Fifteen hours in the air . . . 3 airplanes . . . 1 ferry ride . . . and a 5 hour drive laden with potholes the size of Texas is what it took to arrive in the most remote location Tony Amendola had ever visited. The desolate village of Guarai, Brazil was the destination for Tony’s first volunteer experience with Habitat for Humanity. Like many that came before him, he was overwhelmed by the experience, forever changed. A spur of the moment decision to join a friend on a volunteer vacation exposed him to the possibilities that exist in serving people and exploring the world in a way he never thought possible. That first experience, getting “off the grid” and giving back, has inspired many subsequent adventures around the globe.

Habitat for Humanity promotes giving others a “hand up,” not a “hand out.” The hard work and pride of parents overcoming significant hurdles to build homes, and better lives, for themselves and their children resonates with Tony, who was raised by remarkable, blind parents who themselves overcame countless obstacles placed in their paths. Building communities, learning about cultures, playing with children, these are the joys of lending a hand.

Seeing the ravages of HIV in Malawai, sewage-filled swamps in Cambodia, hospitals with no doctors in Tanzania, these are the sorrows. Tony has always been passionate about travel, and being a tourist is always a joy. But, nothing compares to becoming a part of a community, even if only for a few weeks. To this day, countless pictures of families he’s worked with adorn Tony’s office walls . . . always connected, always close, a part of him forever.

Legal Expertise

Representation of private sector and non-profit employers in all areas of labor and employment law, including:

• Advising employers on key human resource management issues, including personnel policies, payroll practices, leaves of absence, accommodating disabilities, terminations, executive employment agreements and other personnel actions. 
• Counseling employers with respect to labor and employment law compliance in connection with workforce reductions, reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions. 
• Conducting and advising on workplace investigations and compliance audits. 
• Training in all areas of employment law, including preventing unlawful harassment and discrimination, administering leaves of absence, and managing within the law. 
• Advising Entertainment Industry employers with respect to terms and conditions of industry-wide collective bargaining agreements with SAG-AFTRA, WGA, DGA, AFM, IATSE,  and Basic Crafts Unions. 
• Representing mutli-employer and jointly-administered Taft-Hartley trust funds.
• Serving as counsel to employers in collective bargaining negotiations, arbitrations, and proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board.
• Representing employers in administrative proceedings, investigations, and audits conducted by various state and federal agencies, such as the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, U.S. Department of Labor, California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, U.S. Department of Labor, and California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement.
• Serving as counsel in single plaintiff, multi-plaintiff and class action lawsuits, including employment discrimination, wage and hour, harassment, wrongful termination, ERISA and breach of contract actions.

Representative Matters

• Served as Vice President and Senior Employment Counsel for major entertainment company, providing daily advice and counsel on all aspects of employment, labor, wage and hour and employee benefits law for a wide array of businesses, including motion picture and television production, home entertainment, retail, broadcasting, animation, distribution, and licensing. 
• Obtained summary judgments in favor of employers in numerous wrongful termination, harassment and discrimination actions. 
• Successfully resolved numerous claims, including multi-party matters, through mediation. 
• Conducted numerous investigations into alleged workplace misconduct, including discrimination, harassment, theft, embezzlement, misuse of funds and conflicts of interest. 
• Successfully represented employers in numerous labor arbitrations. 

Honors & Awards

• Recognized by Best Lawyers in America© in the fields of:
  • Labor Law - Management (2012-2025)
  • Employment Law - Individuals (2019-2025)
• "Top 5% of lawyers in Southern California," Southern California Super Lawyers (2004-2014)

Professional, Business and civic Affiliations

• Editor, MSK Labor & Employment Alert 
• Advisory Council, Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles (2005-2012)
• Habitat for Humanity, Global Village Program, Ulan Bator, Mongolia (2010); Molepolole, Botswana (2009); Phnom Phen, Cambodia (2007); Korogwe, Tanzania (2006); Lilongwe, Malawi (2004); Guarai, Brazil (2003)
• Co-host, Lambda Legal in the Desert Fundraiser (2006-2008)
• Management Chair, Los Angeles County Bar Association Entertainment Industry Labor and Employment Law Conference (1995)
• Co-Chair, Century City Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section (1993-1996) 
• President, Southern California Cornell-ILR Alumni Association (1993-1996) 
• Member, Board of Directors, WISE Senior Services (1991-1997) 
• Member, Board of Governors, Theatre LA (1988-1994)

Other Career Experience

• Warner Bros. Entertainment, Vice President and Senior Employment Counsel, 1996-2003 
• Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP, Partner (1995-1996; 2003-present); Associate (1987-1995)
• US House of Representatives, Subcommittee on Labor Management Relations, Extern (1986) 
• National Labor Relations Board, Labor Management Relations Examiner, Region 4 (1983)

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