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Profile

Ann’s practice focuses on employment litigation.

Ann is a senior attorney on the labor and employment team. She handles all phases of single-plaintiff employment litigation, wage and hour class actions, and California PAGA representative actions.

Ann has devoted her career to representing employers in whatever capacity they need, whether as counselor, litigator, or appellate counsel. She has represented a diverse client base, from small business owners to Fortune 100 companies, across numerous industries, including food and hospitality, health care, manufacturing, retail, payroll/staffing, and telecommunications.

While Ann’s experience is especially deep in the wage and hour area, she also has broad experience litigating the gamut of discrimination and wrongful termination claims. She also has extensive experience handling employment appeals, primarily before the California Courts of Appeal and California Supreme Court, whether as parties or amici. As a counselor, Ann has advised employers on daily employee relations issues and workplace investigations, drafted agreements and workplace policies, performed wage and hour audits, handled pre-litigation and administrative disputes, and provided management training.

Prior to joining Hunton, Ann practiced in the labor and employment departments of other reputable national firms, including Seyfarth Shaw LLP, where she both practiced labor and employment law and served as one of the firm’s principal appellate attorneys. Ann is admitted to practice before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

Relevant Experience

  • Obtained reversal by the California Supreme Court of published decision denying writ relief on attorney client privilege issue in overtime case.
  • Obtained reversal of judgments of dismissal in consolidated summary judgment appeals in wrongful termination/disability discrimination cases.
  • Drafted successful sanctions motion leading to plaintiffs’ voluntary dismissal of several claims in wage and hour class action (meal and rest break, off-the-clock, etc.).
  • Obtained affirmance of order denying class certification.
  • Obtained reversal of order denying motion to compel arbitration in wage and hour class action.
  • Won every trial court motion and two consecutive appeals in anti-SLAPP case, and obtained rare court order declaring appellants vexatious litigants.
  • Drafted successful summary judgment brief concerning lawfulness of employer’s commission charge –back policies. Dismissal affirmed on appeal in published decision based on same defense arguments.
  • Obtained affirmance of defense judgment following jury trial in POBRA employment case.
  • Obtained affirmance of defense judgment dismissing on preemption (LMRA) grounds employee’s state law action challenging his suspension.
  • Obtained affirmance of employer’s arbitration award.

Education
BA, University of California, Irvine, cum laude Political Science, cum laude French, 1991

Areas of Practice

Professional Career



Articles

  • The Business of Appeals: Cost-Effective and Creative Strategies for Competing in Today’s Legal Marketplace, Appellate Issues, ABA’s Council of Appellate Lawyers
  • “Legal Aspects of Workplace Violence,” The Complete Workplace Violence Manual, Workplace Violence Research Institute
  • Separation Anxiety? A Separation Agreement May Be the Cure, The California Labor Letter
  • AJEI Summit Breakfast Roundtables, Appellate Issues, ABA’s Council of Appellate Lawyers
  • When Is an Employee ‘Disabled?’ A Critical Question,” The California Labor Letter
  • new employment law chapter, Representing Start-Up Companies, West Group
  • Ahead of the Class, The Los Angeles Daily Journal (An Employment Law Update)

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