|
DGA General Counsel Elliott Williams Announces Retirement; Guild hires Robert S. Giolito
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Former DGA General Counsel Elliott Williams (right) with DGA Past President Jack Shea. (Photo: Joe Coomber). - click image for larger view |
|
|
|
|
|
|
DGA National Executive Director Jay D. Roth recently announced the retirement of General Counsel Elliott Williams, who has served 24 years as the DGA's Counsel. Labor law attorney Robert S. Giolito, founding partner and managing partner of Stanford, Fagan & Giolito, will succeed Williams.
Williams began working as DGA legal counsel in 1978, and became its General Counsel in 1981. Over the course of his employment with the DGA, he helped build the DGA's excellent entertainment industry reputation for enforcing its contracts, and the employment contracts of its members, through arbitrations and state and federal court actions.
"Elliott has been a valuable asset to the DGA for over two decades," Roth said. "He has been an important part of our executive team and has worked long and hard to enhance our members' contract rights and to protect those rights when they have been threatened.
"That mission will be continued by Robert Giolito, whose many years of labor and employment law practice includes collective bargaining negotiations, arbitrations, trial litigation and appellate practice."
For nearly 30 years, Robert S. Giolito has represented numerous labor unions including the American Federation of Musicians and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. He is a member of the Advisory Council on the National Labor Relations Board and has spoken, lectured and been a panelist before the National Academy of Arbitrators.
Giolito received his Bachelor of Arts from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and his Juris Doctor from the University of Wisconsin Law School. He served as an Associate of Adair, Goldthwaite, Stanford & Daniel where he assisted in all phases of labor and employment litigation until he became a founding partner and managing partner of Stanford, Fagan & Giolito in 1977.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
New DGA General Counsel Robert S. Giolito. - click image for larger view |
|
|
|
|
|
|
"I've represented the below-the-line crews for many years and become very familiar with the work that is done on a film production and in television," Giolito said. "So I'm excited to be representing all the members of the Directors Guild. When you think about it, it's probably the greatest concentration of creative people in the world. That's awe-inspiring, and why it's a great privilege to be chosen to represent this group."
Since beginning his employment with the DGA, Williams has participated in all of the Guild's contract negotiations.
"I have worked long and hard as General Counsel. It's time to slow down," Williams said, adding, "I will continue to stay involved with the DGA and its members as a legal consultant to the DGA."
|
