Lisa M. Pooley

Lisa has been representing public and private sector employers with respect to labor and employment issues for more than two decades. She has substantial employment litigation experience in state and federal courts, as well as in administrative proceedings and labor arbitrations. Lisa regularly defends employers in single-plaintiff and multiple-plaintiff lawsuits involving claims of wrongful termination and employment discrimination, with particular emphasis in disability and gender discrimination cases. Lisa also represents clients in other employment-related litigation, including cases alleging whistleblower retaliation, breach of contract, fraud, defamation, and misappropriation of trade secrets.

Lisa also has extensive experience defending wage-and-hour class actions in state and federal courts and is well versed in meal and rest period claims under the California Labor Code, as well as representative and collective actions brought under California’s Private Attorneys General Act and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

Lisa also has substantial appellate experience in the California Courts of Appeal and the Ninth Circuit, including recent victories affirming a state court summary judgment and affirming a federal court dismissal. She also has represented public employers in civil writs and mandate proceedings.

Using her broad experience and expertise, Lisa also regularly counsels clients on an array of employment matters, including developing appropriate personnel policies and procedures, implementing progressive discipline and termination decisions, managing leaves of absence, providing disability accommodations, and wage-and-hour issues.