Vogelzang Law has built incredible relationships that we are so proud of with unions across the United States for the last nine years. In the beginning, our Director of Public and Union Relations, Mirela Kopier, went door to door to various unions across the Midwest to build those connections.
When she started, she said she Googled unions across the Midwest to learn more about who they are and what they do. Kopier noted that she didn’t know much about the unions at the start of her position at Vogelzang, so researching them was crucial.
“So I started doing my tour of the Midwest, as I put it,” Kopier said. “I found a good bakery, got cookies in branded tins, and started going to these union halls with the cookies and brochures. I sat down with Nick Vogelzang, our founder, quite a few times to figure out what I was going to say when I got to the unions.”
After two weeks of visiting the Illinois unions, Kopier went into Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa before returning to Illinois.
Vogelzang Law supports our unions in several ways. In addition to sponsoring events and conferences, we attend over 40 golf outings every season. VL started attending golf outings in 2016 when we first attended the Lake County Building Trades Golf Outing. This golf outing was possible because of a connection made at the suburban Plumbers Local 130 union hall almost nine years ago.
“The day I went to the Plumbers Local 130 union hall and first met the Business Agent Pete Olsen, he said he was going to call me the next day because he had somewhere to be and told me to give him my card,” Kopier said. “When I got back in my car, I was convinced he wasn’t going to call me, but sure enough, he called me the next day, and we met for coffee to discuss what we do and also so I could learn more about the unions and what they do,” Kopier said. “I sat with this man for about an hour, and then he invited me to my first golf outing, the Lake County Building Trades Golf Outing.”
Going to this first golf outing allowed Kopier to meet more people from different Illinois unions and build the connections VL has carried through the years. Our involvement in this way has allowed us to help our clients with their cases.
One story that has stuck with Kopier through the years was a day when she assisted a Local 63 Ironworker through the Daley Center on his court date, which he attended with his family, and after finally getting him through the line and the metal detector, he turned to Kopier and said, “You’ve got my back don’t you,” to which Kopier responded with, “I will throw elbows for you.”
“In that moment, I get goosebumps every single time I remember this story, because it affected me, and I think it almost lit a fire under me,” Kopier said. “This is why I do what I do. It’s to help these people because it wasn’t fair that he was in this wheelchair and he was on oxygen, and this beautiful family that he has is not going to be able to spend time with him.” Kopier said she is constantly learning about the unions and what they do. Finally, she emphasized the importance of proactively managing one’s health, urging everyone to seize the opportunity to get lung screenings because of asbestos exposure whenever they have the chance.
Vogelzang Law prides itself on our relationship with unions in Chicagoland and nationwide. From pickets to charity golf outings, our firm proudly stands with our union community in support of all they do. We will continue to advocate for their rights, better working conditions, and accountability. Vogelzang law will always stand #unionstrong.
