- We successfully defended a national retail chain in a disability discrimination and harassment case brought by an employee who had worked for the company for more than 21 years. On pre-trial motions, 10 of her claims dismissed, including her punitive damages claim. After a three-week trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of our client on all remaining claims, except on a single claim for disability harassment, where it awarded her less than 10 percent of her final demand. We then filed a motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict regarding that lone claim. The court recently granted our motion, directing that judgment be entered in our client’s favor and against the employee, rendering judgment wholly in favor of our client.
- We successfully defended one of the nation’s largest banks in a wage and hour class action that alleged “off-the-clock” work and missed meal and rest periods. These claims were brought on behalf of approximately 12,000 current and former employees in the client’s retail banks. After many months of litigation, we defeated the plaintiff’s motion for class certification.
- We achieved a significant trial victory on behalf of a national retailer based on a lawsuit alleging numerous claims of wrongful termination breach of contract, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. After we obtained summary judgment on all of the claims, the plaintiff appealed. The Court of Appeal affirmed the summary judgment decision on all but one claim for wrongful termination in violation of public policy, which it remanded to the Superior Court for trial. After a two-week jury trial in downtown Los Angeles during which the plaintiff asked the jury to award him more than $9 million, the plaintiff obtained a modest five-figure award. Because of a statutory offer to compromise that our client strategically made one year before the trial the plaintiff was liable for our client’s costs.
- We obtained a temporary restraining order and then a preliminary injunction on behalf of one of our financial services clients against two former employees, a senior investment manager and his associate, who left our client to join a competitor. The former employees have been enjoined from using our client’s trade secrets and confidential customer information in an attempt to move their accounts to their new employer.
- We took over the appeal of a favorable summary judgment ruling for a new client from another law firm. We succeeded in securing a California Court of Appeals opinion affirming the summary judgment, but on grounds different than argued to the trial court. The case alleged causes of action for disability and medical condition discrimination, failure to accommodate, failure to engage in the interactive process, and retaliation.
- We achieved a major trial victory on behalf of two mortgage companies against a former loan officer who sued seeking approximately $450,000 in unpaid commissions and bonuses, penalties and interest. The lawsuit involved complex and novel legal claims arising from numerous loan transactions and was the test case before plaintiff’s counsel pursued a class action.
- The firm prevailed on a motion for summary judgment in a case in which a union employee was alleging claims for unpaid wages and waiting time penalties. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the federal judge’s ruling that the plaintiff’s claims were barred by his failure to exhaust his administrative remedies under the collective bargaining agreement.
- We obtained a defense verdict in Orange County Superior Court for a national financial services company. The California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) challenged the lawfulness of the client’s commission plan for more than 1,000 employees and sought recovery of certain post-termination commissions totaling several million dollars. The verdict upheld the client’s plan’s relevant provisions in their entirety.
- We won complete summary judgment for a lending services firm against claims of pregnancy discrimination, retaliation and wrongful termination in violation of public policy.
- We obtained summary judgment in favor of our client, a national retailer, on all four causes of action asserted by a former employee. The former employee alleged wrongful termination in violation of public policy, as well as three causes of action for violations of the California Labor Code. One of the plaintiff’s now rejected claims was based on her theory that her Facebook status updates were protected and could not serve as the basis for termination of her employment.
- We obtained summary judgment in favor one of the nation’s largest banks against a former employee alleging wrongful termination in violation of public policy, as well as breach of contract and fraud claims. The litigation was vigorously prosecuted on behalf of the employee who alleged that he had protested fraudulent loan practices. Our client terminated the employee’s employment for among other things, his role in fraudulent loans for personal benefit.
- We won summary judgment, terminating sanctions, and monetary sanctions against two plaintiffs in a race and age discrimination lawsuit against a national retailer.
- We successfully obtained complete summary judgment in a race discrimination lawsuit against a global manufacturer/retailer, ending years of protracted litigation.
- We obtained complete summary judgment in favor of our national client in an action brought by a former employee alleging age and association discrimination, age and association harassment, retaliation, defamation, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, failure to prevent discrimination and harassment, and failure to pay wages.
- We obtained complete summary judgment in favor of our client, a national retail chain, against a current employee alleging race discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and failure to prevent discrimination. This case started as a class action and, after several years of protracted litigation, KBLLP previously defeated all 7 Plaintiff’s class claims.
- We won summary judgment for our client, one of the nation’s largest financial institutions, in a representative action under the California Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (“PAGA”). In this case, which presented an issue of first impression in California, the plaintiff alleged that the severance agreement that she signed at the termination of her employment did not bar her ability to bring a representative action under PAGA. The Court agreed with the arguments we presented on behalf of our client and granted summary judgment, disposing of the case.
- We won summary judgment for our client in a class action in which the plaintiffs were seeking nearly $100 million in penalties. The case involved two issues of first impression: the plaintiffs alleged that our client’s wage statements did not include certain information required by law and that mailing an employee’s final wage statement in lieu of handing it to the employee at the time of separation violated the law. The Court agreed with our arguments that our client’s practices are lawful.