A federal judge in Newark has denied a motion to sanction Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi for accepting funding from a nonparty employer to sued a labor union.

The dispute stems from Fonti v. Health Professionals & Allied Employees AFT/AFL-CIO, a suit against a union by current and former union members. The suit claims the union engaged in unfair labor practices when it held a vote on a retirement benefits plan after making misstatements about the plan. The suit was filed in state court in 2012 and removed to federal court in 2013.