Michael D'Angelo

Michael D’Angelo is a nationally recognized labor strategist and labor and employment attorney with more than two decades of experience shaping workforce strategy across the hospitality industry. He is Senior Counsel at Stokes Wagner, where he advises hotel and hospitality employers on collective bargaining, labor relations strategy, workforce planning, and navigating the rapidly evolving regulatory landscape. His practice blends executive‑level operational insight with deep management‑side legal expertise, helping clients anticipate challenges, mitigate risk, and strengthen labor‑management relationships.

Before joining Stokes Wagner, Michael served for over eleven years as Vice President & Head of Labor Relations – Americas at Hyatt Hotels Corporation. In that role, he led Hyatt’s labor relations function across the U.S., Canada, Latin America, and South America, overseeing all collective bargaining relationships and agreements, including grievance administration, arbitrations, and related litigation. He acted as chief spokesperson in major labor negotiations, directed negotiation strategy and execution, and served as a media liaison for labor‑related communications. Michael also contributed to Hyatt’s government relations and legislative oversight efforts, advising senior leadership on policy developments affecting the hospitality workforce.

Throughout his career, Michael has counseled executives on labor and employee relations issues related to acquisitions, divestitures, and new development projects, while supporting HR and operations teams in implementing strategies that align labor relations with business objectives.

He has held leadership roles with the American Hotel & Lodging Association (Labor Relations Committee Co‑Chair) and the Hotel Association of New York City (Executive Committee and Board of Directors), and serves on the Management Advisory Board for the Cornell Center for Innovative Hospitality Labor and Employment Relations (CIHLER).

Michael has also served as co‑counsel and Trustee for numerous Taft‑Hartley Employee Benefit Funds across major U.S. markets, including Health & Welfare, Pension, Training, Scholarship, 401(k), and Labor‑Management Cooperative funds.

He is admitted to practice in New York State, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and multiple federal district courts. He holds a J.D. from New York Law School and a B.S. from St. John’s University and completed the IFEBP Trustee Master’s Program. He is also a certified Labor Relations Professional through the CHRO Association.

Specialties: Labor & Management Relations; Collective Bargaining; Employment Law; Employee Benefits Law; Arbitration; Litigation; Mediation & Dispute Resolution; Government Relations; Legislative Oversight.