Business Law

I prefer working with businesses, employers and employees for advice and litigation.

• Business Successions
• Buying & Selling
• Closely Held Businesses
• Corporations
• Directors' & Officers' Liability
• Franchising
• Joint Ventures
• Limited Liability Companies (LLCs)
• Partnerships
• Professional Corporations

• Breach of Contract
• Contract Disputes
• Contract Drafting & Review
• Employment Contracts
• Franchises
• International Transactions
• Non-Compete Contracts
• Secured Transactions
• Uniform Commercial Code
• Warranties

• Computer Crimes
• Digital Signatures
• Domain Names
• Electronic Commerce
• Spam

Employment & Labor Relations

I prefer working with businesses, employers and employees for advice and litigation.

• Affirmative Action
• Age Discrimination
• Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Compensation, Benefits, & Pensions
• Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)
• Disability Discrimination
• Discipline/Suspension
• Emotional Distress
• Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA)
• Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
• Employee Rights
• Employment Contracts
• Equal Pay Act (EPA)
• Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• Federal Employer's Liability Act (FELA)
• Government Employees
• Immigration Reform & Control Act of 1986 (IRCA)
• Jones Act
• Occupational Safety & Health Act (OSHA)
• Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA)
• Personal Responsibility & Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA)
• Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA)
• Race Discrimination
• Racial Harassment
• Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
• Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866
• Severance Packages
• Sex Discrimination
• Sexual Harassment
• Termination
• Uniformed Services Employment & Reemployment Rights Act
• Wage & Hour Laws
• Whistleblower
• Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification (WARN) Act
• Wrongful Termination

• Collective Bargaining
• Labor Arbitration
• Labor Disputes
• Labor Legislation
• National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)
• Picketing/Freedom of Speech
• Unfair Labor Practices
• Unions

• Collective Bargaining
• Labor Arbitration
• Labor Disputes
• Labor Legislation
• National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)
• Picketing/Freedom of Speech
• Unfair Labor Practices
• Unions

CA, Dec 2004
Bar Number: 235169

California Supreme Court, Ninth Circuit, Second Circuit, U.S. District Courts of California for: Northern, Southern, Central and Eastern Districts.

California Bar and the San Diego County Bar.

I attend continuing legal education on the topics of litigation, employment law, business law, ethics (and anything else that just sounds interesting and timely). I always greatly exceed the required amount of hours.

maintain a blog on my website, which includes informal legal articles. I also publish a variety of other articles on websites, all of which can be viewed at www.getchlaw.com.

REPRESENTATIVE LITIGATION SUCCESSES:

• (Cal. Superior Court): won summary adjudication in an age discrimination and harassment case on motion brought and argued by Ms. Getchell
• (S.D. Cal.): published full summary judgment in wrongful termination case; Rotherham v. American Red Cross, Case No. 04CV1172 BEN (LSP), 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16239 (Mar. 5, 2007)
• (S.D. Cal.): class allegations dropped by plaintiff in amended complaint in response to 12(b)(6) motion brought by Ms. Getchell
• (Cal. Superior Court): won judgment in favor of clients who were victims of collection fraud and prepared clients to testify in criminal case against defendant
• (Cal. Superior Court): successfully regained home for client who was victim of real estate fraud and defended countersuit, including obtaining injunction for client and having three of four counts in countersuit dismissed on demurrer
• (Cal. Superior Court): successfully obtained restraining orders for multiple clients
• (Cal. Superior Court): motion for terminating sanctions granted
• (Cal. Superior Court): $800,000 bench verdict in favor of plaintiff for breach of contract, based in part on liability theory and parol evidence theory advanced by Ms. Getchell
• (Cal. Supreme Court): contributed to amicus curiae brief on sexual harassment issue; Lyle v. Warner Bros. Television Prods., 38 Cal. 4th 264 (2006) (under former name, Alicia I. Mead)
• (EEOC and DFEH): won no-cause findings in three separate discrimination charges
• (Cal. Dept. of Industrial Relations): won a no-coverage determination in a prevailing wage challenge

REPORTED CASES:

• Lyle v. Warner Bros. Television Prods., 38 Cal. 4th 264 (2006)
(amici curiae under former name, Alicia I. Mead)
• Rotherham v. American Red Cross, Case No. 04CV1172 BEN (LSP), 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16239 (Mar. 5, 2007)

1

California

My firm was first established in 2008 after I left my big firm practice. I started my firm with the philosophy of offering the same cutting-edge, sophisticated and top-notch services to businesses and individuals, but at a much more affordable price. I offer my clients flat fees and reduced costs due to my low overhead and use of technology to streamline operations.
I am also interested in creating as much value as possible for my clients and developing a trusted partnership with them. For that reason, I use my website to gather resources and post information on my blog, so that clients can get to know me at their own pace, and so that they feel comfortable in the purchasing of legal services.

I represent businesses in general civil matters from advice to litigation, and both employees and employers in all aspects of employment law, with a focus on employers. I treat my clients as though I am an outsourced "general counsel" and part of their business team. My advice and business services include policy drafting and review, litigation avoidance, auditing and contract negotiation and drafting. My litigation practice is also sophisticated and full service, including complex matters and class actions.

Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, LLP, March 2006 - December 2007

Substantive practice areas include all aspects of employment law, such as wage and hour, wrongful termination, employment contracts, discrimination and harassment, disability, leaves and unfair competition. Paul Hastings is considered the premier law firm for employment defense in the U.S. and enjoys a prestigious international reputation.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP, January 2005 - February 2006

Substantive practice areas included all aspects of employment law and general civil litigation, such as contracts, torts, partnership and business agreements and consumer law as both plaintiff and defense counsel. Pillsbury is a prestigious international firm.

I take pro bono cases from San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program and from the U.S. Navy Legal Office. I have received the Wiley W. Manuel Service Award from the California Bar Association consecutively for the past two years for my pro bono work.

(760) 482-1267

Monday through Friday
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Yes

Yes. I offer flat fees for most of my services. After a free consultation, I will provide you with a quote for the work you require. Flat fees must be paid upfront.

$300.

Yes, for up to one hour.

Only in hourly or contingency cases. In hourly, it is 25% of the anticipated ultimate bill. In contingency cases, it consists of the expected costs (which are determined on a case-by-case basis).