Experienced in representing employers in a broad range of employment litigation, Dorothy Black manages all aspects of single plaintiff and wage and hour class and representative actions.

Her handling of these cases ranges from inception to final disposition, including early settlement discussions, drafting and arguing successful dispositive motions, interviewing and preparing witness/putative class member declarations - in English and in Spanish.  She also regularly takes and defends corporate/percipient/declarant/expert witness and party depositions, and drafts oppositions to motions for class certification, as well as appellate briefs.

In her comprehensive counsel to California employers, Black defends wrongful termination, harassment and discrimination claims, as well as putative class/representative actions involving a wide range of wage and hour issues.

Black's professional style has helped garner extremely favorable settlements for clients at mediation, arbitration and via informal negotiations, even when the fact patterns are less than favorable.  She advises employers regarding workplace issues, including employee misconduct, reductions-in-force and compliance issues.

As an extension to her litigation work, Black also helps California employers reduce the specter of employee claims by developing employee handbooks and personnel policies, in English and Spanish.  She conducts numerous training programs for employers.  These include sessions on sexual harassment prevention, roundtables for human resource professionals, and other employment related seminars and legal updates targeted to both management and non-salaried employees.

Black has an extensive pro bono achievements, which include being named Advocate of the Year by Public Counsel's Immigrants' Rights Project 2004 and representing and working with several at-risk women, youth and immigrant populations.

Education

UCLA School of Law, J.D., 2000
    Public Interest Law Foundation Grant recipient
    La Raza Law Student Association, Member and 3L representative
    Venice Family Free Clinic volunteer

University of California, Los Angeles, B.A., Sociology; Chicano/a Studies Specialization, 1996
    Schoninger Scholarship Recipient
    Dean's Honors List, 1993–1996
    UCLA Academic Advancement Program

Professional Affiliations / Leadership / Awards

"Advocate of the Year 2004" for Public Counsel's Immigration Rights Project

LeBoeuf Lamb's Pro Bono Award, 2006

National Institute for Trial Advocacy's Building Trial Skills Program, Participant

Pro Bono

Successfully represented Sudanese national seeking political asylum in trial before the Los Angeles Immigration Court

Successfully represented battered immigrant women and children by filing self-petitions to the Bureau of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services under the Violence Against Women Act

Developed educational pamphlets for homeless and run-away youth covering various topics including parental rights/pregnancy, prostitution and warrants, while servings as a law clerk at the Los Angeles Free Clinic, now known as the Saban Free Clinic.