Employment

Our lawyers are skilled in the investigation, negotiation, litigation, arbitration and trial of all types of employment related claims such as wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, Americans with Disabilities Act disputes, wage and hour law claims, trade secret violations, interference with business claims, privacy right violations, and Labor Code Section 132(a) claims. WTK’s litigation team is recognized by the bench and bar to be among the region’s finest trial counsel. In addition to this exceptional dispute resolution practice, WTK has broad expertise in matters such as work place investigations, development of effective personnel policies and practices, drafting and negotiation of employment and severance agreements, and conducting in-house employment practices training.

Our lawyers frequently speak on current issues in employment law and have recently lectured on such topics as employment-related testing, workplace violence, protecting employer rights under the Family Medical Leave Act, and avoiding sexual harassment claims. In addition, they have published extensively in various journals and periodicals on such issues as wrongful employment termination practices, requirements to pay overtime, the Americans with Disabilities Act, sexual harassment and office relationships.

Our employment clients include businesses in a wide array of industries, including manufacturing, publishing, retail, banking, restaurants, healthcare products, computer technology and software as well as colleges and universities and public agencies.

Representative Matters

• Prevailed on a motion for summary judgment in a race discrimination case in United States District Court, and were awarded over $50,000 in attorneys' fees.
• Successfully resolved a putative statewide class action of over 1,000 existing and former employees regarding classification of Store Managers and Assistant Store Managers as exempt under the executive exemption.
• Obtained a defense verdict in a case where plaintiff claimed wrongful termination in violation of public policy and defamation.
• Obtained a defense verdict for a grocery chain in an Americans with Disabilities Act discrimination case.
• Obtained a defense verdict in San Diego County Superior Court for a hotel in a race discrimination case under the Unruh Act.
• Prevailed on a Motion for Summary Judgment in a case against a University alleging wrongful termination, gender and religious discrimination.
• Obtained a defense verdict in San Diego County Superior Court in a case against a University for sexual harassment and negligence.
• Prevailed on a Motion for Summary Judgment in a case against a public employee for race and disability discrimination.
• Prevailed on a Motion for Summary Judgment in a case alleging disability discrimination, harassment, and failure to accommodate medical condition.
• Prevailed on Demurrer in a case against an employer for alleged violations of the False Claims Act.
• Prevailed by a Motion to Dismiss in a case against a public employer for race discrimination, wrongful termination and deprivation of due process