Anthony Pierce Quoted by Law360 on SCOTUS Ruling re: Transportation Workers’ Exemption from Federal Arbitration Act
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Law360, in its article “Transpo Worker Ruling A Rare Blow To Arbitration Pacts,” quoted Akin Gump litigation partner and D.C. partner in charge Anthony Pierce on a U.S. Supreme Court unanimous ruling that transportation workers, irrespective of employment status, are exempt from the Federal Arbitration Act.
According to the article, this ruling is a victory for workers against employers who have used the Act to fend off legal action because it means that these workers are now free to pursue legal redress for workplace violations in open court rather than in arbitration.
Pierce said, “The court had two concepts working against each other: One, its desire to support and expand the availability for arbitration as a substitute for courtroom litigation, and two, longstanding theories of statutory interpretation. Under the latter, the court had no choice but to limit the application of arbitration here since the statute has such clear language.”
