Emil Totonchi

Associate General Counsel

International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 150, AFL-CIO

Emil P. Totonchi is Associate General Counsel to the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 150, AFL-CIO, which represents 23,000 working men and women in Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa in many industries, including construction, construction material development, public works, concrete pumping, steel mill service, slag processing, and more.  Prior to joining Local 150’s legal team, Mr. Totonchi served as a Commissioner of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service and mediated hundreds of collective bargaining disputes.  Mr. Totonchi previously served as General Counsel to Teamsters Local 705, as well as Associate Counsel and, prior to attending law school, Strategic Researcher for the Service Employees International Union, Local 1.  Mr. Totonchi received a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Washington, DC.  He also received a Juris Doctor and Certificate in Labor and Employment Law from Chicago-Kent College of Law, where he currently teaches as an Adjunct Professor of Law.