Margaret Rosenthal

Experience

• Obtained dismissal and affirmance of that dismissal in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals of a putative wage and hour class action premised on a novel theory seeking unpaid wages for time spent undergoing airport security procedures.
• Successfully represented clients in defense of putative class action cases including achieving denial of class certification and grant of motion for summary judgment on behalf of a hospitality client with regard to novel legal issues related to overtime pay and obtaining dismissal with prejudice of action upon 12(b)(6) motion on behalf of a staffing agency in action involving commissions.
• Has provided strong defense for clients through trial, including obtaining a defense verdict in a sexual harassment action tried to jury involving an airline and an individual defendant, a defense verdict in an age discrimination and misclassification of independent contractor case involving a freight carrier tried to a federal court judge, post-trial settlement of a disability discrimination lawsuit involving a grocery company in a case tried to a jury, and a full defense verdict for a hospitality client in a race discrimination case tried to a jury.
• Successfully mediated and negotiated numerous client-favorable settlements to resolve complex and aggressively litigated putative wage and hour class actions, following strong motion practice. For example: 
  • Negotiated favorable settlement of 10 putative class actions lawsuits on behalf of a hospitality client facing allegations of wage and hour violations and Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) claims for over 9,000 nonexempt employees following significant motion practice to achieve narrowing of parties and claims, including dismissal of certain PAGA claims, a named plaintiff and individual manager defendants; dismissal of one action by summary judgment; and dismissal of penalty claims from certain actions.
  • Negotiated favorable settlement of two wage and hour class actions for a medical center client brought on behalf of approximately 4,000 current and former employees within 90 days of entering the case, thereby achieving the client’s goals.
  • Negotiated favorable settlement for a staffing agency client involving wage and hour claims by cellular tower technicians.
  • Negotiated favorable settlement of claims involving potentially thousands of hourly employees throughout California against owners and operators of chain of supermarkets.
  • See other representative class/PAGA actions here.
• Has extensive motion practice experience, including achieving dismissals upon motions and summary judgment for a variety of clients including a grocery chain.
• Served as a member of a team that successfully opposed a union organizing drive, while advising a water production client on employment issues during the drive.

Recent Publications and Presentations

• "Guide to Preventing Discrimination and Harassment in the Workplace and Other Employment Law Issues," Bakersfield, California (May 2014)
• Constitutional Rights Foundation 36th Annual Los Angeles County Mock Trial Competition
• "Legal Ethics in the Digital World," Los Angeles, California (March 2011)
• "Navigating Wage and Hour Minefields and Ensuring Compliance," Baltimore, Maryland (November 2010)
• "Navigating Wage and Hour Minefields and Ensuring Compliance," Tampa, Florida (October 2010)

Community

• Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles
  • Audit Committee of the Board of Directors
  • Board of Directors (2008 to 2013)
• Hollywood/Los Angeles Beautification Team: Board of Directors (2000 to 2008)