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Overview
Employers turn to Gabrielle for guidance as to how they can comply with the technical employment laws in California, Montana and nationwide while meeting their business needs.
Gabrielle’s successful trial experience in a broad range of employment disputes including wage and hour, whistleblower, wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, ADA accessibility, breach of contract, and trade secret/noncompetition cases and her work with the corporate team on acquisitions and startups equip her to nimbly assess and provide legally compliant options, whether in the counseling or litigation defense role. She also represents employers before a wide variety of state and federal agencies including the EEOC, OFCCP, state human rights agencies, the Labor Commission, the Employment Development Department and OSHA.
Gabrielle is often requested to speak on a broad range of employment issues for a wide variety of corporate counsel and human resource organizations. She is a longstanding member of the Orange County Women’s Philanthropy Fund and an avid supporter of a variety of philanthropic causes in California and Montana. She is currently the head of the Montana Labor & Employment department and supports the Southern California office at Dorsey.
Experience
Client Achievements
Representative Work
Recent Employment Trials
- Defended employer against claims for wrongful termination, fraud, whistleblower claims, race discrimination, retaliation and breach of implied contract. Prevailed in a two-week jury trial on all claims except fraud which was ruled a mistrial due to plaintiff’s erroneous jury instruction.
- Defended employer in a pregnancy and sex discrimination claim and claim for breach of contract. Prevailed in a three-week jury trial on pregnancy and sex discrimination claim, plaintiff recovered six months' pay on contract claim.
- Court granted motion to strike class action allegations in this class action alleging violation of California’s meal and break regulations.
- Court denied plaintiffs’ motion for class certification in a manager/assistant manager misclassification class action. The individual claims settled on a favorable basis thereafter.
- Court granted motion to strike class action allegations alleging violations of California’s meal and rest break regulations.
- Obtained reversal of substantial assessments for employment taxes finding individuals to be employees instead of independent contractors.
- Obtained summary judgment on claims for wrongful termination in violation of public policy; invasion of privacy; sex and race discrimination.
- Obtained summary judgment against claims for wrongful termination in violation of public policy (whistleblowing), breach of implied contract and other claims.
- Obtained summary judgment in multi-plaintiff wage and hour, sex discrimination and whistleblower claims.
- Obtained summary judgment on claims of wrongful termination, sexual harassment, retaliation and breach of contract.
- Obtained summary judgments on claims of wrongful termination, retaliation, race discrimination and breach of contract.
News & Resources
Articles
September 28, 2022
June 01, 2022
September 13, 2021
May 14, 2021
January 14, 2021
December 23, 2020
September 18, 2020
September 14, 2020
July 21, 2020
April 10, 2020
March 13, 2020
February 14, 2020
December 31, 2019
October 08, 2019
News & Press Mentions
August 15, 2024
August 17, 2023
January 20, 2022
June 24, 2021
February 12, 2021
January 22, 2021
January 21, 2021
January 15, 2020
August 7, 2019
January 30, 2019
August 15, 2018
January 30, 2018
September 3, 2017
August 15, 2017
January 23, 2017
August 15, 2016
August 17, 2015
July 22, 2013
Events & Speaking Engagements
August 2, 2022
September 14, 2021
May 19, 2021
April 15, 2021
November 29, 2018
December 6, 2017
February 28, 2017
December 5-6, 2016
September 26, 2016
September 22, 2016
August 11, 2016
November 19, 2015
November 10–11, 2015
April 8, 2015
November 21, 2014
November 18, 2014
June 18, 2013
August 16, 2011
June 7, 2011
Select Presentations
- Speaker, Staying Ahead: Leaves of Absence and Disability Accommodations – Navigating Sticky Scenarios from Medical Marijuana to “Emotional Support” Animals and More, Costa Mesa, CA, May 22, 2019
- Speaker, Salary History and Pay Equity, Professionals in Human Resources Association, La Jolla, CA, January 30, 2019
- Speaker, Salary History and Pay Equity, Professionals in Human Resources Association, Burbank, CA, January 22, 2019
- Speaker, Salary History and Pay Equity, Professionals in Human Resources Association, Riverside, CA, January 16, 2019
- Speaker, Salary History and Pay Equity, Professionals in Human Resources Association, Anaheim, CA, January 10, 2019
- 2014 Midwest Intellectual Property Institute: Employee Postings on Social Media: An Employment Lawyer’s Cautionary Tales for the IP Attorney. September 19, 2014
- Association for Corporate Growth: Employment Details Often Forgotten in Spin-Off Opportunities. August 7, 2014
- Minnesota Continuing Legal Education: Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute: New California Wage and Hour Challenges. May 20, 2014
Industries & Practices
Healthcare & Life Sciences
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceBanking & Financial Institutions
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceFood, Beverage & Agribusiness
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practice- Banking & Financial Institutions
- Class Action Litigation
- Cooperative Law
- Food, Beverage & Agribusiness
- Healthcare & Life Sciences
- Indian & Alaska Native
- Insurance Law
- Labor & Employment
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Oil & Gas
- Sustainability
Accolades
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America©, Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment, 2007-2025
- Listed as a Southern California Super Lawyer, 2010-2013, 2016-2022, and 2024
- Contributed more than 50+ Challenge pro bono hours, 2022
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America Employment Law Issue, 2021
- Listed as a Southern California Super Lawyers Women’s Edition, 2021
- Orange County Women in Business, Nominee, 2009-2013
