About Us

Labor & Employment

Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP is a firm with a real labor practice – not just litigators who attempt employment cases. On a relative basis for a company our size, we have one of the biggest employment and labor groups in California. Each of our attorneys works closely and personally with company clients to establish proactive compliance and conflict resolution methods. Our company believe this individually counseling is even more efficient than an unwieldy group. We deal with customers to help them prevent work environment issues, however where controversy is inescapable, we have handled literally hundreds of jury trials, administrative trials and appeals before courts and administrative agencies across the country.

JMBM is acknowledged as a Go-To Law Practice® & reg; for the leading 500 companies in the United States in the locations of labor lawsuits and labor & employment law, as figured out by American Lawyer Media’s (ALM) of internal counsel at FORTUNE 500® & reg; companies. Because labor and employment issues often involve high stakes and extreme time pressure, our attorneys are committed to providing employers the most immediate service possible. We respond promptly and without stop working, with uncomplicated suggestions from an experienced lawyer who won’t pass your issue off to somebody else. Issues like unwanted sexual advances and workplace violence demand instant attention- and we supply it.

Employers in the middle of a dispute over an organizing drive or an unfair labor practice problem count on our aggressive and timely action. Accountability and availability are our watchwords, and you get direct access to the person who can fix your problem or answer your concern.

One of the strengths of our labor and employment group is the variety of the employers we represent. Public and personal business in company sectors ranging from fundamental production to innovation, clothing to aerospace and from healthcare to financial services all depend on JMBM labor legal representatives, despite the concern. Many customers have actually been with us 10 to 20 years-in lots of cases dealing with the same knowledgeable lawyer who intimately comprehends their company.

Our industry-specific avoidance and readiness techniques can avoid or decrease pricey claims. We work carefully with senior executives and in-house counsel to craft personalized, efficient employment policies – complete with an emphasis on correctly training supervisors and employment HR staff on legal rights and obligations. Our solutions work to ensure compliance with nationwide and state labor laws, lessen conflicts with workers, employment and optimize strategic advantage if lawsuits is needed. We stress innovative preparation and aggressive advocacy for each client.

There are business sectors where we have unique skill in handling employment matters. Many law office rely on us for counsel on problems involving personnel and legal representatives, and we typically advise broker-dealers on non-compete and disciplinary controversies. Our lawyers likewise efficiently represent numerous healthcare and hospitality industry clients in cumulative bargaining and other labor and work issues.

Any protected class of employees-by age, race, gender, employment special needs, religion-could bring suit versus an employer under the discrimination statues. We have actually successfully litigated and resolved all kinds of discrimination matters brought under such work laws as the:

– Americans with Disabilities Act

– Family Medical Leave Act

– Age Discrimination in Employment Act

– Fair Labor Standards Act

– Family and Medical Leave Act

The finest way to manage any claim is to prevent it from being submitted, and we give customers efficient guidance right from the start to manage problems appropriately and keep them from ending up being suits. If lawsuits is necessary, our legal representatives investigate completely and prepare a strong position that can negate plaintiff claims.

We offer strong defense in state and federal court, in administrative actions before the Federal Equal Job Opportunity Commission and before all the California state companies – the Department of Labor Standards Enforcement, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, and the Employment Development Department.

Often overlapping with discrimination issues are claims for wrongful termination, retaliatory treatment and whistle blowing. We understand the requirement in such cases to demonstrate that an employer’s actions were correct, and in spite of the notoriety that is in some cases involved, we have actually had considerable success at showing that company conduct was legitimate and handled correctly.

Whether your service currently has 3rd celebration representation or seeks to keep a work environment free of such involvement, our extremely efficient labor relations counsel can be vital to assisting maintain a competitive office while minimizing conflicts and making the most of management flexibility. Employers that face union arranging drives count on our assistance to:

– Maintain a favorable working environment with open interaction with all employees

– Comply with NLRB election laws

– Counter aggressive unionizing efforts without creating a « union-busting » controversy

In unionized offices, our company is an extremely knowledgeable and responsive partner that works along with company human resources and labor relations personnel to:

– Participate in cumulative bargaining – consisting of multi-union, multi-location talks

– React to complaint and arbitration actions

– Manage decreases in force, drug testing, discipline procedures and strikes

– Provide representation in NLRB procedures

Responsiveness, determination and focus are what set our labor relations counsel apart from that of other law practice. We provide immediate reaction, day-and-night accessibility in crisis scenarios and aggressive defense of all employers’ rights.

We safeguard numerous employers versus class action suits in which staff members demand back overtime pay-and millions of dollars in damages-claiming that under business policies the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime pay exemption no longer applies to them.

JMBM labor legal representatives can help employers prevent category problems that lead to suits by:

– Auditing existing salary policy and pay practices

– Reviewing the language of written work policies to make sure they conform to FLSA requirements for employment exempt and non-exempt staff members

– Making sure all exempt worker task descriptions involve management and guidance

If you as a company are confronted with a wage and hour claim, whether under federal law or California wage and hour statutes, we mount an energetic and reliable defense. Your JMBM lawyer will seek to deny class certification and employment work to secure an efficient and employment efficient settlement that dismisses unproven claims and safeguards your interests.

Disputes over non-compete agreements involving trade secrets typically pit employers versus each other – particularly in California, where the state’s Unfair Competition Law (Section 17200) makes it especially challenging to enforce non-compete terms. We have actually handled lawsuits representing both workers’ former and present companies, and are proficient at protecting and withstanding TROs and long-term injunctions to secure employer interests in either kind of case.