BLITMAN & KING - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Counsel
- Senior Partner
- Public Employee
Bernard T. King represents private and public employee benefit plans and labor unions. Nationally recognized for his body of work, Bernie is consistently listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Who's Who Legal and New York Super Lawyers.
Bernie serves as counsel to a diverse base of employee benefit plans including large and small multiemployer plans, public plans and the benefit plans of professional athletes. In addition, Bernie represents labor unions in both the private and public sectors and engages in a wide variety of proceedings, including contract negotiations, labor board cases, arbitration and litigation.
Brian is a member of several professional associations, including the AFL-CIO Union Lawyers Alliance, the National Employment Lawyers Association, the Federal Court Bar Association (NDNY), the Onondaga County Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, and the American Bar Association.
He obtained his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Rochester and went on to obtain his J.D., magna cum laude, from the Syracuse University College of Law, where he served on the Syracuse Law Review. Prior to joining Blitman & King, Brian was Law Clerk to the Honorable David N. Hurd, United States District Judge for the Northern District of New York, and also worked at a major law firm in New York City.
Brian was born and raised in the City of Syracuse and currently resides there with his wife Kate and their three children.
Bryan Arnault's practice is primarily focused in labor and employment law. His representation of private and public sector labor unions involves providing the legal services necessary to successfully navigate the challenges that labor organizations encounter in the modern workplace. Bryan advises clients in all facets of the labor relationship, including union organizing and representation elections, collective bargaining, counseling during the grievance process, and advocating on their behalf in arbitration, National Labor Relations Board proceedings, or other litigation. Through his counsel, Bryan seeks to develop and maintain a positive and productive working relationship between the employer and the union.
History
The strongest
relationships
are built on
shared beliefs.
That's how we've built a nationally recognized firm from its founding in 1933.
Bernard T. King - Senior Partner
For over 80 years, the lawyers at our labor law firm have thrived on finding new ways to solve complex employment, employee benefits, and labor law problems.
With over 30 years of substantial experience, Charles E. Blitman focuses his practice on the representation of jointly administered Taft-Hartley ERISA plans commonly known as multiemployer plans.
Chuck serves as day-to-day fund counsel for a large client base of multiemployer plans and he provides advice on all aspects of ERISA, including fiduciary issues, delinquencies, withdrawal liability and benefits eligibility. Chuck prides himself on practicing "preventative law" to assist his clients avoid the pitfalls of the uniquely complex statutory requirements that govern multiemployer plans.
Blitman & King's labor law attorneys have always been community leaders.
Daniel Kornfeld provides advice to clients on a broad range of employee benefits and labor law issues.
Our commitment to advancement of the legal community and continuing legal education is also particularly strong. Several of our partners have chaired the Sections of Labor and Employment Law of both the American Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association. Even more of us have served as co-chairs of important Committees of these Sections. Both partners and associates frequently speak on developing issues at bar association meetings and other conferences such as International Foundation.
Recently named a Rising Star in employee benefits law by Super Lawyers magazine, Dan Brice represents benefit funds in complex ERISA litigation and counsels sponsors of multiemployer and single-employer plans, companies, tax-exempt entities and executives on all matters of ERISA and employee benefits including Affordable Care Act compliance. Dan advises on the design, operation and qualification of pension and welfare benefit plans. He also represents a wide variety of clients in addressing issues that arise in the workplace.
Dan regularly advises clients on how to best avoid disputes. However, when a dispute arises, Dan aggressively advocates on his client's behalf. Dan has represented clients in front of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, Internal Revenue Service, United States Department of Labor, National Labor Relations Board, New York State Public Employment Relations Board, New York State Division of Human Rights, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and state and federal courts. No matter the forum, the goal always remains the same - obtain a favorable result for the client.
As a boutique with the technological resources of any large law firm, we're able to leverage innovation to provide reasoned judgment in a cost-efficient and effective manner.
Job Titles:
- of Counsel
- Fellow of the College of Labor
Don is a Fellow of The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, Inc., Washington, D.C. and served as the Chair of the Labor and Employment Section of the New York State Bar Association and President of the Northern District of New York Federal Court Bar Association.
During his spare time, Don enjoys spending time with his family at their alpaca farm. He is a former captain in the U.S. Army [1970-1975].
With over 25 years of litigation experience, Jennifer A. Clark is highly regarded for her body of work in employee benefits litigation. Jennifer's litigation practice includes all types of claims arising under ERISA, including collections, withdrawal liability, fiduciary breaches, preemption, and benefit claims. She maintains a large and active practice representing multi-employer plans in the collection of delinquent contributions under ERISA, the New York Lien Law, New York Labor Law, New York State Finance Law, and the Bankruptcy Code.
Jennifer is also active in monitoring important employee benefits litigation and submits amicus curiae briefs to advocate client positions. In addition, she has significant experience with matters arising under the Employer Withdrawal provisions of ERISA and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
With over 35 years of litigation experience, plan sponsors of single-employer and multiemployer plans, unions, companies and individuals have retained Jules L. Smith to handle the most complex and financially important employee benefits, labor and employment controversies they confront.
A down-to-earth and nationally regarded litigator, Jules tries cases throughout the United States and has been regularly listed in Best Lawyers in America, Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the East. His father, also an attorney, imbued him with an abiding desire to help people: "Legal disputes are about people. Don't ever forget that."
Jules-born and raised in New York City-serves on several influential community organizations, including: Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. He previously served on the following organizations: the Board of the United Way of Greater Rochester, Inc.; Chairman of the Board of The Legal Connection, Inc. (providing legal service referrals to the poor); and Chairman of the Board of Rochester Fights Back (a community anti-drug coalition).
With over 25 years of experience, Ken Wagner is widely recognized by union leaders and corporate executives as a highly capable attorney for labor and employment work before federal and state courts, administrative agencies and arbitration tribunals. Ken is listed in Best Lawyers in America (Litigation - Labor and Employment) and Super Lawyers (Upstate New York Edition).
Ken regularly provides advice to union leaders in a wide variety of private and public sector industries; much of his work on behalf of unions has focused on a variety of traditional labor law matters - arbitration, cases before the NLRB and PERB, section 301 and duty of fair representation litigation, and collective bargaining.
Ken also has a successful practice counseling and representing individual employees and senior executives in employment and severance agreement negotiations, employment law matters and disputes over compensation and termination issues.
Well regarded for his written and oral advocacy skills, Nathaniel G. Lambright is well known for his work on behalf of private and public sector unions and individual employees.
Job Titles:
- Board 33rd Congressional District Committee Member
Nolan Lafler is a partner in the Labor Department at Blitman & King LLP. Based in Rochester, Nolan proudly represents dozens of unions statewide. His labor law practice is comprehensive, including all facets of collective bargaining and contract administration, grievance and interest arbitration, proceedings before National Labor Relations Board and the Public Employment Relations Board, matters of internal union administration, and related state and federal court litigation on behalf and in defense of unions.
Nolan's work has been recognized by various professional organizations, and he is heavily involved in professional activities and publications related to his practice. Super Lawyers designated Nolan as a "Rising Star" in labor an employment law in 2021 and 2022. He edits some of the most cited texts in the field, including the Developing Labor Law and Labor Union Law and Regulation. A frequent speaker and publisher, Nolan routinely presents at events hosted by the American Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association, as well as at union-sponsored conferences, workshops and trainings. He currently serves as Co-Chair of Continuing Legal Education Committee, which directs programming for the annual meetings of the Labor and Employment Law Section of the New York State Bar Association.
Nolan is a 2014 cum laude graduate of the American University Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C. During law school, he worked at the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the National Labor Relations Board and the U.S. Department of Labor. He is a recipient of the Peggy Browning Fellowship for Workers' Rights. Nolan received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University at Albany, State University of New York, in 2011.
In Blitman & King, you'll find labor law attorneys that are intelligent and down-to-earth professionals, valued for their skill in navigating transactions and litigation involving employment, and employee benefits.
Paul K. Brown joined Blitman & King LLP in 2023. Paul's practice focuses on representing public and private sector unions, their members, and associated employee benefit funds in federal and state court litigation at both the trial and appellate level, proceedings before the Public Employment Relations Board and National Labor Relations Board, and arbitrations.
Paul has represented unions in all aspects of labor relations, including representation cases and elections, negotiating collective bargaining agreements, impasse resolution procedures, such as mediation and interest arbitration, and contract administration. Paul also practiced in-house at New York State United Teachers.
In addition, Paul has represented individual employees in employment matters, including representing financial services employees before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and involving whistleblower disputes, among others.
Paul received his J.D. from New York University School of Law, where he was a Peggy Browning Fellow for the advancement of workers' rights. He received his B.S. in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University.
Sara J. Van Dyke is a senior ERISA attorney with significant experience providing advice regarding both Taft-Hartley and single-employer benefit plans. Prior to joining Blitman & King in 2025, Sara practiced for ten years at a small union-side law firm in New York City.
Sara advises fiduciaries of Taft-Hartley pension, defined contribution and welfare plans on regulatory compliance, fiduciary matters, plan design and documentation, investments, claims, vendor arrangements, and day-to-day plan administration, including QDRO review. Sara advises Boards of Trustees at regular and special meetings and works with Fund Administrators and other plan professionals to implement Board directives. She has implemented RFPs for service providers, advised regarding regulatory audits, and obtained favorable determination letters, including for real estate holding companies. In addition, Sara advises union entities, businesses and executives on compensation matters such as employment and severance agreements, and restrictive covenants.
Prior to her Taft-Hartley plan experience, Sara practiced for nine years at major law firms in New York City, advising on ERISA, tax, and benefits matters involving broadbased and executive plans, and compensation arrangements representing both employers and executives. Her practice included advice regarding equity incentive arrangements, and compensation and benefits matters in corporate transactions.
Sara was born and raised in Kansas. She enjoys the theater and sports.
Timothy R. Bauman is Chair of the firm's Employee Benefits Department and with over 25 years of diverse employee benefits experience, a broad base of clients turn to Tim for his nationally-recognized expertise. Tim counsels sponsors of multiemployer and single-employer plans, companies, tax-exempt entities and executives on all matters of tax, ERISA, employee benefits and nonqualified deferred compensation arrangements. He is well respected by his ERISA industry peers and is a Senior Editor of Employee Benefits Law, the nation's leading treatise in the employee benefits area.
Sponsors of multiemployer and single-employer pension and welfare plans turn to Tim for all issues they confront including obtaining favorable determination letters, drafting and amending plan documents and summary plan descriptions, determining reporting and disclosure obligations, conducting due diligence on the investment plan assets, resolving funding issues, negotiating service provider agreements, and negotiating and completing mergers and terminations. In addition, he has defended benefit plan clients and fiduciaries against government investigations & audits.
Union Steward Seminar, 2009, "Union Representation: Responsibilities and Strategies"
Wes Turner joined the firm in 2022 as an associate in the Albany office. Wes's practice focuses on a broad range of labor and employment law issues. He believes in the value of a strong labor movement and the vigorous protection of employee rights.
Prior to joining Blitman & King, Wes served as a law clerk to the Honorable Mae. A. D'Agostino, United States District Judge for the Northern District of New York. Following law school, Wes was an associate at a firm in Washington, D.C., representing labor unions and employees. Wes is a 2019 cum laude graduate of the Washington University School of Law and received the Peggy Browning Fellowship for Workers' Rights. Wes received a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University in 2016.
A New York native, Wes is thrilled to be back in the Hudson Valley. In his free time, Wes enjoys hiking, basketball, and chess.