The new edition of this definitive casebook reflects developments in labor law and our society over the past decade, including social media in the workplace and “sharing economy” workers.
Timothy Glynn, Senior Associate Dean and Andrea J. Catania Endowed Professor of Law, joined the team that authored the latest edition of Labor Law Cases and Materials (West Academic Publishing, 2016), a definitive casebook on American labor law.
Now in its 16th edition, the book originated in 1948, authored by celebrated Harvard Law professor Archibald Cox (1912-2004), who served as both a labor advisor in the Kennedy administration and Solicitor General. Former Harvard Law School Dean and University President Derek Bok later joined Cox as a co-author. While still denominated Cox and Bok in honor of its founders, subsequent editions have seen it joined by Professors Robert Gorman of the University of Pennsylvania and Matthew Finkin of the University of Illinois and, most recently, Seton Hall’s own Dean Timothy Glynn.
As a co-author of another leading casebook, Employment Law: Private Ordering and Its Limitations, written with Dean Charles Sullivan and now in its third edition, Dean Glynn appreciates the enormous responsibility of maintaining the themes of Cox and Bok while keeping it current in light of the increasing pace of economic, political, and workplace change.
“So much has changed in our society and in labor law in recent years,” said Dean Glynn. “For instance, are employees’ rights protected when they discuss their workplace concerns on social media and other emerging tools of communication? How does the explosive growth of the so-called “sharing economy” – epitomized by enterprises like Uber – affect workers’ legal rights?”
“The book is also designed to engage students by integrating current workplace topics and issues into problems and exercises. Moreover, it addresses matters to which they can relate today – such as the rights of graduate assistants and scholarship athletes – and will confront in practice, including the labor-law implications of pre-dispute arbitration agreements and employer confidentiality and social media policies.
It has been an honor and great fun to update Cox and Bok with Matt Finkin and Bob Gorman, knowing our role is to remain nimble and cutting-edge while adhering to the structure and intent of the original text. I find it challenging but also extremely rewarding.”