Marie D. DiSante

Orange County Office

   

Contact Information

Address:
2600 Michelson Drive, Suite 800
Irvine, CA
92612

E-mail: mdisante@cdflaborlaw.com
Telephone: (949) 622-1661
Facsimile: (949) 622-1669

Education
» Southern Methodist University School of Law (J.D., Order of the Coif, 1988)
» Texas Christian University (B.S., Criminal Justice/Sociology, summa cum laude, 1985)

Admitted to Practice in
» California

Professional Experience

Founding Partner, Carlton DiSante & Freudenberger LLP, 1994-present

Firm Managing Partner, 2003-present

Previously with Latham & Watkins

Martindale Hubbell AV rated

Representative Experience and Accomplishments

Marie DiSante has represented the interests of California employers for the past 20 years. She works hand-in-hand with employers and their executive teams to address the wide range of challenges employers face in managing their California workforces, including wage and hour compliance, EEO compliance, personnel policy implementation, workforce training, and reductions in force. Marie helps employers develop strategies aimed at minimizing the risks of litigation, while at the same time understanding the business realities California employers face. Marie is actively involved in the business community, and this experience provides Marie with unique perspective into the problems employers routinely encounter in managing their workforces, problems that often need to be balanced with the much larger challenge of running and growing a business. Marie's experience allows her to add a business perspective to the problem-solving skills that lawyers typically bring to the table when advising clients.

In an effort to partner with the firm's clients in proactively addressing employment law issues before they become problems, Marie oversees the firm's monthly Human Resources Roundtable, a complimentary program which provides support and guidance to the firm's clients and friends on human resources and workforce management issues. Marie also manages the firm's Labor and Employment Law Blog, a nationally recognized online web journal devoted to the latest developments and trends in California employment law.

Through both of these efforts, Marie and her firm seek to help employers be in the best position possible to comply with California employment law and minimize the risks of related litigation.

In addition to providing advice and counsel, Marie has extensive experience representing employers -- from small start-up entrepreneurial ventures to Fortune 500 companies -- in all aspects of employment litigation. Marie has successfully defended employers in single plaintiff and complex class action litigation in state and federal court, as well as in matters before administrative agencies and arbitration tribunals. Marie and her firm are at the forefront of defending employers from the recent onslaught of wage and hour class actions, both in terms of negotiating early and reasonable settlements and, when necessary, fighting the class certification battle. Marie also has extensive experience litigating a wide variety of other employment-related claims, including claims of employment discrimination, wrongful discharge, harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, defamation, invasion of privacy, misappropriate of trade secrets, unfair competition, and regulatory non-compliance.

Published Opinions

Kelly v. Vons Companies, Inc., 67 Cal.App.4th 1329, 79 Cal.Rptr.2d 763 (1998)

R.L. Management Co. v. Nagel, 58 Cal.App.4th 1285, 68 Cal.Rptr.2d 801 (1997)

Professional and Trade Organizations and Activities

Chairperson, Labor and Employment Law Section of Orange County Bar Association, 1993

Member, Association of Business Trial Lawyers

Women Presidents Organization, OC Chapter Founding Member, 2006-present

Vistage, Chief Executive Peer Advisory Group Member, 2006-present

Founding Member, Orange County Law Firm Leadership Roundtable, 2007-present