• B.A. Political Science and Minors in Journalism and Leadership Studies, Chapman University • J.D./Labor and Employment and certificate in Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine Caruso School of Law
I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be a lawyer. In kindergarten, I would dress in a suit and bring my briefcase to class. I didn’t quite know why I wanted to be a lawyer, but I knew I wanted to help people and this was only way I knew how. I held on to my dream and made it a reality as I emersed myself into law and became the first and only attorney in my family.
My journey into the employment law world was shaped by the people in my community eager to grow their businesses. Having grown up around family-owned businesses, I witnessed firsthand the dedication, passion, hard-work that goes into running a thriving business. This early exposure instilled in me a profound commitment for business owners and the hospitality industry.
As an attorney, I am honored with the opportunity to represent our clients and watch their businesses succeed with our help. I am dedicated to promoting the growth of the hospitality industry by delivering extraordinary counsel and supporting our clients.
When I am not in the office, I am spending time with my loved ones, enjoying the beach, and doing Pilates.
PAGA Repeal Bill: A Possible Shake-Up for California Labor Law
April 12, 2024
Category: Legal Updates
On November 5, 2024, California voters will have the opportunity to repeal and replace the California Private Attorney General Act (“PAGA”). The bill would double down on penalties for willful labor-law violators but entrust enforcement exclusively to a state agency. This would require all monetary penalties be awarded to employees, while barring attorneys from recovering any fees, unless specified by the labor code. The law would also supply resources to employers to ensure compliance.
Employers Must Notify California Employees of Void Non-Competes
February 21, 2024
Category: Legal Updates
California is not spreading the love to employers this Valentine’s Day. Employers’ deadline to give their California employees a notice that any non-compete agreements are void was February 14, 2024. Employers who fail to give the notice could face $2,500 per violation plus sanctions.
The United States Department of Labor (“DOL”) recently released a final rule that addresses the classification of workers as independent contractors under federal labor law. The rule goes into effect on March 11, 2024.
Not Music to Our Ears: Music Can Create a Hostile Work Environment
September 22, 2023
Category: Legal Updates
In a recent case, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held that employees may be able to support a hostile work environment claim by presenting evidence of regular exposure to violent, misogynistic music, even when the music’s message is not directed to a particular individual, but is broadly offensive to both men and women.
California Supreme Court Averts SCOTUS Viking River Decision, Allowing Litigation of PAGA Claims Despite Arbitration Agreement
July 21, 2023
Category: Legal Updates
Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an employer-friendly decision in Viking River Cruises v. Moriana. There, it held that the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) preempts the California Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) such that employees who signed arbitration agreements could not avoid arbitration of their individual PAGA claims and, once their own dispute was “pared away from a PAGA action,” they lacked statutory standing to maintain their non-individual claims in court. While many employers hoped Viking River would end PAGA claims altogether, the Supreme Court left the door open for a contrary ruling from California courts, as Justice Sotomayor’s concurring opinion in Viking River foretold: “Of course, if this Court’s understanding of state law is wrong, California courts, in an appropriate case, will have the last word.” (Viking River, 142 S.Ct. at 1925 (conc. opn. of Sotomayor, J.))