Photo by Daniel D’Ottavio

Kate M. Swearengen

Partner

Kate is a creative, tenacious problem solver who works with unions and individual clients to advance their objectives, whether through litigation or litigation avoidance.

Kate joined the firm as an associate in 2011 and became a Partner in 2020. She provides strategic advice to unions and represents them in federal and state court litigation, administrative proceedings, arbitration and collective bargaining. She also counsels and litigates on behalf of individual clients with respect to various employment matters. She is a chapter editor of How to Take a Case Before the NLRB and The Developing Labor Law, both published by the ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law, and is a member of the Section’s Committee on Development of the Law Under the NLRA. She is also a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association. Kate speaks and writes frequently on labor and employment law developments affecting workers and their unions.

Representation Areas

Labor Representation
Individual Employment Matters
Workplace Litigation
Wage & Hour

Concentrations

Litigation, Arbitration, NLRB Practice

Education

Columbia Law School, J.D.
Princeton University, A.B., with honors

Bar Admissions

New Jersey
New York

Court Admissions

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
U.S. District Court, Western District of New York
U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York
U.S. District Court, New Jersey
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
U.S. District Court, District of Nebraska

My Philosophy

I listen to my clients and give them the honest, straightforward advice I would want to receive if I were in their shoes.

Industry Affiliations

AFL-CIO Union Lawyers Alliance
Committee on Development of the Law Under the NLRA, ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law
National Employment Lawyers Association

Awards and Recognition

Kate was named as a Rising Star for Employment and Labor Law on the New York Metro 2017-2021 Annual Lists of Super Lawyers magazine.
In 2019, she was selected to participate in the ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law's Leadership Development Program.

Off the Clock

Kate lives in western Queens and is an avid Mets fan.