Michael Kalt is a partner in the Employment Law Practice Group of Wilson Turner Kosmo LLP, where he has worked since 1996.  His employment law practice emphasizes the litigation and trial of wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination cases in state and federal court.  Michael also provides advice and training to employers on employee discipline and investigations, employment policies and procedures, and fair employment practices. Michael represents businesses of all sizes and in most industry sectors.

Since 2008, Michael has been the Vice President-Legislation for the San Diego Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and is responsible for monitoring the federal and state employment-related developments for its 1,000 members.  He is also the former author of the ADR Case Notes Column of the statewide publication: California Labor and Employment Review, and is the editor of the Firm’s monthly employment newsletter.  Michael has been an invited speaker and author of numerous employment law related articles, which have appeared in various statewide publications and he is a former Co-Chair of the San Diego County Bar’s Labor & Employment Law Section.

Michael has been elected by fellow attorneys as a Super Lawyer by Law and Politics Magazine from 2007 to 2010 for labor and employment law, and he was named by the San Diego Daily Transcript in 2009 as one of the top 10 Labor and Employment attorneys.  Michael received both his B.A. magna cum laude, and J.D. degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles. 

Education

• University of California, Los Angeles Law School - JD, 1994
• University of California, Los Angeles - BA, Political Science, magna cum laude, 1991
  

Professional and Community Affiliations

• San Diego Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM)
  Vice President - Legislation (2008 to present)
• Author, Annual Legislative Update for California Law Review - The State Bar of California
• Author (former), ADR Notes Column, California Law Review - The State Bar of California
• Defense Research Institute - Vice Chair of Publications - The Voice - Employment Edition
• San Diego County Bar Association - Co-Chair, Labor and Employment Section (former)
• East County Personnel Association - Legal and Legislative Liaison (former)
• Conference of Delegates of California Bar Associations
  Member Delegate (2005)
• Federalist Society, San Diego Chapter - Member, Executive Board (former)
• The Honorable William B. Enright Inns of Court
• American Inns of Court – Louis M. Welsh Chapter No. 9
• Knights of Columbus - St. James - Solana Beach Council, Trustee
  

Awards and Accolades

• Named by San Diego Super Lawyers® Employment and Labor attorneys in San Diego (2007 through 2010)
• Named by San Diego Daily Transcript - "Top Attorneys" Employment Law (2009)
  

Articles

• Michael S. Kalt and Erich W. Shiners "New Labor & Employment Laws For 2011" California Labor & EmploymentLaw Review,  January 2011
• Michael S. Kalt  “It’s Not Easy Going Green. . .But It Can Be Done Legally: How Employers Can Be Environmentally Conscious Without Getting Sued” The ABTL Report, Winter 2010
• Michael S. Kalt "How Employers Can Be Environmentally Conscious Without Getting Sued” The Daily Transcript
  October 21, 2010
• Michael S. Kalt, Claudette G. Wilson and Lois M. Kosch “Setting 2010’s Employment Legislative Agenda”
  Los Angeles Daily Journal  January 4, 2010
• Michael S. Kalt and Erich W. Shiners "New Labor & Employment Laws For 2010" California Labor & Employment Law Review,  January 2009
• Michael S. Kalt and Lois M. Kosch  “No Mixed-Motive Instructions In ADEA Cases. . .At Least For Now”
  Law Review, September 2009
• Michael S. Kalt and Erich W. Shiners "New Labor & Employment Laws For 2009" California Labor & Employment Law Review
• Michael S. Kalt and Leonid M. Zilberman "Bringing The 'Change' To Employment Law" Los Angeles Daily Journal, September 12, 2008
• Regina A. Petty and Michael S. Kalt “Jones v. The Lodge at Torrey Pines: California Supreme Court Rejects Personal Liability for Retaliation Claim” California Labor & Employment Law Review, July 2008 
• Michael S. Kalt and Leonid M. Zilberman “Bossing Employers Around” Los Angeles Daily Journal, May 2008 
• Regina A. Petty, Michael S. Kalt and Theresa O. Stevenson, “Supervisors Breathe Easy” Los Angeles Daily Journal, March 2008 
• Michael S. Kalt, Theresa P. Yutadco and Erich W. Shiners, “Out With The Old, In With The New Laws For 2008” California Labor & Employment Law Review, January 2008 
• Michael S. Kalt, “When Johnny (And Jenny) Come Marching Home Again, Hurrah! Hurrah!…They’ll Be Protected By USERRA. Hurrah! Hurrah!” California Labor & Employment Law Review, April 2007 
• Claudette G. Wilson, Michael S. Kalt and Krista M. Cabrera “Legislative Wish List,” Los Angeles Daily Journal, January 2007 
• Michael S. Kalt, “Immigration Issues Loom For Employers In 2007,” Defense Research Institute The Voice, November 2006 
• Michael S. Kalt, “New Case And Regulations Beef Up Employer Duties To Returning Troops,” Los Angeles Daily Journal, November 13, 2006 
• Regina A. Petty and Michael S. Kalt, “The California Supreme Court Trilogy Foretells That Supervisors Are Not Liable for Retaliation,” Defense Research Institute’s “The Job Description”, Spring 2006 
• Michael S. Kalt and Hugh Kim, “Motions For Summary Judgment” California Labor & Employment Law Review, February 2006 
• Michael S. Kalt, “Do Employers Have To Accommodate Absences Due To Immigration-Related Rallies?” Employment Law Update, January 2006
• Michael S. Kalt, “Reassessing Individual Liability For Retaliation Under FEHA In Light Of McClung v. Employment Development Department,” California Labor & Employment Law Review, September 2005 
• Robin A. Wofford and Michael S. Kalt, “Down And Out: Anti-Business Legislature Will ToppleCompanies With Ridiculous Laws,” Los Angeles Daily Journal, August 21, 2003 
• Claudette G. Wilson and Michael S. Kalt, “Dubious Duties; New Identity Theft Law Leaves Employers Unsure About Their Duties,” Los Angeles Daily Journal, June 11, 2002 
• Claudette G. Wilson and Michael S. Kalt, “Identity Theft Law Leaves Employers Uncertain,” San Diego Daily Transcript, May 3, 2002 
• Claudette G. Wilson and Michael S. Kalt, “Armendariz’ Viability After Circuit City,”California Labor & Employment Law Quarterly, Vol. 16, No. 1, January 2002 
• Claudette G. Wilson and Michael S. Kalt, “Workplace Arbitration Agreements Upheld By California Supreme Court,” San Diego Lawyers Magazine, November/December 2000 
• Claudette G. Wilson and Michael S. Kalt, “Are Mandatory Arbitration Agreements Worth The Paper They Are Printed On? A Guide To Ensuring That They Are,” Los Angeles Daily Journal, June 28, 1999

Representative Matters

• Co-author of successful appellate briefs in Jones v. The Lodge at Torrey Pines Partnership (2008) 42 Cal.4th 1158 holding supervisors immune from FEHA retaliation claims.
• Second chair trial counsel on behalf of prestigious five-diamond resort in sexual orientation/discrimination case, and author of successful Motion for Judgment Notwithstanding the Verdict.
• Obtained summary judgment or dismissal in favor of public university in numerous separate employment suits, including in two separate matters in which he obtained attorneys’ fees award exceeding $55,000, and another matter in which he successfully argued before the California Court of Appeals following a favorable summary judgment ruling.
• Assisted in successful trials on behalf of multiple separate employers in discrimination, harassment and retaliation claims.
• Obtained dismissal or summary judgment in favor of national grocery chain in numerous separate employment suits.
• Obtained dismissal or summary judgment in favor of local municipality in multiple separate employment suits.
• Successfully represented employer in bench trial in mandamus proceedings involving wrongful termination claim.