Labor & Employment: The Elite
USA Guide 2024 : California
Band 4
About
Provided by Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
With more than 110 attorneys located across eight 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 so as 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
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 successfully defended Marcus and Tracey Chu and their business entities, which were sued by an ex-business partner for wage and loan repayments.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Sheppard Mullin is exceptional at navigating complex and sophisticated matters."
"We trust them with complex strategy decisions that enable us to win or settle major cases."
"The team has strong strategic skills to think through complicated and novel matters."
"Sheppard Mullin is exceptional at navigating complex and sophisticated matters."
"We trust them with complex strategy decisions that enable us to win or settle major cases."
"The team has strong strategic skills to think through complicated and novel matters."
Notable Practitioners
Tracey Kennedy's impressive employment litigation and trial practice includes harassment and discrimination claims and retaliation suits.
"She is an outstanding and fearless trial lawyer."
"She is super polished and sophisticated. She is a great advocate in court and has a great team."
"She is an exceptional trial attorney. She is often able to pull the rabbit out of the hat on employment trials. She is highly trusted for her skills."
Richard Simmons is well regarded for his experience in big-ticket class actions involving wage and hour issues.
"He is a wage and hour expert who is really, really good at what he does."
"Richard is extremely knowledgeable in wage and hour issues. We can rely on him for the most current legal analysis."
"He is knowledgeable and creates arguments on specific and unique litigation matters. He is an encyclopedia."
Thomas Kaufman is a fine choice of litigator for state and federal wage and hour actions arising in a range of industries.
"Tom is a voice of reason and calmness."
"He is a very good wage and hour lawyer."
"He is friendly, professional and effective on matters. He is able to provide helpful insight."
Ranked Lawyers at
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
California
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