Los Olivos Employment Lawyers

Mark Venardi was born in 1962 in Seattle, Washington. He was raised in Peoria, IL, a Midwest blue collar town. He enlisted in the United States Coast Guard and proudly served from 1980 through 1985. He spent the first two years on a sea going tug performing search and rescue and marine law enforcement from the Grand Banks to the Windward Passage aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Tamaroa, which was the Coast Guard vessel that performed the rescue in “The Perfect Storm.”

Gemma L. Mondala's practice is broad but focuses primarily on business litigation, employment law and complex litigation matters. Gemma's experience includes the defense of insureds against claims related to automobile accidents, premises liability, products liability, slip/trip and falls, dog bites, toxic torts and construction defects. She has also represented business clients in enforcing and defending against breach of contract and business tort claims (i.e. intentional interference with contract and business advantage, breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, fraud and misrepresentation) as well as claims involving breaches of fiduciary duties. Gemma also advises Cities, Counties and...

I was born in Latin America and grew up in San Francisco. A product of the Bay Area, I studied economics at UC Berkeley before moving to Washington, DC, where I worked at both the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Reserve. In 2003, I embarked on my legal studies at Cornell Law School in Ithaca, NY. Upon graduation, I worked as a corporate associate in Manhattan at a boutique international law firm. There I had the opportunity to work on a wide array of corporate transactions, from financing the construction of a hotel in NYC, structuring investments...

April practices civil litigation specializing in employment law, estate planning and probate litigation,transportation law and real estate transactions. She is a strategic thinker and advocate who is focused on providing exceptional customer service while solving and preventing legal problems. April is a former Assistant State's Attorney in Illinois and worked as a Staff Attorney for the 19th Judicial Circuit in Illinois. She also worked for the San Diego District Attorney's Office.

I have extensive experience in employment, business, insurance and real estate litigation. In 1997, I graduated Order of the Coif (top 10%) from Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California, Berkeley. I clerked for the Honorable Maxine M. Chesney of the United States District Court, Northern District of California in 1999 and the Honorable Robert Boochever of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in 2001. I practiced insurance law as an associate with Sonnenshein Nath & Rosenthal and employment law as an associate at Heller Ehrman. I focused on real estate litigation while working...

Mr. Miller has literally thousands of hours of experience representing people in high stakes, multi-million dollar complex litigation against many of the largest corporations and product manufacturers in the United States, including John Crane, Georgia-Pacific, Lorillard Tobacco Company, General Electric, Kaiser Gypsum and Kelly-Moore. Mr. Miller regularly litigates cases against the most prestigious "Big Law" insurance defense firms in the US. His legal practice focuses on all civil litigation representing plaintiffs, including employment law representing employees, consumer safety law, toxic injury law, such as asbestos, tobacco and catastrophic injury and wrongful death.

Michael Oberbeck is a senior counsel focusing on business litigation issues. At BKCG, Mr. Oberbeck has extensively litigated employment disputes, commercial and real property disputes, international manufacturing and distribution litigation, and trademark and franchise issues. Mr. Oberbeck has litigated cases throughout California in both state and federal courts, and he has obtained many client-favorable results at trial, arbitration, and mediation. Mr. Oberbeck also has authored and successfully argued several matters before the California Courts of Appeals for BKCG clients. Born in Evansville, Indiana, Mr. Oberbeck graduated, cum laude, from Purdue University in 1993 with a double major in Psychology...

Are you a victim of workplace sexual harassment or discrimination? Don’t wait to enlist the legal support you need to protect your personal rights. Stan Andrei Grombchevsky is a partner at Harris Grombchevsky LLP, which offers comprehensive legal representation for all types of employment issues. Mr. Grombchevsky is committed to offering compassionate and caring counsel for his clients, no matter what the circumstances are. He graduated from Chapman University School of Law in 1999 and soon began his legal career. Mr. Grombchevsky is a member of the California Employment Lawyers Association, allowing him to protect clients dealing with everything form...

Mr. Tamir has dedicated his entire career to practicing labor and employment law. He has litigated hundreds of employment-related cases, including claims of discrimination, retaliation, harassment, and wage and hour (i.e. overtime, meal & rest breaks, misclassification). The results speak for themselves, he has successfully settled and won numerous cases and dispositive motions.

Lara is an associate attorney at Blackstone Law. She graduated from Wake Forest University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology with a concentration in Criminal Justice and a minor in Communications. Lara then earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of California, Los Angeles where she specialized in Critical Race Studies. While in law school, Lara worked as a law clerk at the District of Columbia Public Defender Service and as a judicial clerk in the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Hearings Unit in Los Angeles. She was involved with the El Centro Teen Court Clinic, Disability Law Journal,...

Leo Livshits is an accomplished employment attorney with extensive trial and litigation experience. Mr. Livshits handles a wide variety of employment matters involving workplace discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and other civil rights violations. Aside from securing numerous seven-figure settlements in single-plaintiff cases, Mr. Livshits has co-chaired jury trials and arbitrations that resulted in verdicts or judgments of $155.4 million, $2.7 million, $1.7 million, and $1 million. Additionally, Mr. Livshits has successfully litigated appeals in state and federal court. This includes a published decision in Hernandez v. Meridian Management Services, LLC (2023) 87 Cal.App.5th 1214, where the California Court of Appeal found that...

Betty is an associate attorney at Blackstone Law. She graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations and a minor in Armenian Studies. While in undergrad, Betty, along with fellow classmates, started the Armenian Pre-Law Students Association, to connect Armenian students aspiring to become attorneys to successful alumni within their community. A proud double Bruin, Betty later attended UCLA School of Law, where she obtained her Juris Doctorate. As a law student, Betty’s professor recognized her articulate writing abilities and selected her as a Legal Research and Writing Advisor for first...

Ms. Schimmel’s practice is dedicated to employment litigation matters on behalf of California employees. More than half of Ms. Schimmel’s experience has been focused on representing employees in wage and hour class and representative actions for labor code violations (including, but not limited to, claims unpaid overtime, minimum wages, expense reimbursement, meal and rest period), as well as consumer and privacy right matters. Ms. Schimmel’s experience also includes representing employees in wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment and retaliation matters against employers who violate California law. She has successfully prosecuted and resolved hundreds of cases. Prior to joining Blackstone, Ms. Schimmel...

Alex is a Senior Associate Attorney at Blackstone Law. Alex is an active member of the legal community as it relates to employees’ rights. Alex is a member of the California Employment Lawyers’ Association (CELA), and is on the committee for the Mentor Committee, the Women’s Committee, the Legislative Committee, the Wage and Hour Committee, and the New Member Committee, as well as a recent admit to the 2024 – 2025 CELA Leadership Conservatory. Alex has significant experience providing the best counsel for his clients, whether through trial, or through multimillion dollar settlements, or through whatever need the client may describe....

P.J. Van Ert is a seasoned trial lawyer and civil litigator specializing in class actions and individual employment matters. As a Blackstone law associate she dedicates her practice to California employees. After more than 75 criminal jury trials during thirteen years as a deputy district attorney, she transitioned to civil litigation and found her way to Blackstone. From wage and hour theft to sexual harassment and hostile work environment, she is able to utilize her years of zealously advocating for victims of crime to get superior results in employment cases. Ms. Van Ert has earned guilty verdicts in lengthy homicide...

Ani M. Akopyan received her bachelor’s degree, with honors, from UCLA in 2001 and her law degree from Southwestern Law School in 2004. Since law school, Ani has worked exclusively in the field of labor and employment litigation. Prior to joining the Akopyan Law Firm, Ani was a member of a well-known, reputable defense firm where she represented employers and their insurance companies in all stages of labor and employment litigation including wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and whistle-blower litigation, as well as high stakes wage & hour class action cases. Ani’s 10+ years of experience in defending employers both...

Michael Akopyan received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California in 2001 and his law degree from Southwestern Law School in 2005. Before establishing his own firm in 2009, Michael worked as an associate attorney with Keith Fink & Associates and Solomon, Saltsman & Jamieson, where he represented both plaintiffs and defendants in a broad spectrum of cases including employment cases, personal injury cases, civil rights cases, business disputes, and administrative proceedings. Michael has successfully represented clients in civil and administrative trials and appeals.

Michael has recovered millions of dollars for his clients. He was named to the CaliforniaRising...

In 1991, after graduating near the top of his class, an insurance company hired Paul Zuckerman to be their lawyer. Paul approached the job with optimism. He believed the company’s advertisement and thought that he was hired to be there, like a good neighbor, for policyholders in need. However, Paul soon discovered that his work was merely padding the pockets of his employer, and not ensuring that injured people were compensated fairly. Thus, Paul, with his law school classmate John Carpenter, established a new kind of law firm: A law firm that only represents injured people against insurance companies. Paul...

Attorney Hines represents employees with claims against their employers for harassment, discrimination, retaliation and Labor Code violations.

Abdi & Associates is located in Los Angeles and serves clients throughout the entire state of California. Practice areas include workers compensation, personal injury, car, truck, Lyft/Uber, and motorcycle accidents, bicycle and pedestrian accidents, brain and spinal cord injuries, burn injuries, dog bites, premises liability/slip & fall, and wrongful death.

Our firm is a contingency fee-based practice which means that clients pay no attorneys’ fees unless and until we recover for you. No recovery, No Fee. We even offer a free, no obligation, case evaluation and consultation. Abdi & Associates provides personalized, customized, caring service and pursues maximum compensation that you...

Ryan Block is a seasoned trial attorney who spends most of his time as a lawyer in the courtroom doing trials. He has done many thousands of trials as the lead attorney and has been in front of over 50 different judges in Los Angeles County and surrounding areas. Mr. Block's familiarity with court personnel along with his innate ability in the jury selection process selecting appropriate jurors has been paramount in maximizing the recovery of his clients. As a member of many plaintiff's attorney associations of Los Angeles including the Jewish Bar association of Los Angeles and the...

Mr. Saba’s practice consists of prosecuting and defending individual, class action and mass action claims. He has considerable experience in a wide range of federal and state civil litigation and trial actions, including consumer litigation, employment litigation, women’s rights, complex business and entertainment disputes, catastrophic injury claims, professional responsibility, copyright/trademark, civil rights, maritime, and municipal, landowner and product liability.

Ms. Gold is an experienced litigation attorney who specializes in class action labor and employment matters. She spent the first decade of her career at a major law firm working on a wide range of business matters, including defending clients in high-stakes class action litigation. This experience provided Ms. Gold with valuable insight on how to best position cases for settlement and/or trial by allowing her to better understand defendants’ strategies, incentives, and motivations throughout the various phases of litigation. Ms. Gold then transitioned to a well-known boutique plaintiff-side class action law firm, where she was instrumental in obtaining nearly $100,000,000...

David Spivak is a Southern California employee rights litigator. From offices based in Beverly Hills and downtown Los Angeles, David Spivak has been fighting for the rights of California workers since 1995. He has obtained several million dollars in recoveries for his clients. Mr. Spivak's areas of concentration in labor and employment law include: Wrongful Termination, Constructive Discharge, and Public Policy Violations Discrimination Harassment Retaliation & Whistleblowers Employment Contracts & Severance Agreements Defamation of Character (Slander & Libel) Unpaid Overtime Wages Unpaid Minimum Wages Unprovided Rest Breaks and Meal Periods Failure to Pay Work-Related Expenses Medical & Family Leave...

With more than 20 years of experience, Tre Lovell has been noted among the elite trial lawyers in the nation, having been named "Lawyer of the Year" Finalist, 2016, by the Los Angeles Business Journal, and further honored by The National Law Journal as one of the Top 50 Litigation Trailblazers in the United States. Mr. Lovell has been recognized among the top 1% of attorneys in the country as a litigator through such esteemed organizations as America's Top 100 Attorneys, Distinguished Justice Advocates, National Academy of Jurisprudence, Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Rue's Best Attorneys of America. In addition,...

My practice focuses on vindicating employees’ rights in single plaintiff discrimination suits, wage & hour class and representative action litigation, and other employment claims. Education I received his Bachelor of Arts in History, summa cum laude, with a minor in Public Affairs from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). I earned his Juris Doctor from UC Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall), where he was awarded a Prosser Prize for his academic achievement. Experience As a former associate at Anderson Kill P.C., a Vault 150 leading mid-size law firm specializing in insurance coverage litigation, I gained significant experience litigating against insurance companies on behalf...

Ken Ruttenberg is the founder of The Ruttenberg Law Firm, P.C.. He is an experienced and seasoned civil litigator in a broad range of legal areas including employment, construction and personal injury.

In 2014 through 2017, Ken was selected to the list of Southern California Super Lawyers, a rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Fewer than five percent of attorneys receive the Super Lawyers recognition. In 2015, 2016 and 2017, Ken was named among the Top 100 Southern California Super Lawyers. Ken is also an AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review...

Candice Klein is a skilled and devoted personal injury attorney with a passion for helping people suffering with physical and mental anguish after suffering catastrophic injuries. Candice is known for spending a large amount of time with her clients to fully understand their needs. By doing so, she is able to better convey their losses to a jury. With this approach, Candice has recovered millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for her clients.

Ms. McMillan obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in English, Spanish and Latin American Studies from the University of New South Wales in Australia in April 1993, after which she returned to the United States to attend law school. Ms. McMillan received her J.D. from Western State University College of Law in Fullerton, California in 1996, having graduated from Western State University Magna Cum Laude in the top 5% of her class. Ms. McMillan was placed on either the Honor Roll or the Dean’s High Honors Roll for every semester of law school. Ms. McMillan received a number of American Jurisprudence...

Maryam Abrishamcar, Esq. is the Founder and Managing Partner at Abrishamcar Law Group, A.P.C. She is a compassionate and adept attorney, serving clients throughout Northern & Southern California. With a neuroscience background and previous history in the pharmaceutical industry, she offers her clients a unique perspective. Attorney Maryam Abrishamcar is passionate about providing high level care and support to individuals who have suffered serious injury, including injuries to the brain (TBI). Ms. Abrishamcar is proficient in the legal practices of car accidents, slip and fall cases, motorcycle crashes, dog bites, wrongful death, and employment law. Maryam Abrishamcar earned her J.D....

Attorney Stacey Cutting brings ample amounts of experience and skills to Schimmel & Parks, APLC and is a devoted Southern California civil litigation lawyer. While she highly skilled in various areas of law, Attorney Cutting focuses much of her practice handling cases involving construction defects, personal injury, employment law, insurance bad faith, and consumer class actions. She plays an essential role in the discovery processes of cases, completes trial preparations, creates motion papers, and assists with various key parts of litigation processes. Before committing her life to judiciary work, Attorney Cutting attended California State University, Northridge, where she earned her...

Danielle L. GruppChang is a passionate advocate for workers’ rights and a seasoned attorney specializing in wage and hour class actions. Raised in a family where both parents worked in the restaurant industry, Ms. GruppChang developed an early respect for the hard work and resilience of the Californian workers. This background exposed Ms. GruppChang the struggles of working-class individuals sparked her dedication to fighting for justice on behalf of workers. Ms. GruppChang’s professional journey began when she started working at a local coffee shop and continued throughout college where she worked tables, often serving her classmates. These experiences further resolved her...