Employment Litigation and Dispute Resolution

We have more than 30 years experience in resolving disputes in the business/commercial context, including some twenty years of focus on disputes arising from, or in connection with employment relationships. While our preference is always to resolve disputes favorably to our clients' interests as quickly and cost-effectively as possible (often through mediation or unmediated negotiation), a willingness and ability to try a case is generally a necessary element of a successful negotiation.

Partner Richard E. Levine has extensive trial experience (both jury and court trials) in the state courts of all Bay Area counties and various other counties in the state, including Los Angeles and San Diego. Mr. Levine has tried cases in the United States District Courts in San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles and San Diego. He has also conducted many arbitration proceedings before the Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Service (JAMS), the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)(formerly NASD). Examples the sort of disputes we handle include:

• Statutory employment discrimination.
  


• Sexual, racial and religious harassment in employment.
  


• Employment compensation disputes, including disputes regarding stock option plans, "restricted" stock plans, and commissions.
  


• Retaliation and "whistle-blower" claims.
  


• Claims of unfair competition, breach of loyalty/fiduciary duty, trade secret and confidential information misappropriation in between employers/employees and partnerships/partners.
  


• Battles for control in corporate, LLC and partnership contexts.
  


• Right to privacy claims.
  


• Disputed rights arising from mergers and acquisitions, including rights under "change of control" provisions.