Andrea Dooley Arbitration

San Francisco Bay Area Labor Arbitrator

becoming an arbitrator

Two Huge Losses to the Northern California Labor Relations Community

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It’s with great sadness that I share the news of the recent passing of Arbitrator Andria Knapp (obituary here) on March 11, 2024. Andria was a mentor and dear colleague to many arbitrators throughout the US. She was an active member of the National Academy of Arbitrators Northern CA Region, and one of the most knowledgeable rail referees in the country. Andria was an energetic leader of our Meet the Arbitrator conferences, a sharp legal mind, and decisive neutral in labor arbitration. She will be missed.

Last October, we lost another great arbitrator: Alexander “Buddy” Cohn (obituary here). Buddy was a true mensch. He loved his cases and his clients, and regaling his colleagues with the twists and turns he encountered in his decades of arbitrating. Like Andria, Buddy was a huge supporter of new arbitrators, often mentor a half dozen at a time or more, recommending them for panels, answering questions, and proposing hypotheticals that new arbitrators were sure to encounter. The past six months without Buddy have demonstrated to many of us what an integral part of the labor management and arbitrator communities he was. We miss his wisdom and humor.

Both Buddy and Andria recognized what their loss illustrates: that we need more labor arbitrators who are early in their careers to ensure the swift administration of workplace justice. If you are interested in becoming a labor arbitrator, or you need recommendations for new panel members for your arbitration panel, please reach out. I’m happy to recommend folks who are rising in the profession, many of whom have learned from the best, like Andria and Buddy.

 

Becoming a Labor Arbitrator – What It’s Really Like

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To become a labor arbitrator, a person needs many years of experience in labor relations and collective bargaining. Many arbitrators retire from a career in law or human resources or union representation and launch their careers as a neutral. In recent decades, this is the most common path; a retirement income is necessary during those early years when labor and management are reluctant to select someone they perceive as new or untested. Even people with a long career in labor relations as an advocate struggle to get recognized as a neutral. In fact, for practitioners entering the profession, it can be an unpleasant surprise that the respect one earned in their field doesn’t translate to business very easily.

Even with a primary income (either from retirement or household sources), a new arbitrator can find themselves with a lot of time on their hands. When I started out, more experienced arbitrators recommended that I line up a hobby and some volunteer work that could structure my time until my practice took off. At first, I ran a lot and worked out, drove my kids to seemingly infinite practices and games, and started writing memoir and fiction for pleasure. I also volunteered for our local Little League board and the Oakland Police Commission. It’s safe to say my plate is now overflowing.

I was reminded of this admonition today when I read an obituary for an arbitrator from Oregon who passed recently. The obituary noted that she would be missed by the labor relations and accordion communities.  I found this comment to be both funny and sweet. Clearly this esteemed woman had committed herself to playing the accordion to enrich her life, developing friendships and connections along the way. Most arbitrators have some aspect of their life that is little known to the parties that appear before them. I know of other fiction writers, stamp collectors, private pilots, movie buffs, photographers, swimmers, golfers and jazz musicians. I wonder if there are other accordion-playing arbitrators?