The Dean’s Board of Advisors helps the UC Davis School of Education align its programs, people and resources with the needs of the communities and constituencies it serves. The Board also ensures and enhances the School’s ability to serve through the generation of financial and other support.

•Legal professional with more than two decades of experience as labor and employment counsel and proven track record as legal advisor and litigator.•Described as “intelligent, responsive, diligent, and committed to doing an excellent job. Someone who can be depended on to deliver a top quality product on time and within budget.”•Unwavering professional integrity and personal dedication to the highest ethical standards. Collaborative team member that maintains excellent communication with clients and colleagues.•Outstanding interpersonal skills. Dedicated to providing the best service possible to clients. Persistent and willing to do whatever it takes to complete a task.•Exceptional problem-solving skills. Outstanding ability to manage complex matters concurrently and under compressed timelines without sacrificing precision.•Trains employees in private and public sectors on issues of harassment prevention, equal employment opportunity, legal updates, and managing within the law.

Provide daily advice/counsel and litigaiton services to clients involving various labor and employment law matters, including: Federal-Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA), Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN), Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and Title VII. State-Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), California Family Rights Act (CFRA), California Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (Cal WARN). Conducted training programs for various public and private sector groups. (AB1825 anti-harassment/anti-retaliation, legal updates, internal personnel investigations, etc.).

Litigation: First-chaired one bench trial (employment contract dispute/defense verdict) and second-chaired two trials (wage/hour class action bench trial and a retaliation-CFRA/FEHA-jury trial/defense verdict). Composed and argued pre-trial and post-trial pleading and briefs, including cost recovery award of nearly $95K. Drafted and argued motions in limine. Prepared all defense witnesses, including experts and company's general counsel. Prepared and performed trial examinations. Managed and conducted all phases of civil litigation in both state and federal courts for single plaintiff matters from pre-litigation investigations through trial. Managed significant aspects of wage/hour class action litigation, including discovery, dispositive motions, trial and post-trial phases. Developed and managed litigation budgets for both single plaintiff and class action matters. Conducted legal/factual analysis, strategy development and discovery (written discovery and depositions). Participated in alternative dispute resolutions. Drafted and argued dispositive motions. Advice/Counsel: Provided daily advice and counsel to clients, ranging from start-ups to Fortune 50 businesses, regarding various areas of state and federal labor and employment law. Advised clients from human resources professionals to CEO's and boards of directors regarding all aspects of operations relative to labor and employment, wage and hour matters, union avoidance and management, litigation, development and enforcement of personnel policies, internal investigations, workforce reductions, employment contracts, severance agreements, mergers/acquisitions, and protection of trade secrets and proprietary/intellectual property.

Investigated Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Department of Fair Employment and Housing complaints. Prepared answers to same and engaged in negotiations to resolve complaints. Researched various aspects of labor and employment law at federal and state levels. Completed legal memoranda. Assisted with day-to-day litigation management, including correspondence with clients and opposing counsel, interviewing witnesses, drafting and responding to written discovery. Reviewed and revised employee handbooks. Coached Mission High School's Mock Trial Team.