Deborah Willig

I have served as Willig, Williams & Davidson’s managing partner since the firm’s founding in 1979. I have focused my practice on labor relations and employment law since 1976. As a labor and employment attorney, I have been involved in representing a wide range of labor unions including AFSCME, and non-professional public school employees, public health, social, and recreation workers, firefighters, teamsters and orchestra musicians. For decades I have been involved in every major contract negotiation involving the employees of the City of Philadelphia and its School District. I work for both public and private sector unions includes contract negotiations, presenting interest and grievance arbitrations, and advising clients on internal union governance and staff matters. I also maintain an active practice in the representation of employee benefit funds, including jointly administered funds in the public and private sectors. One of my sub-specialties in connection with the health and welfare plans she represents is the negotiation of health care benefits, including the analysis, review and implementation of benefit designs and the negotiation with benefit fund providers. I secured a major arbitration victory requiring a large Philadelphia employer to provide domestic partner benefits. Resident in the firm’s Philadelphia office, I am committed to community service, including legal, academic and charitable endeavors. I have held numerous leadership positions with the Philadelphia Bar Association during my career, including becoming the organization’s first woman Chancellor in 1992.