Experience
Legal Expertise
Represents management in a variety of labor and employment matters, including sexual harassment and other forms of employment discrimination, wage and hour, public policy violations, wrongful termination, and retaliation. Represents employers in state and federal court and before state and federal administrative agencies (e.g., DOL and California DFEH). Conducts training and provides counselling and advice to employers regarding compliance with state and federal law, personnel policies and manuals, employment agreements and other personnel decisions.
Representative Matters
- First-chaired and obtained defense award for energy beverage company in a 4-day arbitration involving race discrimination claims.
- 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.
- Represented a national clothing retailer in two purported wage and hour class actions in California. Both settled on favorable terms.
- Represented a publicly traded, online real estate company in a purported wage and hour class action in California. The matter settled on favorable terms.
- First-chaired and obtained defense award for aerospace company in a 13-day arbitration involving whistleblower retaliation claims.
- Obtained summary judgment in arbitration and court for employers in numerous wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment and breach of contract cases.
- Represented an internet-based advertising agency in purported wage and hour class action. Plaintiff dismissed the class action allegations.
- 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.
- Represented a national automobile manufacturer in a purported wage and hour class action in California. The matter settled on favorable terms.
- Recently convinced several plaintiffs to dismiss lawsuits on "walkaway" terms.
- Represented eight major motion picture studios in industry-wide wage/hour class action. The matter settled on favorable terms.
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 Practice Group
- Co-Chair of MSK DEI Committee
- Trustee, Board of the Mexican American Bar Foundation
- Board Member, OneJustice
Headlines
Headlines
- August 15, 2024
- Business Wire , December 11, 2023
- August 17, 2023
- Profiles in Diversity Journal, November 19, 2021
- August 19, 2021
- August 20, 2020
- August 15, 2019
- January 29, 2019
- August 15, 2018
- August 15, 2017
- November 1, 2016
- August 22, 2016
- July 2015
- August 2015
- August 11, 2006
- January 20, 2006
Publications
- LatinBusinessToday.com, January 30, 2018
- LatinBusinessToday.com, February 2012
- LatinBusinessToday.com , February 2012
- LatinBusinessToday.com, January 2012
- LatinBusinessToday.com, January 2012
- LatinBusinessToday.com, December 2011
- 2006
- 2005
- 2005
- 2004
- 2004
Client Alerts
- July 30, 2018
- January 11, 2017
- June 9, 2016
- January 12, 2016
- April 2003
Events & Speaking Engagements
- January 15, 2020
- January 9, 2019
- April 19, 2018
- January 11, 2018
- January 11, 2017
- January 2016
- May 3, 2012
Multimedia
Practice Areas
Admissions
- California, 1998
- U.S. District Court, 1998
- Central District of California
- Northern District of California
- Eastern District of California
- Southern District of California
- U.S. Court of Appeal
- Ninth Circuit
Education
Stanford Law School, J.D., 1998
Associate Editor, Stanford Law Review; Co-President, Stanford Public Interest Law Foundation; Member, Stanford Latino Law Student Association
Stanford University, A.B., 1995; with Distinction
Languages
- Spanish