Prior to her return to school and graduation from law school summa cum laude, Nancy Berner had a lengthy career on Wall Street, and views her current defense of California employers with an eye to their business as well as the law. Her practice encompasses this dual approach when defending claims and complaints and providing comprehensive counsel on minimizing claims.

Berner offers clients a vigorous defense of both single-plaintiff discrimination and harassment complaints, as well as defense of class action wage and hour and misclassification claims.  Concurrently, Berner teaches and advises clients on how to avoid complaints before they escalate into lawsuits.

Uniquely situated to defend employers in both Northern and Southern California, Berner works with global, national and regional businesses across the state, from San Diego to San Francisco.  She has been particularly successful in aggressively pursuing summary adjudication, resulting in dismissal of wrongful termination age discrimination claims, and nuisance value settlement of complaints well before trial.

Berner forms a strong team partnership with her clients to reduce and contain litigation risks, and she assertively defends claims with a minimum of interruption to the business.

Education

University of San Francisco School of Law, J.D., summa cum laude, 2003

University of San Francisco Law Review, Articles editor, 2002 - 2003

U. S. District Court, Extern for Judge Charles Breyer

Awarded 10 CALI awards for excellence in academic achievement in contracts (twice), torts, administrative law, legal writing, constitutional law, civil procedure, criminal procedure, law and literature, legal ethics

McAuliffe Honor Society, Fall 1999 – Spring 2003

Awarded "Best Oral Argument" in moot court competition

Recipient of Brophy scholarship

University of Cincinnati, Master of Arts, Archaeology, 1980

University of California, Los Angeles, Bachelor of Arts, Anthropology, 1979

Publications

"The Uninjured Plaintiff: Standing to Sue in the Wake of Stevens" 35 USF Law Review 783 (2001)

Presentations

"How To Help Your Clients Avoid Employee Lawsuits By Updating Performance Review Programs," ExecSense Webinar, June 2010.

Civic Activities

University of San Francisco Moot Court Competition, Judge

Pro Bono

San Francisco Bar Association
    Provide advice at free legal services clinic to the indigent.

Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence
    Entered program to become a state certified domestic violence advocate to advise and represent women and children victims of domestic violence