Representative Experience
Employment law, with an emphasis on employment litigation and preventative counseling. Partner with employers to identify the most cost-effective manner to resolve employment disputes in a way that maximizes the employer’s interests and goals. Represent employers at all stages of dispute resolution, from pre-filing negotiations through trial and appeal. Assist employers in managing difficult employment situations in ways that achieve the employer’s goals and minimize the risk of litigation.
Representative Counseling Experience
Counseling employers on a wide range of employment issues including family and medical leave issues, accommodating disabled workers, implementing performance improvement plans and minimizing liability with terminations.
Advising employers through corporate re-structuring and reductions in force, including WARN Act compliance.
Advising on wage and hour issues, performing audits and defending claims for unpaid wages by government agencies or employees.
Serving as outside investigator on claims of workplace harassment.
Conducting training for managers and employees on topics such as unlawful discrimination and harassment, wage and hour, leave laws, performance management, and working with injured or disabled employees.
Advising employers on structuring effective corporate diversity programs.
Representative Litigation Experience
Defending claims of gender, age, race, national origin and disability discrimination, at the administrative, litigation and appellate level. Defending wrongful discharge, wage and hour and employment defamation cases. Representing employers in mediations and other forms of alternative dispute resolution.
Coombs v. PACCAR Inc. (W.D. Wa). Seven-day jury trial. Represented defendant and obtained defense verdict in case involving claims of physical and mental disability discrimination.
Witherspoon v. Philips Medical Systems, Inc. (W.D. Wa). Five-day jury trial. Represented defendant and obtained defense verdict in case involving claims of age discrimination arising out of a layoff. Negotiated favorable resolution of two other related claims after trial.
Deo v. KING Broadcasting (King County Superior Court). Obtained summary judgment for defendant in case involving 11 employment-related claims including race discrimination/harassment, gender discrimination, wrongful discharge in violation of public policy and infliction of emotional distress. Judgment affirmed.
Cox v. FlightSafety, Inc. (D. Alaska). Obtained summary judgment for defendant in case involving claims of defamation arising out of employment reference. Judgment affirmed by Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Prior Experience
Judicial Extern to the Honorable Barbara J. Rothstein, United States District Court for the Western District of Washington
Representative Clients
Seattle Times Company, PACCAR Inc, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Pepsi Bottling Group, Diamond Parking Service, Callison Architecture
Publications and Presentations
Presented to and trained professional groups, lawyers and clients on a wide variety of employment topics including unlawful harassment, leave laws, wage and hour, disability accommodation and effective management
Teacher, National Institute of Trial Advocacy, Trial and Deposition Programs
Memberships and Activities
Named as one of the “Best Lawyers in America” in Labor and Employment Law by Woodward/White, 2003-2004; 2005-06; 2006; 2007; 2008
Named as one of “America’s Leading Business Lawyers” by Chambers USA, 2003-2006
Named as one of the Puget Sound’s 2005 “Forty under 40” by Puget Sound Business Journal
Selected to "Rising Stars," Washington Law and Politics, 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 editions
Member, DWT Executive Committee
Chair, DWT Employment Practice Group
Co-Chair, DWT Firm-Wide Diversity Committee, 2000-2004
Board of Trustees, A Contemporary Theatre, 1995-2003
American Bar Association, Washington State Bar Association
Education
J.D., UCLA School of Law, 1991
B.A. in Economics, with distinction, Stanford University, Phi Beta Kappa, 1988
