Client Services

We understand the importance of negotiating the best agreement possible. In order to assist the client in accomplishing this goal, an attorney from Vick, Julius, McClure will analyze your current labor agreement, make recommendations, and may propose specific changes. Additionally, an attorney from Vick, Julius, McClure will meet with the client’s bargaining team to assist in the formulation of the client’s priorities and bargaining strategy.

Once the client’s priorities and bargaining strategy have been formulated, Vick, Julius, McClure will assist the bargaining team in preparing actual proposals and will prepare reports comparing the wages, hours and working conditions of employees the client represents with the wages, hours and working conditions of like employees of comparable jurisdictions. Additionally, Vick, Julius, McClure will provide bargaining team members with access to the collective bargaining agreements covering employees of the comparable jurisdictions and other law enforcement employees in the State of Washington.

Once negotiations actually begin, an attorney from Vick, Julius, McClure will be with the bargaining team at the negotiations table to advise the members of the bargaining team. The attorney will also act as the chief spokesperson for the client, if the client so desires. In addition, the attorney from Vick, Julius, McClure will make sure the members of the bargaining team are updated on things like changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), current trends in settlements, recent legal developments impacting bargaining, and recent interest arbitration awards.

In the event an agreement cannot be reached during negotiations and the parties are at impasse, an attorney from Vick, Julius, McClure will prepare and file all of the documents that are necessary to initiate mediation through the Public Employment Relations Commission. The attorney will then be present with the bargaining team at all mediation sessions, in order to advise the members of the bargaining team and to make bargain team members aware of other legal concerted activity that may be available to help bring negotiations to a successful conclusion

In the event mediation does not result in an agreement, Vick, Julius, McClure will represent the client in binding interest arbitration. In preparing for the interest arbitration hearing, Vick, Julius, McClure will identify potential expert witnesses, communicate and work with all expert witnesses retained by the client, meet with and prepare other witnesses, and prepare virtually all of the exhibits to be submitted on behalf of the client at the hearing. The exhibits prepared by Vick, Julius, McClure will address matters such as the appropriate comparable jurisdictions, where the employees the client represents stand in comparison to the appropriate comparable jurisdictions, cost of living analysis, and other factors interest arbitrators frequently consider in making decisions. While some of this preparation will require legwork from the client, the actual preparation of the exhibits will be done by Vick, Julius, McClure.

Vick, Julius, McClure will also provide the legal representation at the arbitration hearing and present the client’s case. Following the hearing, Vick, Julius, McClure will prepare and file a post hearing brief.

If the client believes that collective bargaining agreement has been violated or an employee represented by the client is disciplined and a grievance is filed, Vick, Julius, McClure will provide an attorney at such steps of the grievance process and/or at such hearing(s) as directed by the client, including hearings before an arbitrator or arbitration panel.

In the event the client becomes involved in any proceeding before the Public Employment Relations Commission, either as the moving party or as the responding party, a Vick, Julius, McClure attorney will provide the client representation. The attorney will be responsible for preparing and filing all necessary paperwork, meeting with and preparing witnesses, preparing all of the exhibits to be submitted on behalf of the client at the hearing presenting, and presenting the client’s case, including the preparation of any post-hearing briefs.

Attorneys from the firm are available 24/7 to respond either in person or by phone to officer involved shootings and/or an officers use of deadly force. Under the fee agreement with the client, an attorney from Vick, Julius, McClure will provide initial representation of an individual bargaining unit employee arising out of an officer involved shooting or other use of deadly force where an involved officer may be asked to provide a statement that could result in criminal liability.

Vick, Julius, McClure will provide training to the client at the request of the client. Such training will be tailored specifically for the client. From time to time, Vick, Julius, McClure provides training seminars open to clients and non-clients.