Let’s Keep the Workplace Working.

Representing Employers in Labor & Employment Law

Explore Our Practices

Decades of Experience. A Clear Focus on Employers.

Established 1981

More than four decades of experience advising and representing employers.

Employer Focused

A practice built around the legal and operational challenges employers face.

Majority Women-Owned

A longstanding law firm shaped by experienced and diverse leadership.

California Counsel

Deep experience navigating California’s complex labor and employment landscape.

Practices

Employment Litigation

Cook Brown represents employers in workplace disputes and litigation involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and other employment-related claims.
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Wage & Hour

Cook Brown helps employers navigate California's complex wage and hour requirements, including compliance matters, individual claims, representative actions, and related litigation.
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Personnel Policies

Cook Brown advises employers across a broad range of workplace matters and provides practical guidance backed by decades of experience.
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Prevailing Wage

The firm assists employers with prevailing wage compliance and disputes involving public works projects and California's evolving regulatory requirements.
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Construction Litigation

The firm's experience extends to litigation involving contractors, construction businesses, and disputes arising within the construction industry.
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Labor Relations

The firm advises employers on union relations, collective bargaining, labor disputes, and other matters involving the employer-employee relationship.
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Workplace Investigations

Cook Brown conducts and advises on workplace investigations involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation, misconduct, and other sensitive employee concerns.
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REAL RESULTS

Won a complete defense verdict in a 13-day jury trial, successfully defending a major utility employer against age and race discrimination claims as well as failure to engage in the interactive process.
Won individual PAGA arbitration hearing and defeated subsequent motion to vacate award for large construction contractor.
Won summary adjudication of PAGA claim for alleged meal/rest break violations and novel issue of law related to prevailing wages and regular rates of pay for large construction contractor.
Received grants of summary judgment in various matters including for sexual harassment, racial harassment, race discrimination, age discrimination, retaliation and non-compete claims.
Successful dismissals of various wage and hour class action claims against retailers, contractors, manufacturers, construction companies, and nonprofit agencies.
Defeated class certification of meal and rest period and overtime claims.
Won summary judgment on all claims in employment discrimination case.

Employment Litigation

Blog

Summary Judgment Granted on All Claims in Employment Discrimination Case

Associate Daniel Kozieja successfully obtained summary judgment on behalf of the Defendants in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. Judge Jennifer L. Thurston granted the Defendants’ motion for summary judgment on all causes of action,

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Trial Court Reduces PAGA Penalties and Attorney’s Fees: What Can Employers Do to Avoid Statutory Maximum Penalties?

California’s Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) lawsuits often expose California employers to significant civil penalties. However, a recent California Court of Appeal decision provides an important reminder: trial courts have broad discretion to reduce PAGA penalties and attorney’s fees when

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California Court Clarifies the Standard for Employer Knowledge under FEHA of a Disability Based on Observation

The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) requires California employers to engage in a timely interactive process upon first learning of an employee’s disability. The interactive process requires the employer and employee to engage in a timely and good-faith

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Employer Guidance on Automated Decision Making

By January 1, 2027, certain businesses that use automated decision-making technology to make employment decisions must comply with new California Privacy Protection Agency regulations. The regulations generally apply to large employers — those with annual revenue in excess of $25

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Reminder on New Restrictions Governing Employee Debts

Now that 2026 is well under way, employers may want to assess their compliance with one of this year’s more nuanced new laws – AB 692 – governing employee debts. AB 692 was enacted to prohibit employers from forcing employees

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Court Finds Employee’s Mistaken Belief of a Legal Violation Protected From Retaliation

California courts continue to interpret whistleblower protections broadly and extend this protection to employees even when they are wrong about the law or an alleged violation. In a recent decision, a California Court of Appeal held that an employee may

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