Legal Expertise

Represents management in a variety of labor and employment matters, including state and federal litigation involving sexual harassment and other forms of employment discrimination or harassment, class and PAGA wage and hour actions, public policy violations, wrongful termination, and retaliation,. Represents employers before state and federal administrative agencies (e.g., DOL, CRD, EEOC, and DLSE). Conducts training and provides counselling and advice to employers regarding compliance with state and federal law, personnel policies and manuals, employment agreements, investigations, and other personnel decisions.

Representative Matters

• Defended numerous sensitive matters involving high-level executives alleged to have engaged in wrongdoing.  
• Represented employers in dozens of class and PAGA actions, to favorable results including dismissal of class claims and/or favorable settlements.
• Obtained summary judgment in arbitration and court for employers in numerous wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment and breach of contract cases. 
• Defended numerous sensitive matters involving alleged sexual assault and prevailed on an early motion on timeliness grounds.
• First-chaired and obtained defense award for energy beverage company in a 4-day arbitration involving race discrimination. 
• First-chaired and obtained defense awards in numerous labor arbitrations for international beverage company. 
• First-chaired and obtained defense award for aerospace company in a 5-day arbitration involving race discrimination claims. 
• Firs-chaired and obtained defense award for entertainment company in a 3-day arbitration involving wage and hour issues.
• First-chaired and obtained defense award for aerospace company in a 13- day arbitration involving whistleblower retaliation claims. 
• First-chaired and obtained defense award for aerospace company in a 6- day arbitration involving age discrimination and retaliation claims. 
• Successfully obtained terminating sanctions for global pharmaceutical company.
• Conducted audits and/or advised on such audits.
• Have settled many “walk-away” settlements.

Honors & Awards

• Recognized by Best Lawyers in America© in the fields of:
  
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment (2016- 2025)
  • Employment Law - Management (2019-2025)
• "Women Worth Watching," Profiles in Diversity Journal (2021)
• "Southern California Rising Stars," Super Lawyers (2007, 2010) 
• "Inaugural Latin Business 100" (Summer 2006)

Professional, Business and civic Affiliations

• Co-Chair of MSK Labor & Employment Department
• Co-Chair of MSK DEI Committee 
• Member of MSK Governing Board 
• Trustee, Board of the Mexican American Bar Foundation

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