Lia Fiol-MattaAlumna class of '03

It’s never to late to follow your dreams and fight for what you believe in. For Lia Fiol-Matta, age was not a factor that would hold her back from accomplishing her dreams.

Fiol-Matta came to CUNY Law when she was 40 years old after having careers in Puerto Rico and the U.S. as a teacher and as a psychologist specializing in adolescents and families. She knew that the next step to a successful career in the US that aligned with her personal goals would be CUNY Law. “I was attracted to CUNY Law’s public interest mission. It’s in harmony with who I am as a person,” she said. As a student, she enjoyed interacting with others of diverse backgrounds and “profound life experiences.”

After graduating from law school, Fiol-Matta interviewed at labor unions and “fell in love with union-side labor law.”

Several courses helped prepare Fiol-Matta for her work at the union. Besides taking Professor Rick Rossein’s Equality Concentration (for which she did her field placement at Steel Bellman Ritz & Clark P.C.), she also took (and later provided teaching assistance for) his Trial Practice seminar. Fiol-Matta also took Professor Paula Berg’s Disability Law class, which rounded off her knowledge of discrimination law.

Lia Fiol-Matta is now the general counsel of UNITE HERE Local 100, which brings new opportunities to help thousands of hardworking and struggling food and beverage service workers in New York and New Jersey every day. Fiol-Matta handles all legal matters for her local—case preparation, litigation, arbitration—whether it’s for discharged or disciplined workers, workers on strike, or members whose employers have violated their contracts. She also negotiates collective bargaining agreements and handles all matters before the National Labor Relations Board.

The union counts among its members more than 6,000 cooks, prep cooks, dishwashers, waiters, utility workers, bartenders, cashiers, and others in restaurants, stadiums and arenas, corporate cafeterias and dining rooms, and college and school cafeterias.

In a recent arbitration case, described by Fiol-Matta as “very challenging, sensitive, and intense, but extremely satisfying,” an exclusive restaurant discharged 10 employees after the employer claimed the workers were not authorized to work in the United States.

“It was an illegal re-verification of work authorization status and discharging 10 kitchen employees without just cause,” she said. At the time this article was produced, she was writing legal briefs and awaiting the arbitrator’s award after three days of hearings for testimony and presentation of evidence.

In another case, employers engaged in illegal subcontracting when they brought in non-union workers, saying that current employees did not have the skills needed to prepare what the employer considered “special” ethnic cuisines.

“That’s a violation of the contract. It’s also a fallacy,” said Fiol- Matta. “We represent workers who are extremely skilled in their crafts from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds. We believe this is a way for the employer to try to weaken the union, dilute the power of the bargaining unit, and avoid paying the non-union workers the rates and benefits negotiated in the contract.”

As Fiol-Matta takes stock of the eight years that have passed since she left CUNY Law, she’s grateful to the Law School for opening the door to an exciting legal career and for the support of her professors and classmates at a time when she personally faced an unexpected challenge, which was the sudden loss of her closest sister right before final exams in her first semester.

“I feel very proud to be a CUNY Law graduate,” she said. “I could be making much more money elsewhere with my skills, background, and professional experience, but CUNY motivated me to do what I love and to follow my passion. For that, I will be rewarded in ways that money can’t buy. It has proven to be that way for me, and I thank CUNY Law sincerely.”