Bio

Gerald Kobell has had a long and distinguished career with the National Labor Relations Board where he served as a trial lawyer and Supervisory Attorney in the Newark Regional Office, Assistant General Counsel at the Agency’s headquarters in Washington DC, and for more than 26 years, as Regional Director of the Pittsburgh Regional Office. As Regional Director, Gerald was responsible for all of the Agency’s cases arising in Western and portions of Central Pennsylvania, as well as in 26 counties in West Virginia. The Pittsburgh office was known both for the high quality of its work, and its outstanding settlement program.

While serving as Regional Director, Gerald was President of the Western Pennsylvania Chapter of LERA (Labor and Employment Research Association), as well as the Western Pennsylvania Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. He is an active member of the Allegheny County Bar Association, where he previously served as Chairman of the Labor and Employment Law Section. He was the Chairman of the Federal Executive Board, an organization of the heads of federal agencies in the Greater Pittsburgh Area. Gerald also served as an adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law where he taught Labor Law for many years, as well as at Duquesne University School of Law where he taught Labor Law.

In 1989, Gerald was given the award of Meritorious Executive by President George H. W. Bush for his achievements as Regional Director. In 1998, he was named Lawyer of the Year by the Western Pennsylvania Chapter of the Federal Bar Association.

As Regional Director, Gerald acquired extensive skills and experience in mediation and dispute resolution. When settlement was not achieved, Gerald issued decisions, applying the facts of the case and the law to reach an outcome. He now uses that experience as both a mediator and an arbitrator.

Education:

University of Pennsylvania (Wharton School of Finance), B.S. Econ.

University of Pennsylvania School of Law, J.D.

New York University School of Law, Graduate Division, LL.M. (Labor Law)

Bar Memberships:

Pennsylvania   New Jersey   New York

Rosters:

American Arbitration Association: Arbitrator

Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service: Arbitrator

Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry: Arbitrator

United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania: Mediator