Frankly, I am both pleased and honored to write a glowing review for these three leaders in labor law who put heart and soul, along with considerable legal talent and abilities that far surpass most attorneys with whom I have worked in the past; a reasonably good number of attorneys, I would add.

Joe Egan, Toby Lev and Richard Siwica are among the best labor attorneys in the country; their ratings for effective, efficient legal work and client satisfaction prove the high regard they have earned.

I see these three individual attorneys and their legal staff have not slowed a whit over the last 25 years in their individual and collective efforts to seek compassionate justice and balance in the contested field between those 99% of us who labor for a living, and the corrupt elements of the 1% mega-wealthy who seek to control our natural resources, and wealth produced by the people of the United States of America.

For nearly nine years the ATU LOCAL 1579, mostly local folks, a little band of stalwart souls, good men and women, black, white and Hispanic alike, joined together to contest the long standing race and sex based discrimination in pay and work conditions, as well as the mean, egregious sexual harassment a number of RTS women employees had suffered for years --- and the blatant theft of public transit funds, literally “laundered” coin from RTS bus fares over several years that exceeded one million dollars, disappearing into a dark hole . . . some say as a political slush fund by a number of North Central Florida politicians for new and incumbent candidates’ campaign cash. Of note was the public exposure of the complex conspiracy involved in concealing the existence of this continuing theft of public transit funds.

Without the headway the Union Members made organizing support from the greater Gainesville community, along with invaluable help from the other city and county Unions, the "Rainbow Coalition" of Alachua County and the adroit legal work performed by Egan, Lev and Siwica, our Local Union never would have proceeded so far.

We ended the thefts; the discriminatory treatment of black and women employees; the issue of sexual harassment, and got RTS back on the road again with new public officials and transit management, although it took several temporary and "permanent" transit managers before they figured out the bus system ran best if the bus drivers and other RTS employees were able to "run" the show; putting together adding new bus routes, new timetable schedules and route maps with help from involved Gainesville citizens . . . .

I was often astounded and amazed at the excellence Joe Egan’s, Toby Lev’s and Richard Siwica’s legal representation; particularly in light of the very heated, public and political nature of the cases they handled for this small public employee transit union.

Even more, impressive - compassionate and wise understanding of people and forces at play in labor law and the political arena.

Each took a personal role in handling the multitude of legal issues arising out of this conflict between the local corrupt “ruling class” good ole’ boys, and the general populace of white and black workers, along with the University of Florida’s students and professors adding a positive punch of political “leavening” to the simmering brew.

Simple thanks or mere acknowledgement here is hardly enough to convey the genuine “thanks” many people involved in these affairs owe to the work, care and heart and soul of these folks.

Best advice I can give is to meet with them. Feel them out, listen to what they say. You will know why it is so easy to say these are exceptional labor attorneys here to perform good deeds and even the balance for you, in the positive, knowledgeable and keenly able ways they can.

My highest endorsement for Joe Egan, Toby Lev and Richard Siwica and their staff.
Chris Kennard, Former President ATU LOCAL UNION 1579