It is a long ride down this street to the downtown Los Angeles office, but it might be worth it if you have a case. Westwood and Santa Monica residents might find it easier to take Beverly Glen (at the right time of the day) and head over the hill to our Sherman Oaks office which is an equal or closer distance from here to the downtown office.

#LosAngelesjoblawyer

Possibly the last in the series of office building holiday displays. This is from a West Los Angeles office building on Wilshire Boulevard. In all of my appearances for depositions and mediations, at other people's offices, over the holiday season I didn't find a single Chanukah or Kwanzaa display.

#HolidayDisplays

West Los Angeles looking Northwest into Brentwood, taken from a mediation today in which an employee was retaliated against for complaining that his Latino supervisor called him the, "N" word. Many cases in which one minority group discriminates against another minority group come my way in many counties across California. However, as Latinos comprise the most prevalent portion of California's population it can no longer be said that group is a minority.
The fact Latinos are the majority population, or the majority of a workforce, can also lead to discrimination against Latinos employees. My case yesterday involved a white supervisor making disparaging remarks towards the Latinos. One interpretation of his behavior is he was angry the Latinos dominated the workforce, and expressed his anger through racial epithets.
The unfortunate fact is regardless of it being the 21st century, racial tension and inappropriate behavior continues in the workplace. In fact, I have seen more actual national origin, ancestry, and race discrimination cases the last four years than I saw the first eighteen years of my practice representing employees.

#racediscriminationatwork #workplaceracediscrimination

Litigants need to see this picture. This is what an actual courtroom in Los Angeles Superior Court, Civil Central in downtown Los Angeles looks like.
If you are lucky enough to have your employment lawsuit heard in a courtroom in this building you are in one of the highest profile courts in the country. Nothing fancy, of course due to budget cuts, but a place where the land's most sophisticated lawyers have obtained some of the largest jury awards in this country.

#LosAngelesJurylawyer #LosAngelesCourt

Taken from a mediation on a disability discrimination case. Employers who can temporarily accomodate a disability, but not accomodate one on a long term basis have an uphill battle in meeting their burden of undue hardship. Additionally, an inability to do a job based upon a disability must be of an essential job function. Essential job functions are generally not ones take little time, are done irregularily, or are hypothetical in nature.

#workdisabilitylawyer #ADAlawyer

Taken from underneath a tree on my way back from Federal Court. It was over 100 degrees around 3:30 P.M. Lots of fun lugging all of my final status conference materials around in the big briefcase only to find out the religious discrimination trial was continued by the judge due to her case backlog.

#FederalDiscriminationLawyer #ReligiousDiscriminationAttorney

Jobsite safety is very important. I can't tell you how many residential construction sites I have walked onto and not seen anybody wearing a hard hat during the framing process, or even if a construction worker is up on the roof hammering and causing debris to flow down below.
As an employee lawyer I'd like to see more employees wear respirators and hard hats when any debris is capable of falling their way. I'd also like to see better ear protection when compressors are on, saws are going, or any power tools are being used. I always wear earphones when I saw, jack hammer, drill, or trim.

#Joblawyer #Jobsafetylawyer #workinjury

Boat shaped top of a downtown Los Angeles office building, complete with landing pad.
This picture was taken from the window of the US Bank Building where I had to sit for a deposition on a labor abuse case in which a janitorial company devised ways not to pay their workers who were often convicted felons, illegal immigrants, non-English speakers, or women coming off welfare. It's amazing that the lawyers defending such a despicable labor abuse have such a nice view of Los Angeles.

#LaborAbuseLawyer

It's back to school for many students.
California Labor Code gives parents certain rights in their employment. For example, parents cannot be fired or discriminated against for participating in up to 40 hours a year of events at the school provided reasonable notice is given and the employer has 25 or more employees. Nor is it permissible, regardless of the number of employees, to discharge or discriminate against a parent who is required to attend the child's school because the student has done bad things under California Education Code Section 48900.1.

#Firedforgoingtochild'sschool #laborlawyerforparents
If you were fired for attending your child's school, please contact our labor law firm at (323) 525-1600.

Spent some time in this section of Downey Friday and Sunday. It would be nice to see new businesses in this area. There definitely is a demand in this I-5 convenient area. The Starbucks in the neighborhood is packed and very clean. I am not suggesting mom and pop employers be run out of business, but there is definitely demand for nice establishments in this section of Downey, and Downey in general.

#DowneyEmploymentLawyer

Your Los Angeles Labor Lawyer's spoken word tributary to the City of Los Angeles. I had fun doing this with my science minded son who is a good video editor for twelve. Hopefully this project instilled in him long lasting appreciation for multi-media prose and our Queen of the Angeles.

#LosAngelesSpokenWordPoetry

I am a Los Angeles novelist and legal writer so please be kind. This is my tributary poem to Los Angeles originally called Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles de Porciúncula which in English means, "Town of our lady the Queen of Angels of the little Portion.
What a coincidence. Friday night I decided Angelyne was clearly one of the faces of the Queen of Angeles. Sunday night my son, who helped me make the spoken word video, asked if it was, "The lady in the video" we saw in Canter's who I thought might be part of an upcoming musical act in the Kibitz room. I dismissed his notion until we went outside and saw this particular Corvette with this particular personalized license plate which my cell phone camera did not capture correctly.
No Angelyn, no LA, and everybody knows how I feel about Los Angeles.

#Hollywoodnight #LosAngelesLawyer #Angelyne

This is our groovy break area in our new downtown Los Angeles office. I was in the downtown Los Angeles office today mediating a race discrimination case.

#LosAngeles #RaceDiscriminationLawyer

Beverly Hills, California a place where $11.37 an hour is required for a living wage. Beverly Hills, California a place without its own city minimum wage law. A place where restaurant and retail workers in one of the world's highest cost per square foot retail centers must only be paid the state minimum wage of $9.00 an hour while 37% of the city's residents have incomes above $200,000 a year.

Taken today from a class representative's deposition in the US Bank building which is undergoing bizarre renovations. The elevator talks, the lobby seems miniaturized, there is no longer anywhere to get food in the building, and before getting into the elevators you have to indicate what floor you want to go to.
Soon I am going to post a plunging view from the 33rd Floor of my downtown office which is way better than the 63rd floor of the Union Bank building.

#UnionBankBuilding #LosAngelesSkyscraper

From the rotating room at the Bonaventure Hotel looking to North downtown Los Angeles and the 110 Freeway. Years I proposed to my wife in this room, and she left her purse along these windows where it does not rotate.

#skybars #LosAngeles

Here is the progress on the Wilshire Grand Tower as seen, once again, from ADR Services at 915 Wilshire Boulevard in downtown Los Angeles.
Basically, more steel is in place. To the layman, a few more floors of what will be Los Angeles' tallest building are completed.

#WilshireGrandTower

Downtown Los Angeles with the Union Bank building in the background. Let's just say we are no longer using the Union Bank building for our downtown office. Our landlord, Regus, turned out to be the world's worst landlord.
Stay tuned for information on our relocated downtown Los Angeles office. I filled out paperwork today for a new DTLA office.

#DTLA #downtownLosAngeles

Century City at night. During the day home of alternative dispute resolution and law firms where depositions take place.

#CenturyCity

A bunch of employment defense lawyers blocking my Nissan NV3500 van!
You know, in this Arizona town they sell a lot of tee-shirts with a different name for these animals which starts with an, "A."
I guess you could say this is a love it, or hate it post, but it's all in fun.

#JackAss

There is a lot more to say about Bunker Hill, but the below post is as much as I could do in 3-4 hours. It is a symbol of Los Angeles in so many ways.

#Bunker #Hill #vintageLA BUNKER HILL, DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES | Vintage Los Angeles

Many Angelenos may think this is Bunker Hill, but it is not. This is a large corporate built staircase connecting several large non-user friendly monstrosities in downtown Los Angeles. I guess it is being remodeled.
Shot this quick pic on a lunch break at a class action deposition.

Is he reviewing his notes before the witness arrives for a deposition? Actually, this was our team's prep room during debate day number 3 in the middle school debate league.
I judged three rounds today (none my son debated in), and kept my eyes out for future attorneys of the law school graduating classes of 2029.
P.S. the young man in this picture recently edited four videos for the law firm!

#futurelawyers

In an attempt to bring you the most up-to-date news in Los Angeles here is the front page of an 1878 newspaper called the Daily Los Angeles Herald.

When the strip was an experience. Cooler, and almost 50 years ago.

#Sunsetstrip

Hollywood - Sunset Blvd 1967 HQ (From Producers Library stock footage)

This is a middle school debater carrying his legal files (actually old billing file folders I gave him). I am greatful to have had the opportunity to judge three of the four debate rounds in this all day competition. This program teaches children how to conduct research on topics much like I do for legal briefs. They are also required to follow specific formats of proposition, opposition, rebuttal while using reasoning, responding, and adding new points based upon evidence.
Although this was Wise School's first experience in this program where we competed against five or six other independent area schools we came in third, won two top 15 speaker awards, and several of our teams placed in the top ten in terms of points (including the team of the young man below).
Next round in January
Don't be surprised if the Employment Lawyers Group ends up sponsoring this middle school debate team!

#debate

My Vintage Los Angeles entry about UCLA. The picture is a very rare postcard of mine from the 1940s.
University of California, Los Angeles 1940s | Vintage Los Angeles
employeelawca.com

Today at this Los Angeles private school I became a certified middle school debate judge. Just like attorneys, middle school debaters are taught to respond to all issues raised unless one is dropped. The format of their debates are somewhat similar to appellate court arguments which are limited by time. Additionally, their arguments start with a proposition followed by opposition and rebuttal. My certification training should qualify as continuing legal education credit because it closely relates to the same sort of skills required by trial lawyers. Overall, I feel the day sharpened my skills as a trial lawyer by bringing me back to the crux of oral argument.

Originally shared by Richard S. Lawson
It's the time of year to remember the laws (and common sense) that apply when a school bus has stopped to pick up children.
https://dui.info/with-school-back-in-session-remember-the-duty-to-stop-when-you-see-a-school-bus/

#schoolbussafety

Los Angeles was originally called, “Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles.” La Ingelsia Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles is the oldest congregation in Los Angeles. The parish was founded in 1784. The church that stands on 535 North Main Street in Los Angeles was first constructed in 1822 and is the oldest standing religious institution in Los Angeles.
This picture is of the side wall of the building on a street called Luis Olvera Paseo (Luis Olvera was a judge) which is a narrow pass through between the church and a city parking facility. Unfortunately, the passway is mostly inhabited by homeless people. Apparently this message, in Spanish only, is intended to advise the denizens the water is for benedictions AND NOT for washing, consuming, or tossing in objects (presumably coins).

#OldLosAngeles

Venerable entrance to Bob Baker Marionettes in Echo Park. Established at this location 1961 this is the longest running marionette show.
Sometimes I feel some employment defense lawyers are mere marionettes of their non-lawyer employer clients asked to carry out insane positions. When plaintiff lawyers advocate something on behalf of their non-lawyer clients not quite right we are made fun of, but employment defense lawyers have no shame in carrying out frivolous requests of their cash paying clients.

#marionetteshow #employmentlawyerEchoPark

How much longer can that itty bitty 7-11 remain there between all of those massive Wilshire Boulevard buildings just West of Sepulveda? Looks like construction will start next door to it. I remember riding down this section of Wilshire Boulevard in the late 70s, on the way to the beach. There were many single story structures, motels from when this was the end of Route 66, some of which turned residential, and an All American Burger stand closer to, or over the Santa Monica boarder.

#trafficinWestLA #WilshireBoulevardhighrises

Pomona Fair Grounds RV Show. Given the diverse geographies The Employment Lawyers Group covers I decided to take a look at potential vehicles for chauffeur driven mobile office conversion, and accomodations when out of town.
The models shown in this picture are large Class A RVS. While some of them might be suitable for staying in, I am not in favor of the front entry, the price of such a large vehicle, or the prospect of driving a bus which requires a commercial license.

#RV #Lawyer

Angelenos, you be the judge. Do you like, "Beer to go" at the airport as seen in the Nashville Tennessee airport, or is this too much for you.
I am having a delightful stay in Nashville where I am taking the depositions of defense witnesses who wrote a payroll system that systematically underpays a class of low wage workers.
The soil here appears rich and there is a certain Southern hospitality you do not get in Los Angeles.

#Beertogo #wageclassactions

This is our groovy break area in our new downtown Los Angeles office. I was in the downtown Los Angeles office today mediating a race discrimination case.

#LosAngeles #RaceDiscriminationLawyer

Noir Writers
Almost 10 years ago, as a dare I wrote a noir novel. I am a better writer now but here is a piece of it.
“Ok,” I started as calmly as I could in order to be heard in the open roof Model-T chugging up and down all the hills on the Ventura Highway in route to the Cahuenga Pass. “Last thing I remember was,” I paused and thought. “I can't violate the attorney client privilege. This all started due to a client matter.”
“Counselor,” O'Grady mumbled, and spat tobacco out the window in the same breath, “Suit yarself. I've gotta jab intaview here a Pine Needle Ski Slope a noon.”
From Ventura Highway he turned north onto Lankershim.
“Oh no you don't,” I spattered out.
While we were still turning north, I grabbed the steering wheel. I turned us around back towards Ventura Highway. O'Grady's body towered over me, and he slapped a humongous bruise on my arm. I yelped so loud all of the sheep south of Ventura Highway heard, their hair stood up, and they yodeled back at me. By the time the pain passed, O'Grady puttered up the mountain to Pine Needle Ski Slope.
Pine Needle was a crazy place between the edge of the San Fernando Valley and Hollywood. It was up a steep hill overlooking Ventura Highway to the south, a narrow strip of sort of flat land between another set of hills. On the northeast side of Pine Needle Ski Slope were the Burbank Hills and the Verdugo Mountains. To the east was Lake Hollywood. At the end of the slope was Universal.
Some crazy cat had a hellish idea to coat the slope with pine needles and dump manufactured snow. The mercury rises over 100 on Pine Needle Slope during the summer, but that was part of the gag.img106
The ski slope had been closed for a few months now. Don't ask me why it was closed in the winter and open during the summer. That's just the way things were in Los Angeles. As we drove up the hill, I noticed a fountain with slimy water. I guess the fountain was supposed to represent something from the Matterhorn Mountain, but I am not quite sure what. Maybe a set designer in training built the cesspool.
….. A fit looking man saw O'Grady standing outside the car, and came to greet him. I sloughed down so I would not be seen. The fit man's accent sounded sort, but not quite, German.
He said to O'Grady, “I am Joseph Benedikter. I can already tell I like you for the job. You're so big and tough looking.”
The man was a tall fellow, but at 6'3 or maybe 6'5 depending on the mood, and 250 pounds O'Grady was still quite a bit bigger.
“My friends and fans call me ‘Sepp,'” he told O'Grady.
I'd never met Sepp before, but I knew he was the crazy cat behind Pine Needle Ski Slope. According to widespread rumor he was an Austrian ski champion who moved to Hollywood to coach stars like Henry Fonda and Gary Cooper on the makeshift ski slope. Over the summer, movie stars, Valley housewives, and teenagers skied in their bathing suits.

Ski Slope In Universal City, 1939 | Vintage Los Angeles

Site of the final middle school debate for 2014/2015 yesterday. Our team came in second for the tournament but lost in the final run-off debate.
Judging debates this season gave me an opportunity to see how it must be for the judges who decide real legal cases. One side loses. you must remain neutral and unbiased from outside sources. The sides, often more familiar with the issues, must give clarity and guidance to the judge. Many egos are involved, and one side can let a decision make or break them.
With all this said, maybe I am a stronger proponent of the need for resolution through mediation.

#Judging

View of the Hollywood Sign, from the Hollyhock House in about 1988. I guess you could call this picture, "Throwback Thursday."

#HollywoodSign #Hollyhock

Is this the wheel of life? A harbinger in a horror movie in which the sky is about to rain black rain? Actually, it's a ferris wheel at a Purim Carnival today.

Happy Purim!

Now that the recession is over I am seriously considering accepting BankAmericard. Maybe BankAmericard should also be the new credit card for Costco. We'd be able to take carbon copies, or would have to being there is not an active computer system for these predecessors of Mastercard.

Uncle by marriage (Louis Boyar) with Rev. Martin Luther King. I am not sure why this picture was taken, but ponder whether this has something to do with Martin Luther King supporting Israel. Boyar was in charge of Bonds for Israel in Los Angeles and may have dated Golda Meir. See my post at: https://employeelawca.com/vintagela/lakewood-ca-jewish-developers/
My affiliation to the great Rev. King includes: 1) I would not be a discrimination lawyer were it not for him; 2) I may not have had an interest in public speaking; 3) I may not have had a career or social purpose. Actually, I am not sure where I would be without him or whether it would be a world I'd care to live in.
Happy MLK Day!

#martinlutherkingjr #discriminationlawsuit

Important Developments in Labor:
1. California Unemployment figures have moved downward, but in general the labor market is underemployed;
2. Beginning July 2015 employers will have to provide 3 paid sick days a year to employees. The new law will appear in the 245 onward part of the California Labor Code. For more information on the new law, contact me. https://worklawyerca.com/sickleaveassembly-bill/

Tired of being made fun I decided to upgrade to a smart phone and join the 4G network. Notwithstanding my fame and fortune on the Apple II+ (to be read about in Modem Stud) I rejected an iPhone due to beliefs the Blackberry Q10 would be completely keyboard driven as my fingers are large and nonsensitive due to sledgehammering concrete, heavy tools, and weight lifting.
First off, the Q10 requires its user to touch the screen. Terrible technology. Kids learn by using their hands to touch. I am a business man!
Second, the 4G Verizon network is one big hoax. No 4G on Mulholland and Sepulveda at my kids' expensive religious school. No 4G in beautiful Frazier Park on the Kern County line. Rather than finding out 4G does not exist at other important locations I think I will go back to using a secretary and desk phone.
Third, I want a phone! I just want to make a damn call. I don't want to scroll, press buttons, and see irrelevant images. Finally, where are the ergonomics on these smart phones? Real phones were three dimensional. These pieces of crap are flat computers with small screens tiny enough to blind you. Yes, the smart phone has added to the breakdown in civilization. It is too difficult to talk on one of these things. Maybe it's easier to text. Thus, nobody human conversations.
Fourth, I fear I am about to join the club of irresponsible people whose phones are always running out of charge. I can't see this thing lasting a full business day on a single charge.
And can you imagine, this week my Westlaw representative said they didn't want to print California Reporters anymore and that is why they are raising the prices 9-10 times the rate of inflation every year!

If there are any potential employees reading this, or anybody who might themselves get sexually harassed or know somebody who might, here is my 2 cents of advice on what to do in the event of sexual harassment in the workplace.

If you do all of this, you might still need a top sexual harassment lawyer like myself (LOL) because employment defense lawyers never stop looking for ways to criticize what the sexual harassment victim did or did not do.

10 Things to do for proper documentation of a Sexual Harassment Complaint | Los Angeles Wrongful Termination, Sexual Harassment, Discrimination Lawyers

This goes out to all of my UCLA followers and Type II VW fans. This is Wilshire Boulevard heading east into Westwood, 1964. This is how it looked when my sister was born at the old UCLA medical center the year this picture was taken. I imagine not much changed by the time I was born there five years later.

If you are looking for an attorney who can handle your California wrongful termination case, then check out this accomplished and dedicated firm! With the help of the Employment Lawyer's Group, you may be able to gain a settlement as compensation for your suffering!

https://employeelawca.com/los-angeles-wrongful-termination-lawyer/