Hon. Jan M. Adler, Ret.

Breach of Contract

• Virtual mediation of Plaintiff's employment agreement provided for an annual salary plus an incentive compensation bonus under a Stock Appreciation Rights ("SAR") plan. The bonus was to be calculated based on the company's equity value as of the date of exercise of Plaintiff's vested SARs. The defendant company's Board of Directors determined Plaintiff's vested SARs were valueless under the formula specified in the SAR plan, as the company was underwater as of the exercise date. Plaintiff contended the Defendant's major asset had a fair market value far in excess of the amount calculated by the Board and that its valuation improperly treated capital contributions by the company's parent entities as liabilities. Defendants contended they acted in good faith in determining the value of the SARs in view of a contemporaneous offer to purchase the company's major asset and the financial condition of the company.
• Former Chief Operating Officer of Defendant real estate management and investment company sued for breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. Plaintiff contended he was not terminated for cause and was therefore entitled to a severance payment and special compensation provided for in his employment agreement.
• Mediated a pre-litigation dispute in which the plaintiff, who alleged he had a 10% equity interest in the defendant company, contended that the defendant breached his employment contract by failing to make all required payments of net income to which he was entitled. The plaintiff also alleged the defendant retaliated against him by terminating him after he complained he had not received all required payments and for taking FMLA leave.

Disability

• Plaintiff, who was employed by Defendant healthcare company, brought claims against the company and two individual defendants for, inter alia, disability discrimination, failure to accommodate, failure to engage in the interactive process, retaliation, and wrongful termination in violation of public policy. Defendant contended Plaintiff had multiple performance issues, that it properly engaged in the interactive process and provided reasonable accommodations in light of Plaintiff's disability, that it did not engage in any retaliatory conduct against her, and that it terminated her employment for legitimate, non-discriminatory business reasons.

Disability Discrimination

• Plaintiff alleged employer (Defendant) terminated her employment and retaliated against her because of her disability, failed to engage in good faith in the interactive process, and failed to accommodate Plaintiff's disability. P also alleged D violated various provisions of the Labor Code, including failure to provide meal and rest breaks, failure to pay overtime compensation, and failure to provide itemized and accurate wage statements, and that D was liable for waiting time penalties. D contended it properly engaged in the interactive process, did not discriminate or retaliate against P based on her disability, complied with all applicable wage and hour laws, and that P resigned voluntarily.
• The plaintiff, a crew member at one of defendant's grocery stores, claimed she was retaliated against and ultimately wrongfully terminated as a result of raising complaints to persons with authority over her, as well as to the County Health Department and OSHA, about the failure of other crew members to comply with state and local safety rules during the Covid-19 pandemic. The defendant contended it was in compliance with all local and state rules and regulations concerning the pandemic.

Discrimination

• Plaintiff alleged claims for disability discrimination, failure to engage in the interactive process, failure to accommodate a disability, wrongful termination, retaliation, and the intentional infliction of emotional distress. Defendant contended it accommodated Plaintiff's disability and terminated his employment for a legitimate, non-discriminatory reason, i.e., job abandonment.
• Pro se plaintiff alleged claims for failure to provide reasonable accommodations, failure to engage in the interactive process, and retaliation. Defendant contended the university provided reasonable accommodations, that Plaintiff rebuffed efforts to engage in the interactive process, and that Plaintiff’s claims were time-barred.
• Plaintiff alleged claims for disability discrimination in violation of the California Fair Employment Housing Act ("FEHA"); discrimination for taking leave in violation of the California Family Rights Act; age discrimination in violation of FEHA; and retaliation and wrongful termination in violation of public policy.
• Plaintiff, a current employee of Defendant on a medical leave of absence, alleged several claims, including failure to accommodate by not reassigning him to an alternate position and failure to engage in the interactive process. Defendant contended its HR personnel interacted regularly with Plaintiff throughout his leave.
• Virtual mediation where a plaintiff alleged he was subjected to a hostile work environment and that he was demoted and ultimately forced into retirement based on a pattern of discrimination against him based on his age. Defendant contended they did not terminate Plaintiff's employment and that he had voluntarily resigned, he was not performing his job satisfactorily at the time he was allegedly subjected to any adverse employment action, and that Plaintiff could not prove any discriminatory animus based on his age.
• Former bank employee claimed he was subjected to harassment, retaliation, and discrimination after reporting illegal business practices and that he was demoted to an inferior job position immediately after returning from a leave of absence, resulting in his wrongful termination when he refused to accept the inferior job position. Defendants contended Plaintiff never brought any illegal business practices to their attention, that he had multiple performance issues his supervisor worked with him to rectify, that the bank wanted him to stay on as an employee when he returned from his leave of absence, and that he abandoned his job despite being offered the same salary and potential bonuses in the new position.
• Plaintiff employee sued the defendant municipality for race and age discrimination, contending she was passed over for two promotions in favor of younger non-African American employees and that she did not receive pay raises other non-African American employees received. Plaintiff also claimed she was retaliated against after complaining about the discriminatory actions to which she was subjected. Defendant municipality contended it had legitimate non-discriminatory reasons for its actions vis-a-vis Plaintiff and that certain of her claims were time-barred.

Labor Code

• Pre-litigation dispute settled in which Plaintiffs claimed they had been misclassified as independent contractors rather than employees as required by governing California case law. Plaintiffs claimed violations of numerous Labor Code provisions and Wage Orders, including failure to pay minimum wages and overtime, failure to provide meal periods and rest breaks, failure to provide itemized wage statements, failure to reimburse, unlawful wage deductions and failure to pay wages when due. Plaintiffs also claimed breach of Consulting Agreements they entered into with Defendant company.

PAGA

• Plaintiff contended she was misclassified under the Dynamex ABC test and was entitled to all of her rights as an employee under the Labor Code. She alleged she was entitled to waiting time penalties, as well as penalties for inaccurate wage statements and attorneys' fees. Plaintiff also contended she was wrongfully terminated in violation of public policy. Defendant contended that the Plaintiff and similarly situated employees were properly classified as independent contractors and that Plaintiff’s job was terminated because the short-term work she was hired to do was completed.
• Plaintiff alleged Defendant failed to pay overtime wages at the correct regular hourly rate due to failure to include sign-on bonuses. Plaintiff also alleged derivative claims under the Labor Code for inaccurate wage statements and failure to pay all overtime wages due upon separation from employment.
• Plaintiffs were allowed access to Defendant’s premises to collect discarded betting tickets. Plaintiffs also sifted through trash bags to separate out recyclable materials, and contended they were recognized by Defendant as the “Recycle Crew” and were issued shirts and badges indicating they were employees of Defendant. Plaintiffs maintained they were accordingly entitled under the Dynamex ABC test to be classified as employees and to receive the benefits of employment. Defendant contended there was no contract between it and Plaintiffs and that it did not control and direct Plaintiffs in their work, that Plaintiffs were engaged in an independent business, and that they were working for their own interests. Plaintiffs also alleged they were wrongfully discharged and retaliated against for filing the lawsuit. Plaintiffs asserted individual claims as well as a PAGA claim on behalf of the other members of the “Recycle Crew.”
• PAGA case in which Plaintiff asserted claims for, inter alia, failure to provide itemized wage statements, failure to pay minimum, regular, overtime, and double time wages, failure to properly pay or accrue paid time off ("PTO"), failure to make payments within the required time, failure to maintain accurate wage records, failure to properly provide weekend differentials, and requiring employees to agree, in writing, to authorize Defendant to obtain a Consumer Report.
• Plaintiff employee sued defendant company alleging individual claims for Labor Code violations and PAGA claims on behalf of aggrieved employees. Plaintiff claimed wage statements issued by Defendant were deficient in failing to properly list company name and address; that the company failed to provide necessary tools for employees and failed to reimburse them for the cost of providing their own tools; and that company failed to pay employees double minimum wage. Defendant contended that the alleged wage statement violations were hyper-technical and therefore not likely to lead to significant penalties under PAGA.
• Plaintiffs, commissioned employees of Defendant auto dealerships, alleged Defendants’ commission pay plan was unlawful under Vaquero v. Stoneledge Furniture, LLC, 9 Cal.App.5th 98 (2017), because it failed to separately compensate sales associates for rest periods. Plaintiffs also alleged Defendants failed to compensate them for “non-productive” time.
• Global settlement of two PAGA cases achieved in which claims were asserted for failure to pay minimum wages, failure to provide required meal and rest periods, failure to reimburse employees for required expenses, failure to provide accurate itemized wage statements, and failure to provide wages when due.
• Virtual mediation regarding alleged PAGA and class action claims on behalf of 72 non-exempt piece-rate truck drivers. Plaintiff alleged Defendant failed to: pay all wages owed, provide all lawful meal and rest periods, timely pay all wages owed upon separation, issue accurate and itemized wage statements, reimburse for all necessary business expenses incurred, and comply with California's Unfair Competition Laws. Defendant contended Plaintiffs' meal and rest break claims were preempted pursuant to an order of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, that it provided all required meal and rest breaks in any event, that it paid for nonproductive time, and that virtually all of Plaintiffs' claims for reimbursement of business expenses was barred by the statute of limitations.
• Virtual mediation involving Plaintiffs, who are delivery drivers for Defendant, alleged they were misclassified as independent contractors and asserted individual and PAGA claims for violation of the California Labor Code for failure to reimburse business expenses, failure to pay for all hours worked, unlawful deductions, inaccurate wage statements, failure to pay required overtime, failure to provide required meal and rest breaks, and failure to pay wages due upon termination. Defendant contended Plaintiffs were properly classified as independent contractors and that it was accordingly not liable for any of the asserted Labor Code violations.
• PAGA action in which Plaintiff alleged, on behalf of aggrieved employees of Defendant's restaurants, failure to provide compliant rest and meal breaks; failure to pay all wages due, including time working through breaks; wage statement penalties; waiting time penalties; and failure to reimburse work-related expenses. Defendants contended that all required meal and rest breaks were provided, all wages due were paid, that employees were reimbursed for business-related expenses when they returned their work uniforms, and that no wage statement or waiting time penalties were applicable.
• A case involving individual claims for violations of various provisions of the California Labor Code which were subject to arbitration and PAGA claim. Plaintiffs alleged that the defendant failed to provide compliant meal and rest breaks, pay wages due to off-the-clock work, reimburse employees for all business-related expenses, issue accurate itemized wage statements, and pay all wages due at separation.
• The plaintiff, a truck driver sued the defendant and alleged that he was misclassified as an independent contractor. The plaintiff brought individual and PAGA claims for unreimbursed business expenses, failure to provide compliant wage statements, failure to provide required meal periods and rest breaks, and failure to pay all wages due upon separation.
• PAGA action in which Plaintiff alleged Defendant nursing home operator failed to pay minimum wage and overtime, committed meal break and rest period violations, failed to pay for all time worked, failed to timely pay wages, failed to provide accurate wage statements, and failed to reimburse for necessary business expenses.
• PAGA case in which Plaintiffs alleged Defendant employer caused aggrieved employees to go through security checks prior to clocking in for their shifts and after clocking out for their shifts. As a result, Plaintiffs alleged the employees were not paid all minimum and overtime wages owed and were not permitted or authorized to take duty-free meal and rest periods, as they could not leave the facility without going through the security screenings. Plaintiffs also alleged derivative claims for waiting time penalties and wage statement violations.
• Plaintiff, a former employee of a car dealership, asserted individual and PAGA claims for violations of the Labor Code, including failure to pay overtime, failure to provide required and uninterrupted meal periods and rest breaks; failure to furnish accurate wage statements; and waiting time penalties.
• Plaintiff alleged PAGA claims for failure to provide Plaintiff and the Aggrieved Employees duty-free rest breaks due to its policy of not allowing the employees to leave the premises during rest breaks; underpayment of overtime wages due to calculating overtime compensation on employees' base rate instead of regular rate of pay (including non-discretionary bonuses); underpayment of wages due to unlawful rounding; failure to provide compliant meal periods; and claims for inaccurate wage statements and waiting time penalties.
• A former employee of accounting firm asserted individual and PAGA claims for Labor Code violations, including failure to pay overtime, failure to provide required meal periods and rest breaks, failure to timely pay wages when due, failure to provide accurate wage statements, failure to reimburse business expenses incurred by Plaintiff, and failure to pay wages due at termination. Plaintiff also asserted a claim for wrongful termination in violation of public policy.

Pregnancy Discrimination

• Mediated a case where the plaintiff requested an accommodation with regard to her work schedule and in-field requirements mandated by the company in light of her need to breastfeed her child. The plaintiff alleged she was retaliated against and subjected to a hostile work environment by her supervisor for requesting the accommodation and that she was forced to resign as a result.

Retaliation

• Plaintiff alleged he was retaliated against and wrongfully terminated by the defendant company after he complained about being treated in a racially discriminatory manner by a superior at the company. Defendant contended that the plaintiff was terminated for a legitimate, non-discriminatory reason, i.e., his failure to comply with the company's safety policy, that there was no evidence of any racially motivated conduct directed against the plaintiff, and that there was no retaliation.

Sexual Harassment

• Plaintiff alleged sexual harassment by the individual defendant, who represented himself to be the corporate defendant's General Manager at a company holiday party and at his home thereafter. Defendants denied sexual harassment took place and contended the company was not liable since any alleged harassment that took place at the individual defendant's home did not occur in a work-related context.
• Plaintiff alleged claims for sexual harassment, assault, hostile work environment, and retaliatory termination. Defendant contended no sexual harassment or assault ever took place and that Plaintiff was terminated from employment after the probationary period based on legitimate business reasons.
• Virtual mediation involving a Plaintiff who alleged her supervisor at the defendant company engaged in quid pro quo sexual harassment, that she was subjected to a hostile work environment, unlawful retaliation, was wrongfully terminated in violation of public policy, and that the company failed to prevent the sexual harassment from taking place. Defendant contended the relationship between Plaintiff and her supervisor was mutual and consensual and that Plaintiff could not establish the elements of any of her claims.
• Plaintiff alleged she was subjected to sexual harassment when Defendant company's CEO (her supervisor) texting her a revealing photo. She contended this altered her working conditions, causing her to be constructively terminated. Plaintiff alleged damages for wage loss and emotional distress. Defendants contended this was an isolated, unintentional incident, the CEO immediately took responsibility for it, it did not rise to the level of sexual harassment under FEHA, and that the company had immediately taken steps to address the incident.
• Plaintiff alleged she was sexually harassed by a co-worker at the defendant company, and asserted claims for sexual and gender discrimination; sexual harassment/hostile work environment; retaliation; failure to prevent discrimination and harassment; and wrongful termination in violation of public policy. Defendants contended Plaintiff never complained of any sexual harassment while she was working at the company and that even if she could establish liability, she had minimal damages.
• A pre-litigation dispute in which former company employee alleged company CEO sexually harassed her, both verbally and physically, and that the CEO terminated her employment within days after she told him she would not tolerate this conduct. Defendant contended the evidence did not support a claim of sexual harassment or retaliation and that the former employee was terminated for legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons due to multiple performance issues.
• The plaintiff, a salesman at a car dealership, alleged he was subjected to multiple acts of sexual harassment by other employees. The plaintiff further alleged he complained about the sexual harassment to management, but that management did not do anything to remedy the situation and wrongfully terminated him in retaliation for his complaints.

Sexual Harassment And Retaliation

• Plaintiff, an Assistant Store Manager, alleged she was sexually harassed by her District Manager and that after she complained about the harassment to the store's General Manager, the General Manager retaliated against her by giving her negative performance reviews, and Defendant ultimately pretextually terminated her employment for an alleged violation of Company policies. Defendant contended there was no evidence of any sexual harassment, that Plaintiff's performance fell below its standards, that Plaintiff had many conflicts with other employees, and that nondiscriminatory business reasons resulted in ultimate termination.
• Plaintiff, an Assistant Store Manager, alleged she was sexually harassed by her District Manager and that after she complained about the harassment to the store's General Manager, the General Manager retaliated against her by giving her negative performance reviews, and Defendant ultimately pretextually terminated her employment for an alleged violation of Company policies. Defendant contended there was no evidence of any sexual harassment, that Plaintiff's performance fell below its standards, that Plaintiff was divisive and had many conflicts with other employees, and that all of its actions were motivated by nondiscriminatory business reasons, as was her ultimate termination.
• Plaintiff alleged her supervisor subjected her to repeated sexual harassment by mispronouncing and "sexualizing" her name by comparing her to a porn star with the mispronounced name. Plaintiff alleged she was wrongfully terminated from employment and retaliated against when she finally stood her ground and told the supervisor to stop sexualizing her name. Defendants denied that any sexual harassment took place and contended Plaintiff was terminated for legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons due to an unprofessional and profane tirade she directed against the supervisor in front of customers.
• Plaintiff, a female employee of the defendant company, sued the company and two supervisors for sexual harassment; retaliation after she reported sexual harassment and requested an increase in pay; sex discrimination; violation of the Equal Pay Act; failure to prevent harassment, retaliation and discrimination; and negligent supervision and retention. Defendants contended there was no credible evidence of sexual harassment; that there was no retaliation since Plaintiff was not singled out and the entire workforce was laid off during the pandemic; that the objective pay data for the company's employees demonstrated Plaintiff was not paid less than male employees who performed comparable work.

Wage and Hour

• Plaintiff sued company and its president for wrongful termination and various wage and hour claims. Plaintiff also sued former clients to whom she provided home health care services on theory they were joint employers. Former clients asserted cross-claims for indemnity and contribution against defendant company.
• Employment wage and hour case in which Plaintiff alleged misclassification as an independent contractor, failure to pay for waiting time when loading and unloading products, failure to provide work-free meal periods, failure to provide accurate pay stubs, failure to indemnify for business expenditures, and waiting time penalties.
• Plaintiff alleged claims for unpaid overtime, failure to provide required rest breaks, failure to reimburse for use of personal tools on the job, waiting time penalties, and wrongful termination/retaliation/discrimination for taking sick leave. Defendant contended Plaintiff voluntarily left his job. Defendant also contended it provided all required rest breaks, that Plaintiff chose to use his own tools on the job despite Defendant providing all necessary tools, and that Plaintiff chose to come in earlier than the specified starting time despite being told not to do so.
• Plaintiff sued Defendants for illegal discrimination in violation of FEHA, retaliation in violation of public policy, pregnancy discrimination in violation of the California Constitution, unsafe working conditions, and wage and hour violations, including meal and rest period violations, failure to pay overtime, unlawful failure to furnish accurate wage statements, and failure to pay minimum wage. Defendants contended they complied with all applicable wage and hour requirements and terminated Plaintiff's employment for legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons.
• Plaintiff, who performed sales and marketing services for the defendants, alleged she was misclassified as an independent contractor and that defendants breached an oral contract regarding the payment of commissions on projects she referred to them, and which were awarded to them.
• Plaintiff alleged Defendants failed to pay him overtime and failed to provide him with the required meal and rest breaks. Defendants contended Plaintiff's job duties met the requirements under California law of an exempt position and that he was therefore not owed anything for his alleged overtime and meal and rest break claims. Defendants also contended that even if Plaintiff was not exempt from the requirements of the Labor Code, they paid him for the overtime hours he worked and provided meal and rest breaks.

Wage and Hour Class Action

• Plaintiff asserted claims for misclassification of employees as independent contractors, unlawful deductions and unreimbursed expenses, unpaid minimum wages, waiting for time penalties, failure to provide meal and rest breaks, failure to provide itemized wage statements, and violations of the Business and Professions Code and PAGA. Plaintiff also sought his attorneys' fees under relevant Labor Code provisions.
• Plaintiffs, who worked at Defendants' stores selling cell phones, accessories, and mobile phone plans, alleged violations on behalf of a class of all employees of the stores of numerous provisions of the Labor Code, including failure to provide required meal periods and rest breaks, failure to pay minimum wages (split shift premiums and reporting time violations), failure to pay double time, unlawful deductions, waiting for time penalties and failure to provide timely and accurate wage statements. Defendants contended they provided meal periods and rest breaks and did not commit any of the other alleged violations of the Labor Code, and cross-complained that the Plaintiffs engaged in fraudulent conduct that damaged Defendants' businesses, thereby disabling them from serving as class representatives.
• Plaintiff drivers filed a class action against Defendant intermodal carrier for reimbursement of business expenses, unlawful deductions from wages, failure to provide required meal and rest breaks, failure to pay minimum wage, waiting time penalties, failure to timely furnish accurate itemized wage statements, and violations of the Unfair Competition Law. Defendant contended each of Plaintiffs' claims failed because Plaintiffs were independent contractors, the claims failed on the merits, and individual questions predominated over any common questions, thereby making it impossible to certify the proposed class and subclass.
• Plaintiff sued a healthcare staffing company on behalf of a class of travel nurses employed by the company, alleging the company improperly excluded the value of per diem payments from the employees' overtime rates, and failed to include the per diem payments in the traveling nurses' regular rate for purposes of calculating meal and rest break premiums.
• Plaintiff alleged he was improperly classified as an independent contractor and denied wages due, including overtime and double-time, and meal and rest breaks. He alleged that the defendant company retaliated against him for complaining that he had not received all wages due and that he was wrongfully terminated in violation of public policy.

Whistleblower Wrongful Term

• A former employee of a commercial real estate services firm was hired as a property manager of a building leased by a city and brought to light concerns about asbestos contamination in the building. The former employee contended he was wrongfully terminated and illegally retaliated against for being a whistleblower. The commercial real estate services firm contended the decision to end the former employee's access to the building and employment on the project was made by the city and that it had taken no adverse employment action against him.
• The plaintiffs, employees of three affiliated healthcare entities, contended that the defendants retaliated against them after they engaged in protected activity by reporting suspicious monetary transactions among the entities. The plaintiffs alleged that they were forced to resign from their positions and that the defendants failed to pay them severance and bonuses that were due. The defendants contended they had legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons for insisting upon the resignations of Plaintiffs due to their mismanagement and breaches of fiduciary duty
• Plaintiff alleged Defendant biotechnology company violated Labor Code section 970 by persuading him to move to accept work by means of knowingly false statements about the kind, character, or existence of the work and the length of time for such work. Plaintiff also alleged Defendant violated Labor Code section 1102.5 by retaliating against him after he called to the attention of company executives the failure to meet FDA regulations and guidelines in its trials for COVID-19 vaccines.

Wrongful Term & Discrimination

• Plaintiff alleged Defendant failed to pay all commissions due in accordance with the formula specified in its Incentive Compensation Plan and changed method of calculating commissions after Plaintiff had closed several deals without promulgating a new compensation plan in violation of Labor Code section 2751. Defendant contended the contract for the key deal at issue was never consummated, that it did not retaliate against Plaintiff for raising the issue of alleged withheld wages, and that it had legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons for terminating Plaintiff's employment.
• Plaintiff sued defendant for retaliation under the Fair Employment and Housing Act ("FEHA") retaliation based on use of medical leave under the California Family Rights Act, failure to prevent harassment and retaliation under FEHA, retaliation under the Labor Code, negligent supervision, and wrongful termination.
• Plaintiff, an Assistant General Manager at one of Defendant's restaurants, was terminated for job abandonment. Plaintiff sued Defendant for disability discrimination, failure to engage in the interactive process, failure to provide reasonable accommodations, retaliation and wrongful termination.
• Plaintiff asserted claims for gender and age discrimination, harassment, retaliation, failure to prevent discrimination and harassment, and wrongful termination. Defendant contended Plaintiff failed to establish a prima facie case of age or gender discrimination, that the conduct complained of was not severe enough or sufficiently pervasive to create a hostile work environment, that there was no causal connection between a protected activity and an adverse employment action to support the retaliation claim, and that Plaintiff had voluntarily resigned and there was no constructive discharge to support the wrongful termination claim.
• Plaintiff, former Director of Admissions for Defendant, claimed Defendant’s President discriminated against him due to his ethnic and religious background and retaliated against him when he raised concerns about Defendant’s admission practices, ultimately wrongfully terminating him from his employment. Defendant contended Plaintiff’s employment was terminated for legitimate, nondiscriminatory reasons.
• Plaintiff alleged claims for disability discrimination, failure to engage in the interactive process, failure to accommodate a disability, wrongful termination, retaliation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Defendant contended Plaintiff could not perform the essential functions of his job with or without reasonable accommodation, that his requested accommodation of a permanent six-hour workday was not reasonable, that there was no failure to engage in the interactive process since Plaintiff was unable to show a reasonable accommodation was possible, that there was no evidence of retaliation against Plaintiff, that he was not wrongfully terminated, and that he did not meet the strict standard for intentional infliction of emotional distress claim.

Wrongful Termination

• Pre-litigation dispute involving claims of hostile work environment, sexual harassment, retaliation, failure to prevent, and wrongful termination. Defendant contended it was not liable for alleged harassment by non-supervisory employee where it took prompt action to investigate the claims upon learning of the alleged harassment and implemented effective remedial action. Defendant also contended there was no retaliation for Plaintiff complaining of sexual harassment and that it had legitimate, nondiscriminatory reasons to terminate her employment.
• Case involving alleged wrongful termination of two long-time independent distributorships by Defendant company. Company claimed terminations were proper under distributor agreements with each plaintiff due to acts of dishonesty by plaintiffs toward customers and denied alleged scheme by management to re-acquire distribution routes in order to resell them at significant profit.
• Plaintiff claimed he was subjected to retaliation by Defendant's managers and colleagues after reporting another employee's sexual harassment to Defendant's HR Department. Plaintiff claimed he was subjected to national origin discrimination and written up falsely for alleged tardiness. Defendant contended Plaintiff violated its attendance policy by being late for work on numerous occasions and that this tardiness constituted a legitimate, non-discriminatory reason for his termination.
• Plaintiff employee alleged retaliation by Defendant and its management/employees for reporting another employee's sexual harassment. Plaintiff alleged the retaliation and hostile work environment caused him severe emotional distress resulting in the necessity of being placed on disability leave and that Defendant failed to accommodate his request for accommodation and failed to engage in the interactive process. Defendant contended Plaintiff was underperforming and began experiencing alleged emotional distress from Defendant's reasonable attempts to assist him in improving his performance. Defendant also contended it accommodated Plaintiff's request for disability leave and engaged in the interactive process.
• Plaintiff brought claims against their employer and its successor entity for age discrimination, age harassment, failure to prevent discrimination, retaliation in violation of Labor Code section 1102.5, disability discrimination, failure to reasonably accommodate, race-based associational discrimination, failure to pay wages (including commissions allegedly earned before termination and vacation wages owed), failure to pay wages due upon discharge, and failure to provide accurate itemized wage statements. Defendants contended they had legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons to terminate Plaintiff's employment and that it paid all wages due to Plaintiff. Defendants also contended that Plaintiff's claim for commissions owed was actually a claim for a bonus and was defeated by the language of their Incentive Compensation Plan, under which Plaintiff had to have been employed as of the date the bonus was scheduled to be paid out.
• Plaintiff, a former supply chain associate at Defendant company, asserted claims for wrongful termination; discrimination, harassment, and retaliation under the California Family Rights Act; and discrimination, harassment, and retaliation based on sex under the Fair Employment and Housing Act. Defendant contended that it had legitimate and non-discriminatory reasons for terminating Plaintiff's employment and that it did not discriminate or retaliate against Plaintiff based on her status as a working mother. Defendant also filed a cross-complaint for unauthorized use and disclosure of its confidential and proprietary information.
• Plaintiff was subjected to a drug test along with all other members of the division in which he worked for Defendant. Although Plaintiff's test came back negative, Defendant terminated Plaintiff's employment on the ground that the test reflected a dilute specimen. Plaintiff contended Defendant violated his right to privacy under the California Constitution and that he was wrongfully terminated after being subjected to a random drug test without any individualized reasonable suspicion he was using drugs. Defendant contended it had given Plaintiff and all others in the division sufficient notice in advance of the drug testing and that it had compelling reasons to conduct the testing of the entire division to maintain a safe environment in the company.
• Plaintiff employee alleged claims for retaliation, age/race/national origin discrimination, wrongful termination in violation of public policy, and failure to prevent discrimination. Defendant contended it had legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons to terminate Plaintiff due to performance issues, including Plaintiff's failure to achieve the goals of a Performance Improvement Plan ("PIP"), and that it did not retaliate against Defendant for filing an EEOC charge or discriminate against Plaintiff on the basis of race, national origin or age.
• A former employee of the defendant company alleged he was subjected to a hostile and abusive work environment and brought claims for racial harassment; discrimination based on a disability; failure to prevent discrimination and harassment; and wrongful termination in violation of public policy.
• Plaintiff, a former loan agent for Defendant, contended Defendant breached her employment contract by underpaying her on commissions due on loan transactions for which she was responsible. Plaintiff also claimed that Defendant violated various provisions of the Labor Code, including misclassifying her as an independent contractor, failing to pay her for overtime hours she worked, failing to provide compliant meal periods and rest breaks, failing to provide her with accurate and itemized wage statements, and failing to provide employment and payroll records upon her request to inspect them.

Antitrust

• Antitrust class action involving alleged price-fixing conspiracy among three major U.S. brands selling packaged seafood. Mediation involved claims of the direct purchaser class against a defendant that was granted conditional leniency by the Department of Justice.
• Plaintiff Class, investors in Government Sponsored Entity (“GSE") bonds, alleged defendants engaged in an overarching conspiracy to inflate the prices of GSE bonds in the secondary market once the bonds were “free-to-trade” (“FTT) following the conclusion of the primary distribution phase. The Defendant had earlier self-reported apparent price-fixing discussions among GSE bond dealers relating to the initial secondary market FTT pricing of certain GSE bonds. Defendant was eligible for the civil litigation benefits under the Antitrust Criminal Penalty Enforcement and Reform Act, and contended the alleged conspiracy was limited to a discrete number of bonds and the initial FTT price offered for those bonds immediately after the primary distribution phase.
• Mediated an antitrust class action in which a class of Commercial Food Preparers ("CFPs") who purchased large, foodservice-sized cans and pouches of tuna products from intermediaries who had purchased these products directly from the manufacturing company for engaging in a conspiracy to fix and raise prices on the products that were passed through to the CFPs.

Breach of Contract

• Virtual mediation involving a dispute between parties to Tradename License Agreements concerning obligations owed by Licensor to Licensee. Licensee contended Licensor was in breach of the provision concerning a "Licensee Cooperative" to maximize buying power in procuring products and services used and sold in the businesses of the Licensees utilizing the Tradename, and that Licensor breached provision granting Licensee exclusive right to use the tradename within a designated "Protective Area." Licensor contended that the Licensee was seeking to impose obligations on Licensor, not encompassed within the relevant provisions of the Tradename License Agreements.
• The defendants acquired the traditional advertising business of the plaintiff pursuant to an Asset Purchase Agreement ("APA"). In addition to the purchase price, the APA specified that the plaintiff was entitled to receive an Earnout Payment tied to the gross profit generated by the traditional business. The plaintiff alleged the defendants breached the APA by failing to pay the Earnout Payment. Defendants contended that the plaintiff breached the contract by failing to disclose that the largest customer of the business intended to terminate its relationship after the closing of the transaction.

Class Actions

• Class action asserting claims for violation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act ("TCPA"). Plaintiff alleged Defendant's real estate company was vicariously liable for auto dialed calls made to Plaintiff and class members by agents working with one of Defendant's "teams." Defendant contended the agents were independent contractors and that they could not be held vicariously liable for their alleged violations of the TCPA. Defendant also contended Plaintiff would be unsuccessful in getting the proposed class certified.
• Consumer class action in which Plaintiffs alleged Defendants defrauded consumers by falsely representing that all of its packaged tuna products were "100% dolphin-safe." Defendants contended they labeled the tuna they sold as "dolphin-safe" in accordance with the Dolphin Consumer Information Act (the "DPCIA"), that the DCPIA and the Marine Mammal Protection Act (the "MMPA") preempted all of Plaintiffs' state law claims, that Plaintiffs could not meet the requirements of FRCP 23 to certify the case as a class action, and that there was no evidence supporting Plaintiffs' claims.
• Plaintiff brought consumer class action, alleging Defendants violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act ("TCPA") by making calls to telephone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry. Defendants contended they were not liable under the safe harbor of the TCPA, as any such calls were made in error and because it had written procedures in place to comply with the TCPA and had trained its personnel to assure compliance. Defendants also contended Plaintiff would be unsuccessful in seeking to certify the proposed class.
• Consumer class action brought under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act ("TCPA"), in which Plaintiff alleged Defendant company sent a fax to thousands of customers that violated the TCPA because it was an unsolicited advertisement with a commercial pretext and a nexus to Defendant's business. Plaintiff alleged the fax, although presented as a chance to enter a contest to win a gift card, was designed to elicit and compile medical practices' lab managers' contact information for its marketing efforts.
• Plaintiff brought a class action in which he alleged violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act ("TCPA") by Defendant, which sent unsolicited text messages to former gym members whose telephone numbers were listed on the National Do Not Call Registry in an attempt to win them back as customers. Defendant contended the class could not be certified due to individual issues regarding, inter alia, whether members of the class gave their consent to be contacted.
• A class action was brought under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act ("TCPA"), in which the plaintiff alleged that the defendant, which sells home loans and refinancing plans to consumers, placed unsolicited telemarketing calls to phone numbers registered on the national DNC list. Defendant contended there was irrefutable evidence Plaintiff had given his written consent to receive phone calls and that it had reasonable practices and procedures to effectively prevent calls to persons who registered their phone numbers on the DNC list.

Complex Civil Matters

• Medical malpractice case in which Plaintiff alleged defendant doctor and defendant hospital negligently failed to diagnose an aortic occlusion that ultimately resulted in gangrene of her left lower extremity and a left above knee amputation. Plaintiff also alleged the hospital violated the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act ("EMTALA"). Defendants contended they satisfied the standard of care in their examination and treatment of Plaintiff and did not violate EMTALA, as she received appropriate screening examinations to identify an emergency medical condition while in the ER and was not subjected to disparate treatment.
• Federal Tort Claims Act claim in which Plaintiffs alleged medical personnel at Naval Hospital committed medical malpractice in the delivery of minor Plaintiff, resulting in severe and permanent brain injury. The government denied the medical personnel violated the standard of care and disputed the amount of damages claimed by Plaintiffs for the minor Plaintiff's life care plan.
• Class and PAGA action brought on the behalf of nurses who contended the defendant's staffing company induced them to accept temporary positions in other locations through knowingly false representations concernng their compensation in violation of Labor Code section 970. The nurses contended that the staffing company, after they changed locations to accept the temporary positions, reduced their promised compensation, thereby breaching their contracts, in addition to violating Labor Code section 970.

Employment Issues

• ERISA claim brought by Plaintiff Trust Fund for collection of fringe benefit contributions from Defendant employer which was signatory to collective bargaining agreement. Trust Fund contended employer was liable for subcontractor's delinquent fringe benefit payments based on agency principles. Defendant contended language of collective bargaining agreement barred collection of delinquent contributions from employer because union failed to provide written notice to employer that subcontractor had failed to make fringe benefit contributions.
• Virtual mediation of an employment wage and hour class/PAGA action in which Plaintiff alleged Defendant, a temporary healthcare staffing company, improperly failed to include per diem reimbursement allowances in the regular rate for purposes of calculating overtime pay, failure to provide required meal and rest breaks, and failure to provide accurate itemized wage statements. Defendant contended the FLSA expressly permits the exclusion from the regular rate of pay for reimbursements that reasonably approximate the expenses incurred on the employer's behalf, that meal periods and rest breaks were provided, and that there was no derivative liability for inaccurate wage statements.
• Class and collective action brought on behalf of travel nurses employed by Defendant's healthcare staffing company. The nurses asserted claims for unpaid overtime under California law and the Fair Labor Standards Act, as well as derivative claims for unlawful business practices and waiting time penalties. The nurses claimed Defendant improperly failed to include per diem stipends in the "regular rate" for purposes of calculating overtime. Defendant contended it properly excluded the per diem stipends from the regular rate of pay under governing case law. Defendant also contended the vast majority of the class members signed arbitration agreements with a waiver of the right to institute class and collective actions, and that it was entitled to a credit or offset for overpayments of overtime and double-time beyond the statutory requirement.

Govt. Admin and Agency

• RICO case in which Plaintiffs alleged Defendants induced them to enter into a purchase agreement for a solar system, promising to install a fully operational solar system that they would own and offering a no-interest loan to finance the purchase. After Plaintiffs entered into the multi-million purchase agreement, Defendants converted the transaction from a loan to a lease, giving ownership of the system to the Defendant bank while imposing all risks associated with the system upon Plaintiffs, charging Plaintiffs an inflated purchase price for the system while fabricating documents to keep Plaintiffs in the dark, and charging hidden exorbitant interest as a monthly "service charge."

Patent Issues

• A dispute between members of an LLC over the right to intellectual property, including patent, trademark, and domain name. Each of the parties claimed the other breached his fiduciary duties to the LLC by, inter alia, transferring funds from the LLC's accounts to their own personal accounts. One of the members contended the LLC should be dissolved, while the other member sought to have his fellow member expelled from the LLC.

Trade Secret Matters

• Plaintiff company alleged corporate and individual defendants engaged in trade secret misappropriation arising out of a joint venture between the parties in violation of the California Uniform Trade Secrets Act and the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act. Plaintiff also alleged a claim under RICO against all defendants and a claim for breach of fiduciary duty against the individual defendants.

General IP

• Licensor in a Software Licence Agreement ("SLA") sued Licensee for failure to pay all required upfront royalties and additional charges for customization of a software package. Licensee counterclaimed against Licensor, seeking the return of amounts it paid under the SLA, contending there was no valid contract due to lack of agreement on a Statement of Work, which the Licensee contended was a material term of the parties' agreement. Licensee also contended that even if there was a valid contract, Licensor failed to perform its obligations to provide customization of its software as required by the SLA.

IP Trade Secrets

• Plaintiff asserted claim for misappropriation of trade secrets under the California Uniform Trade Secrets Act of what it contended was confidential and secret customer data. Defendants contended Plaintiff had failed to establish it sustained any damages under the CUTSA and that Plaintiff should be precluded for introducing any damages testimony under Sargon v. University of Southern California, 55 Cal. 4th 747 (2012).
• Plaintiff limited liability company (LLC) sued a minority member for breach of fiduciary duty by reason of operating a competing business, the expulsion of the minority member, and misappropriation of trade secrets in connection with the operation of the competing business. Plaintiff also sued the minority member's partner in the competing business for engaging in unfair competition and misappropriation of trade secrets. The minority member filed a cross-complaint against the majority members of the LLC.

IP Trademark

• Trademark infringement case in which Plaintiff alleged Defendant adopted a name for its business that infringed upon Plaintiff's registered trademark. Defendant contended there was no infringement and that Plaintiff's claim was barred by laches.

Prof Malpractice Accounting

• Plaintiffs alleged Defendant CPA provided tax advice that was negligent and incorrect. Plaintiffs also alleged that Defendant failed to provide them with proper representation at a tax audit that resulted in a Notice of Deficiency being issued by the IRS and that he attempted to provide legal advice and representation before the United States Tax Court for which he was not licensed to practice. As a result of Defendant's misconduct, Plaintiffs incurred a substantial amount of attorney fees for representation by qualified counsel in the Tax Court.

Breach Of Contract

• Plaintiffs entered into a lease with Defendant for a luxury home to be rented by their clients on a short-term basis. Defendant allegedly breached the lease by terminating it without the required notice, thereby forcing Defendant to find alternative lodging for their clients, and by failing to reimburse Plaintiffs for the relocation costs in accordance with the terms of the lease
• A tenant in a shopping mall planned to open a sit-down restaurant, but claimed it was unable to do so due to the pandemic and vacated the premises. Plaintiff sued the landlord, seeking to rescind the lease and recover the amounts it had paid for a security deposit and for a couple of months of rent. Defendant contended Plaintiff had waived its right to rely on impossibility doctrines and frustration of purpose in the lease, which contained a force majeure clause providing that the obligations to pay rent could not be excused or delayed by virtue of acts of God, governmental restrictions, or other unforeseen events.
• Plaintiff, the owner of a neighborhood shopping center, sued a tenant for breach of contract due to the tenant's termination of the lease and refusal to make rental payments on basis of doctrines of legal impossibility and commercial frustration of purpose due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Defendant contended a provision of the lease provided that rental payments were not excused by reason of acts of God, government, or events beyond reasonable control. Defendant cross-complained for breach of the lease by overcharging Defendant for rent and Defendant's share of common area maintenance.

Property Damage

• Plaintiffs alleged claims arising out of water intrusion emanating from Defendant's hair salon business located directly above Plaintiffs' fashion retail and consulting business. Plaintiffs alleged claims for negligence, trespass and private nuisance, seeking damages for lost profits, damaged merchandise, lost bookings, and monies expended to remediate and restore the premises, as well as for emotional distress and physical injury caused to the Plaintiff owner of the fashion retail and consulting business.

Real Property

• Plaintiffs had a tentative map for the development of 55 homes. The final map was not recorded before the tentative map expired. Plaintiffs alleged this was due to the negligence of the lead civil engineer, which in turn alleged claims for indemnity and contribution against another engineering firm that was a sub-contractor on the project. The lead engineer on the project contended that Plaintiffs and the sub-contractor were responsible for the conditions identified by the County on the tentative map as not having been satisfied.

Transaction

• Plaintiffs sued a home inspection company and its president for negligence in failing to report numerous defects in the home prior to the plaintiffs' purchase of the property. Defendants contended they complied in all respects with the residential inspection agreement signed by the parties and the standards of practice promulgated by the California Real Estate Inspection Association, and that they were not negligent in conducting the inspection or in submitting the inspection report to Plaintiffs.

Civil Rights

• Claims brought by father on behalf of himself and his son with Down's Syndrome who was allegedly discriminated against by defendant airline at the airport prior to their departure. Plaintiffs asserted claims for negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, assault and battery, and violations of the Unruh Civil Rights Act. Defendant contended Plaintiffs' rendition of events was unsupported and implausible, and also asserted defenses under the Montreal Convention.

General Negligence

• Plaintiff, a guest at the home of her siblings, was bitten by their dog, causing injury to her lip and the left side of her face. Plaintiff suffered permanent nerve damage and sensory loss as a result. Defendants contended Plaintiff was comparatively negligent.

Personal Injury

• Plaintiff slipped and fell on a wet spot at one of Defendant's stores while shopping. Plaintiff alleged Defendant failed to comply with its safety policies and procedures. As a result of the fall, Plaintiff dislocated the patella in her right knee and had arthroscopic surgery. The parties' experts agreed a second surgery to stabilize the ligaments would be necessary, but disputed whether a third surgery to repair cartilage damage would be necessary or related to the incident in question. The parties also disputed the extent of non-economic damages that were likely to be awarded by a jury.

PI Auto

• Personal injury case arising from automobile accident. Car driven by Plainitff was struck by car driven by Decedent, who was driving for food delivery service and crossed over the double yellow line, and colllided with Plaintiff's vehicle. Plaintiff sued the company and decedent's estate for physical and emotional damages. The company contended it could not be held vicariously liable for the negligence of decedent, since he was an independent contractor rather than an employee. Defendants also disputed the severity of Plaintiff's alleged physical and emotional damages.
• Plaintiff booked a car owned by one of the defendants through a peer-to-peer ridesharing software platform administered by the other defendant. Plaintiff sued both companies after she was in a rollover accident while driving the car, alleging that the car's defective steering caused the accident. The defendant company that owned the car contended it had been inspected prior to the accident and was found to be in good condition. The other defendant maintained that it had no knowledge of a defect. The two defendants also filed cross-complaints against each other for indemnification and contribution.
• Plaintiff was riding in the defendant's medical transport van when the driver made a sudden stop, slamming on the brakes in heavy traffic and allegedly ejecting the plaintiff forward out of his wheelchair. Plaintiff's left leg was allegedly painfully contorted with a great amount of force, causing extreme pain. Defendant contended that the plaintiff suffered at most a left ankle sprain and left knee sprain that immediately resolved, and that the plaintiff had significant pre-existing medical issues unrelated to the subject accident.

PI Sexual Assault

• This case involved claims of sexual molestation by a sporting coach of two girls under the age of 10. The mother of the girls, in her capacity as guardian ad litem, sued the coach for sexual molestation and his wife for negligence, negligent supervision and negligent failure to warn, train or educate the girls as to the dangers presented by her husband. The husband was also charged criminally. The mediation was made more complex by the fact that the insurer for the coach and his wife raised several coverage defenses and provided a defense to the wife under a reservation of rights; the insurer separately instituted a declaratory relief action.
• Minor plaintiffs, two girls who were under the age of ten during the relevant time period, were sexually assaulted and molested on the premises of defendant homeowners' association ("HOA") by a tennis coach who gave them private lessons and taught them during tennis camps sponsored by the HOA. Plaintiffs alleged a claim for premises liability, contending the HOA violated its own community access and tennis court rules by allowing the coach, who was not a resident of the community, to give the lessons to Plaintiffs (who were also not residents of the community) without any monitoring or supervision. Plaintiffs alleged the assaults were both foreseeable to the HOA and preventable. Defendant HOA contended it never employed the tennis coach, had no notice of his propensities, and never received reports of similar conduct on its property; the HOA, therefore, contended it did not owe Plaintiffs a legal duty to protect them from the tennis coach's sexual assaults and molestation. The case also involved a companion coverage dispute, in which the HOA's insurer contended coverage was excluded under the applicable policies' Abuse or Molestation Exclusion.
• Plaintiff, a university student, contended the university recklessly assigned him a roommate the school knew was a repeated sexual predator without any warning, and that the roommate thereafter committed a sexual assault upon him. As a result, a psychiatrist diagnosed Plaintiff with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Defendant contended it took steps to address the other student's issues before assigning him as a roommate of Plaintiff, including counseling. Plaintiff contended the university should have previously expelled the other student as a standard of care.

Premises Liability

• Personal injury case resolved in which Plaintiff sued Defendant for negligence stemming from its employees leaving a pallet in the aisle where Plaintiff was shopping. Plaintiff snagged her left foot on the pallet and fell on her left side.
• Plaintiff sued Defendant winery for damages resulting from an injury sustained on Defendant's premises. Plaintiff underwent surgery and alleged she subsequently developed right peroneal neuropathy. Defendants contended that Plaintiff was either solely at fault for the accident or was comparatively negligent.
• Plaintiff was riding a scooter rented from one of the defendants on a city street after nightfall when the front tire became caught in a crack in the cement roadway. Plaintiff flew over the handlebars of the scooter and smashed her face and jaw on the street, breaking her jaw and injuring her elbow. Plaintiff sued the rental company for product liability-design and manufacturing defects and negligence, and the city for premises liability-negligence and dangerous condition of public property.

Product Liability

• Plaintiff sued her employer and the manufacturer of a metal detector after she sustained severe injury to her hand when she was cleaning the machine. Plaintiff contended the manufacturer failed to include metal guards on the machine, in violation of OSHA standards and its own safety standards and procedures. The manufacturer contended plaintiff was contributorily negligent and ignored warnings on the machine. The manufacturer also contended that the employer bore a comparatively greater degree of fault due to its negligent failure to train Plaintiff on how to properly clean the equipment.
• Plaintiff purchased flexible steel braided fuel hoses from the defendant for use in its natural gas fuel systems. Plaintiff alleged the hoses did not meet required testing and specification requirements and that the hoses failed, causing the plaintiff to replace thousands of hoses.

Wrongful Death

• Wrongful death action in which Defendant asserted decedent was contributorily negligent. The carrier, defending under a reservation of rights, contended there was no duty to indemnify due to the employee exclusion in the subject commercial auto policy.
• Defendant's liability insurance carrier paid out full policy proceeds, which were allocated among four plaintiffs. Workers' comp carrier's lien was also negotiated as a condition of payment of policy proceeds.
• Wrongful death case filed against security consulting firm by parents of three children who were murdered in shopping center parking lot. Plaintiffs contended security firm failed to use reasonable care to protect decedents from harmful conduct of other persons that the firm could have reasonably anticipated.