Employment Law

Dave’s employment law practice often dovetails with his core specialties (restrictive covenants, trade secrets, and executive representation). But out of law school, Dave’s practice focused almost exclusively on more traditional labor and employment law when he worked for one of the country’s leading boutique firms before joining the employment law group of Silicon Valley heavyweight WSGR. Since those days he’s continued to defend small to mid-sized companies against employment-related claims including those involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and wage and hour allegations.

Clients also often turn to Dave for advice on day-to-day workplace issues, including the conduct of workplace investigations, counseling on discipline and termination issues, and oversight of wage and hour audits. He’s also represented both companies and executives on employment issues arising out of mergers and acquisitions, and has an active practice representing executives who require counsel to enforce their rights under employment agreements, compensation plans, and whistleblower statutes. Consistent with the firm’s main goal of helping its clients focus more on running their businesses, Dave’s practice emphasizes preventive measures to minimize litigation risk and he actively pursues ADR where cost-effective.

Experience Matters

Here’s a sampling of Dave's more recent traditional employment law engagements:

  • Prevailed in wage and hour arbitration filed against our client, a small technology placement firm (AAA)
  • Defending west coast overnight delivery company against discrimination/wage and hour lawsuit (Alameda County Superior)
  • Successfully defended national restaurant franchisee during administrative agency’s investigation into allegations of race/sex discrimination (DFEH)
  • Defended leading Canadian technology company against multi-million dollar sales commission claim (N.D. Cal.)
  • Defended national newswire company in wage and hour class action lawsuit (San Francisco Superior)
  • Defended internet start-up and co-founders against wage and hour lawsuit (Santa Clara County Superior)
  • Represented legal services industry executives in age discrimination/fraud claims against former employer (N.D. Cal.)
  • Represented California executive pursuing Labor Code claims against Louisiana-based technology company (aka, shooting ducks in a barrel)
  • Defended internet communications company and its founder against wage and hour allegations (Los Angeles Superior)
  • Advised internet flash sales leader on senior level terminations and concerning internal wage and hour audit
  • Represented small plumbing company pursuing social media/defamation claims against disgruntled former employee
  • Represented plaintiff/former officer of greenhouse growing company in whistleblower lawsuit against former employer (Monterey County Superior Court) (case settled).