Keker, Van Nest & Peters earned a “Litigator of the Week Shout-Out” from Law.com for securing a preliminary injunction on behalf of the American Federation of Government Employees’ National Veterans Affairs Council, which represents more than 300,000 VA employees.
U.S. District Judge Melissa DuBose of the District of Rhode Island ordered the VA to restore its collective bargaining agreement with the union, finding the agency’s termination of the agreement likely violated the First Amendment and the Administrative Procedure Act.
The case centers on the VA’s decision to unilaterally end its agreement with AFGE/NVAC, which the court determined was likely retaliatory against the union’s advocacy efforts. In granting the injunction, Judge DuBose found that the union was likely to succeed on the merits of its claims and emphasized the importance of collective bargaining in protecting the rights of federal workers. The ruling ensures that the agreement remains in place while the case proceeds, marking a significant early victory in the case.
The Keker team includes Travis Silva, Brook Dooley, Taylor Reeves, JiLon Li, and Alex Wheeler. They worked alongside co-counsel Carly Iafrate of the Law Offices of Carly B. Iafrate.
Read the Law.com article here. (subscription required)
Reprinted with permission from the March 20, 2026, issue of Law.com © 2026 ALM Global Properties, LLC. All rights reserved. Further duplication without permission is prohibited, contact 877-256-2472 or asset-and-logo-licensing@alm.com.
