GENERAL PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

Barbara A. Cotter, a partner in the Sacramento office of Cook Brown, LLP, provides advice and guidance on the critical issues facing California's employers: hiring and firing, harassment investigations, leased employees, wage and hour compliance, disability accommodation, personal and family leave rights, mass layoffs and plant closures, contract disputes and protection of trade secrets. Ms. Cotter drafts and reviews personnel policies, employment manuals, contracts and severance agreements. She provides harassment and discrimination prevention seminars specifically designed to comply with California's training mandate.

In addition, Ms. Cotter has extensive experience defending companies and individuals in employment-related litigation -- both in federal and state court and before administrative agencies. She represents clients on all claims arising from the workplace, including allegations of discrimination, breach of contract, harassment, violation of wage and hour laws, defamation, invasion of privacy, trade secrets violations, and wrongful termination and retaliation.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

Ms. Cotter is a graduate of San Francisco State University and Hastings College of the Law. She served as law clerk to the Honorable Milton L. Schwartz, U.S. District Court Judge for the Eastern District of California, from 1989 to 1991. Prior to joining Cook Brown, Ms. Cotter chaired the Employment Practices Group at Murphy, Pearson, Bradley & Feeney. She is currently a member of the Editorial Board of the California Labor & Employment Law Review. She served as Chair of the Sacramento County Labor and Employment Law Section in 2003/2004. Ms. Cotter is fluent in Spanish.

PROFESSIONAL AND BUSINESS AFFILIATIONS

Ms. Cotter is currently a member of the Labor & Employment Law Sections of the Sacramento County and California State Bar Associations.

ADMITTED TO PRACTICE

Ms. Cotter is licensed to practice before all California state courts, the United States Court of Appeals Ninth Circuit, State Bar of California, 1989, United States District Court, Eastern District of California, Northern District of California and Central District of California.