Areas of Practice

EMPLOYMENT litigation AND Counseling

• Whistleblower Retaliation

• Harassment and Discrimination - Race, Color, National Origin, Ancestry, Religion, Age (over 40), Disability, Marital Status, Sex, Gender (Gender Identity and Gender Expression), Sexual Orientation, Military and Veteran Status, Pregnancy and Pregnancy-Related Conditions

• Retaliation and Wrongful Termination

• Equity and Founder Disputes

• Wage and Hour Violations

• Representative Actions under the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA)

• Contract Breaches, including Commissions and Bonus Plans

• FMLA, CFRA, and Disability Accommodation and Leave

• IP and Trade Secret Misappropriation, Confidentiality and NDA Issues

• Negotiating Employment, Executive Compensation, and Severance Agreements

• Advice and Counsel for Start-Ups and Closely Held Businesses

• Employer Defense

Employee Rights: California has some of the strongest laws protecting employees. These laws require employers to pay minimum-wage, overtime, bonuses and commissions. All employees are protected from harassment and discrimination based race, gender, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, and disability.  Further, employers cannot legally retaliate against you for complaining about unlawful conduct or for filing a lawsuit or administrative complaint. If you are fired, demoted or harassed for taking action, we will hold your employer accountable. 

Berman North handles every type of employment claim, including, unpaid overtime and wages, unpaid commissions and bonuses; stock options/RSUs; leaves of absence violations; harassment, discrimination, whistleblower retaliation; trade secrets and privacy claims; non-competition and non-solicitation; and representative actions under the Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (PAGA).

Employer Defense: Berman North represents employers in all aspects of employment law disputes. California and federal laws impose complex and onerous burdens on well-intentioned companies. Employers frequently inadvertently violate employees’ rights. We devote the time to understand your business so that we may identify risks and lead your business to a quick, cost effective resolution. Other times, your company may find itself on the receiving end of a meritless claim. Whether in an administrative proceeding, arbitration or court, engaging the right law firm can significantly impact the outcome of your case. We handle wrongful termination claims, wage-and-hour issues, PAGA claims and all other employment related disputes. We focus on results, pushing for early resolution while preparing to defend you through trial.

Employment Counseling: Berman North works with California businesses to prevent and resolve employment issues through compliance audits, counseling and training. Because we represent employees as well as employers, we are uniquely qualified to identify vulnerabilities and develop cost-effective strategies to address them. Decades of experience litigating employment contract disputes enable us to draft clear, enforceable agreements to protect your company. We also prepare employee handbooks and hiring and termination documents.