About

Provided by Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

With more than 110 attorneys located across seven offices in California, Sheppard Mullin’s Employment practice group has expertise in all matters affecting the workplace, including wage and hour, class and representative actions, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, labor union management relations, non-compete and trade secrets, employment agreements and compliance. We are a go-to resource for employers with operations in California and across the country, and have expertise assisting employers in the healthcare, retail, transportation, financial services, fashion, hospitality, and food and beverage industries.

Chambers-ranked practitioner, Richard Simmons, literally “wrote the book” on wage and hour law for employers. Many of our California attorneys are experts in this area with extensive knowledge of state and federal wage and hour laws and how they affect the daily operations of employers in the state. We are at the cutting edge of wage and hour class and PAGA representative actions and have defended employers in thousands of these actions over the years. We also proactively assist employers with their internal audits to avoid enforcement actions. When such enforcement actions do occur, our attorneys regularly represent clients before the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement and the federal Department of Labor. We are a leader in providing harassment and discrimination training, defense and preventative advice to companies and their employees.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Labor & Employment: The Elite - California

4
Band 4

What the Team is Known For

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP advises on a variety of labor and employment matters, including course-of-business issues as well as high stakes litigation. The practice regularly undertakes work in wage and hour disputes, single-plaintiff discrimination cases and harassment claims. The firm represents clients from a wide range of industries, including the transportation, hospitality and healthcare sectors.

Work Highlights

  • Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP obtained a complete defense verdict on behalf of Aurantiaca USA in a case alleging wrongful termination, breach of contract and discrimination, among other claims.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

Tracey A Kennedy
2
Tracey A Kennedy
2
Band 2
Tracey Kennedy's impressive employment litigation and trial practice includes harassment and discrimination claims and retaliation suits.

Tracey's deep trial experience and her expertise is unique. Tracey has a track record for adeptly handling difficult situations. There is comfort in knowing she has seen it all.

Tracey is a trial lawyer extraordinaire.

Tracey was helpful counsel to us. Her knowledge of the court was amazing.

Richard Simmons
3
Richard Simmons
3
Band 3
Richard Simmons is well regarded for his experience in big-ticket class actions involving wage and hour issues.

Richard Simmons is an encyclopedia of wage and hour law.

Zachary Hutton
3
Zachary Hutton
3
Band 3
Zach Hutton is recognized for his handling of wage and hour litigation, where he represents notable clients within the automotive and technological fields.

Zach is very knowledgeable in the wage and hour space and is a master negotiator who offers very practical advice. He is a fantastic strategic partner.

Thomas R. Kaufman
5
Thomas R. Kaufman
5
Band 5

Thomas Kaufman is a fine choice of litigator for state and federal wage and hour actions arising in a range of industries, as well as claims involving breach of contract, charges of fraud and wrongful termination.

Thomas is a good writer and an aggressive litigator for his clients. He does a great job and is a very good lawyer.

Paul Cowie
6
Paul Cowie
6
Band 6

Paul Cowie is noted for his representation of employers in high-profile employment class action claims relating to wage and hour, discrimination and missclassification issues.

Paul is very strategic and practical from a business standpoint. He presents creative solutions to resolve issues or navigate internal politics.

Paul is an excellent wage and hour litigator.

Paul is smart, direct and very approchable. He is extremely easy to talk to and understands what the issues are really quickly.

Ranked Lawyers at
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

Provided by Chambers
Filter by
Band

California

Labor & Employment

Tracey A Kennedy
2
Tracey A Kennedy
2
Band 2
Richard Simmons
3
Richard Simmons
3
Band 3
Zachary Hutton
3
Zachary Hutton
3
Band 3
Thomas R. Kaufman
5
Thomas R. Kaufman
5
Band 5
Paul Cowie
6
Paul Cowie
6
Band 6

Members

Provided by Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

Adam Rosenthal

Babak Yousefzadeh

Daniel McQueen

David Chidlaw

Derek Havel

Greg Berk

Greg Labate

Gregg Fisch

Jason Kearnaghan

Jason Weiss

Justine Phillips

Kelly Hensley

Head of Department

Matthew McConnell

Matthew Sonne

Morgan Forsey

Nancy Pritikin

Paul Cowie

Richard Kopenhefer

Robert Mussig

Ryan McCortney

Samantha Hardy

Travis Anderson

Clients

Provided by Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

AT&T

Anaheim Arena Management

BJ’s Restaurants

Chipotle

Cox Communications

Dignity Health

DrilTek

Firetrol

Granite Rock

Hyundai

Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center

Pacific Bell

Six Flags Magic Mountain

Stericycle

Swift Transportation

Taco Bell

Zodiac Aerospace

Industries

Provided by Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

Banks

Consumer Product Manufacturing

Financial Services

Food and Beverage

Healthcare

Hospitality

Media and Entertainment

Professional Services

Retail

Transportation

Utilities