Overview
Christopher (Chris) Foster is co-lead of the Employment Group’s traditional labor practice. He provides strategic advising and representation in labor and employment matters, focusing on protection of operations and brand.
Chris is a trusted advisor to companies nationwide and across industries, navigating collective bargaining negotiations, union organizing, union election and decertification campaigns, labor disputes, and unfair labor practice proceedings and investigations at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
Chris also provides strategic counsel on a wide range of labor and employment issues in transactions and investments, as well as in workforce restructuring and management projects.
Chris represents leading companies and family offices in employment litigation and arbitration proceedings involving contract disputes, terminations, and state and federal wage and hour, discrimination, harassment, and wrongful termination claims.
Chris serves as an editor for Developing Labor Law, the preeminent legal treatise on US labor laws. He is an avid triathlete and open water swimmer.
Results
- Secured a new collective bargaining agreement for a global chemical products manufacturer with cross training and incentives systems
- Secured multiple collective bargaining agreements for leading print and media publishing company
- Represented a healthcare company in a multi-site union election where medical staff voted against union representation
- Successfully represented a media and technology company in an election matter where the employees decided to reject union representation
- Secured dismissal and withdrawal of multiple unfair labor practice charges, including novel challenges to operational decisions, for a technology and media company
- Represented a major national symphony in collective bargaining agreement negotiations
- Represented a chemical company in collective bargaining agreement negotiations securing subcontracting rights
- Secured a complete victory in arbitration for a major paper product manufacturer in a labor arbitration where the union alleged failure to pay premium hours for almost a decade
- Negotiated and secured a collective bargaining agreement with strong management rights terms for a national food distributor
- Successfully resolved unfair labor practice charges against a national food distributor
- Obtained the dismissal of NLRB unfair labor practice charges challenging return to office plans for media company
- Served as lead counsel for a leading energy and utility company on labor matters
- Lead counsel in three-day trial where an NLRB administrative law judge rejected a union’s objections and unfair labor practice charges challenging its loss in a decertification election
- Drafted a briefing to the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit which affirmed a trial court’s dismissal of overtime class action claims against oil platform operator, based on federal labor law preemption
- Lead counsel for underground construction company contesting California Labor Commissioner civil wage and penalty assessment for alleged apprenticeship and prevailing wage violations
- Advised and represented a client during a union decertification process; on the eve of trial, the union disclaimed all interest in continuing to represent the employees
Recognitions
- The Recorder, California Legal Awards, Lawyers on the Fast Track, 2025
- Legal 500 US, 2021 and 2023-2024
- Daily Journal, Top Labor & Employment lawyer, 2023
Credentials
Education
University of California – Berkeley School of Law, JD, 2011
Santa Clara University, BS, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, 2008
Admissions
California
Idaho
Washington
Courts / Agencies
US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
US District Court for the Northern District of California
US District Court for the Eastern District of California
US District Court for the Western District of Washington
US District Court for the Eastern District of Washington
US District Court for the District of Idaho
