DECEMBER 15, 2015 – Emilio Gonzalez, a partner in the Employment Services Group at Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, has been named to the 2016 "National Law Journal" list of "Litigation Trailblazers."
The Trailblazers list recognizes professionals who are "going above and beyond the norm, and bringing about meaningful change through their work," said Kenneth Gary, vice president and group publisher of the "National Law Journal." "The pool of nominees is incredibly strong and these 50 winners are truly models of innovation in the legal community."
The honorees were recognized last night at an awards dinner in New York City.
Gonzalez, who practices in our Los Angeles office, was recognized in particular for a litigation management tool he developed in partnership with DWT’s in-house innovation team.
The tool “utilizes technology to create a detailed project plan clarifying what needs to be done” at each stage of a case, wrote the NLJ in a profile of Gonzalez published last week. “The tool, rolled out in 2015, helps to answer questions about efficiencies…and allows for more visibility into the budget,” the publication said.
Gonzalez told the paper that by improving transparency for clients, "it’s a relationship management tool as well as a project management tool."
"Clients love working with Emilio precisely because he shows this kind of initiative and ingenuity," said Henry Farber, chair of the firmwide Employment Services Group at Davis Wright Tremaine. “We are delighted to see him receive such well-earned recognition.”
Gonzalez’s clients include international technology and software companies, national and international banks and investment firms, major film and media companies, hospitals, medical groups, manufacturing companies, telecommunication companies, and restaurants. He has won jury verdicts in state and federal courts in cases dealing with civil rights, discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wrongful discharge claims.
He also represents employers in wage and hour disputes, including those brought as class action claims, and has prosecuted and defended trade secret and unfair competition actions dealing with data breaches, employee raiding, and misappropriation of business records. He has represented employers before the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement as well as the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
In 2014, Gonzalez was named one of the top employment lawyers in California by "The Daily Journal," a leading statewide legal newspaper.
Outside of the firm, he serves as vice-chair of the board of directors of Endeavor College Prep, a public charter school serving students in East Los Angeles.
DWT’s national Employment Services Group provides employment counseling, employment litigation, labor relations, employee benefits, and immigration services to employers. DWT’s practice is one of the largest in the country and has experienced significant growth this year, with the addition of a group in San Francisco and an East Coast team in New York. The firm was recently awarded a 2016 National Tier 1 rating in Employment - Management by Best Law Firms and "U.S. News."
About Davis Wright Tremaine
Davis Wright Tremaine LLP is a national law firm with over 500 lawyers representing clients based throughout the United States and around the world. The firm was recently named "Innovative Law Firm of the Year" by the International Legal Technology Association. For more information, visit www.dwt.com.