litigation, discrimination claims before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, whistleblower claims, breach of contract disputes, breach of fiduciary duty actions, and Employer Shared Responsibility Payment (ESRP) enforcement proceedings before the IRS.

What Bill Delivers for Clients

• Sound Judgment at Critical Junctures: Labor and employment disputes often hinge on decisions made early—whether to litigate or negotiate, when to act decisively, and how to frame a position before the matter escalates further. Bill helps clients assess their options and choose a course of action that accounts for both legal risk and business reality.
• Experienced Collective Bargaining Advocacy: Bill brings extensive experience in negotiating collective bargaining agreements and advising on contract disputes across industries. He focuses on fostering collaborative labor-management relationships by developing innovative workplace solutions that bring parties together at the bargaining table. Throughout negotiations, he is dedicated to effectively representing his clients’ interests while promoting constructive dialogue and positive resolutions.
• Litigation-Tested Counsel: Bill has handled matters through every phase of litigation, from initial pleadings through trial and appeal. Clients benefit from an advocate who understands how cases develop over time and can build a strategy with the endgame in mind from day one.
• Responsive, Relationship-Driven Service: Bill prioritizes accessibility and clear communication, treating every client and every matter with the same level of commitment regardless of size or complexity. Clients always know where their matter stands.
• Counsel Who Understands the Operational Stakes: Workforce legal problems are rarely just legal problems—they affect operations, employee relations, and organizational reputation. Bill brings an understanding of those broader stakes to every engagement, helping clients weigh legal options in light of their real-world consequences.

Labor-Management Relations

• Assisted a multi-hospital health system in preparing for and responding to a unionized workforce threatening to strike.
• Secured favorable arbitration outcomes for employers in labor contract interpretation disputes and disciplinary grievances.
• Counseled a newly organized employer through a series of layoffs and business restructuring.
• Defeated a union representation petition and successfully resolved multiple related unfair labor practices charges filed with the NLRB.
• Secured a favorable ruling on behalf of a hospital in a unit clarification proceeding before the NLRB.

ERISA and Multiemployer Fund Litigation and Transactional Due Diligence

• Represented multiple Taft-Hartley funds in multimillion-dollar ERISA benefits litigation in federal and state courts.
• Secured a favorable arbitration ruling on behalf of an employer facing a six-figure withdrawal liability claim and litigated the underlying liability on appeal in front of multiple federal appellate courts.
• Advised an international corporation regarding withdrawal liability risks and liabilities in connection with a $20,000,000 acquisition of multiple unionized entities and worked with implicated Taft-Hartley funds to secure withdrawal liability waivers based on the sale of assets exception under Section 4204 of ERISA.
• Represented an employer in a trust fund audit and negotiated a successful resolution of claims for delinquent contributions.

Government Enforcement and Regulatory Defense

• Defended a medical provider in a qui tam action involving claims under the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Statute.
• Assisted a nonprofit in securing a 95 percent reduction in ESRP penalties assessed by the IRS 4980H Response Unit under Affordable Care Act regulations.

• The Best Lawyers in America, “Ones to Watch,” Litigation—Labor and Employment (2023 to 2025)

Education

• University of Pittsburgh School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2013)
  • Order of the Coif
  • Senior Articles Editor, University of Pittsburgh Law Review
• Duquesne University, (B.S.B.A., summa cum laude, 2010)

Professional & Community Involvement

• Allegheny County Bar Association
• Pennsylvania Bar Association
• National Pancreas Foundation Young Professionals, Board Member
• Nicholas Orthodox Church, Board Member