Kent J. Sprinkle

About Kent

Representing clients ranging from Fortune 500 global companies to small and local business owners, Kent understands the employment law and business considerations impacting employers in a wide variety of industries including technology, finance, retail, hospitality, construction, healthcare, and consulting.  Kent brings over fifteen years of employment law defense experience to his litigation, advice, and counseling practice.  Kent understands that businesses are made up of people, and that navigating California’s employment laws can be stressful and challenging.  Kent’s experience and knowledge – combined with his accessibility, responsiveness, and humor – personalizes the attention given to each client and minimizes the stress of litigation and decision-making on employment law matters.    

Kent has litigated and resolved numerous employment disputes, including individual, class action, and representative action cases, with expansive trial and appellate work in both state and federal courts.  He has also advised on personnel decisions and policy questions covering a wide spectrum of employment law topics including wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, and wage and hour matters. 

One of the few California employment lawyers with extensive class action trial experience, Kent’s practice has helped to shape California class action law, with multiple published decisions resulting.  He was part of the trial and appellate team that won a landmark California Supreme Court decision that formulated class action certification and trial management principles in employment cases.  He has also successfully argued before the California Court of Appeal on issues involving attorney conflicts of interest in employment class actions.  

Kent enjoys learning about new industries and technologies, and advising on the unique employment-law issues facing employers of all types and sizes.

Areas of Practice

Education

University of California, Hastings College of the Law, J.D., 2003

• Hastings Constitutional Law Quarterly
• Tony Patiño Fellow

University of San Francisco, B.A., cum laude, English Literature, 2000

Written Opinions

Duran v. U.S. Bank Nat. Ass'n, 59 Cal. 4th 1 (2014)

Duran v. U.S. Bank Nat. Ass’n (“Duran II”), 19 Cal.App.5th 630 (2018)

Trahan v. U.S. Bank Nat. Ass'n, 2015 WL 75139 (N.D. Cal. Jan. 6, 2015)

Mazzei v. Regal Entertainment Group, 2013 WL 6633079 (C.D. Cal. Dec. 13, 2013)

Byrnes v. Lockheed-Martin, Inc., 2005 WL 3555701 (N.D. Cal. Dec. 28, 2005)

Presentations

"Legal Updates and Strategies For Defending Wage & Hour Class Actions and PAGA Lawsuits,” Co-Presenter, CDF Webinar Series, October 2019

"Complying with Prop 11 - Managing and Preventing Staffing Level, Meal Period and Rest Break Issues," Co-Presenter, California Ambulance Association (CAA), 2019 Annual Convention, September 2019

“Managing Employees – Make The Law Work For You,” California Craft Brewers Association (CCBA) Spring Conference, San Diego, April 2018

"How California Employers Can Protect Themselves from the Coming Wave of PAGA Litigation: Not a Joking Matter," CDF Webinar Series, April 2015

"Social Media in the Workplace," California Restaurant Association, July 2012

Professional Affiliations/Leadership/Awards

Received CLAY Award for being recognized as one of the Attorneys of the Year, Class Actions, California Lawyer, 2015

Listed, Super Lawyers Northern California Rising Star, 2013 - 2018

Civic Activities

Board of Trustees of the UC Hastings College of the Law Foundation, 2017 - 2020

The Tony Patiño Fellowship, Board Member, 2008 - present

• Nonprofit organization that awards law-school scholarships at UC Hastings, University of Chicago and Columbia University

UC Hastings Law Alumni Association, San Diego Chapter Co-Leader, 2020 - Present

Pro Bono

Boys Hope Girls Hope, San Francisco Bay Area, Ongoing Counsel, 2009 - present