Sheppard Mullin's Renowned Labor & Employment Practice Expanding
Sheppard Mullin's Renowned Labor & Employment Practice Expanding
Santa Barbara Office Gains 19-Year Veteran in Lateral Move
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
announced that Jeffrey A. Dinkin and Deborah L. Martin will join the firm 's Labor & Employment Practice Group in the Santa Barbara office as of today. Dinkin and Martin, who have worked together for over four years, bring with them outstanding reputations for their successful representation of management throughout the Tri-Counties area.John Collins, Chair of the firm's Labor & Employment Practice Group , said, "We're delighted to welcome Jeff and Deborah aboard. Jeff is the foremost labor and employment attorney in the Central Coast, and Sheppard Mullin has a renowned Labor & Employment Group in California. It's a powerful and effective combination providing a tremendous resource for Central Coast businesses."
Joe Nida , a Sheppard Mullin Partner in the Corporate Practice Group in Santa Barbara added, "The Santa Barbara office of Sheppard Mullin is renowned for its legal representation of Central Coast companies in sophisticated business transactions. The addition of Jeff and Deborah vastly expands our labor and employment capabilities for Central Coast clients. Since economic growth in the Central Coast region is expected to exceed the State’s economic growth, we anticipate a significant increase in the need for both business and technology legal expertise, as well as for attorneys proficient in labor and employment law."
Dinkin is a specialist in labor and employment law. He has been practicing for more than 19 years, with the last 12 years located on the Central Coast. He regularly represents employers in administrative proceedings before arbitrators and governmental agencies, including the EEOC, DFEH and Division of Labor Standards Enforcement. Dinkin brings extensive experience in collective bargaining, arbitration and mediation on behalf of both private and public companies. Dinkin also litigates labor, employment and discrimination cases in state and federal courts at both trial and appellate levels.
Dinkin received his law degree from Hastings College of Law, and his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley. He is a member of the California and Nevada Bars. Dinkin is the Past President of the Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County and the Santa Barbara Jewish Federation, and is currently the Professional Issues Chair of the Ventura County Human Resources Association. He has been a legal commentator for television, and lectured and written about wage and hour laws, exempt employees, trade secret issues, wrongful termination and discrimination laws.
Devoting her entire career to the practice of labor and employment law, Deborah L. Martin counsels employers on the full spectrum of employment issues, from hiring to severance arrangements. Martin also represents employers in a broad range of matters including wage claims, sexual harassment, disability based discrimination, return to work issues and leaves of absence. She serves as a director of the Santa Barbara Human Resources Association and chairs the Employment Law Section of the Santa Barbara County Bar Association. Martin frequently lectures at University of California, Santa Barbara on current issues in employment law. Martin earned her law degree from Hastings College of the Law and undergraduate degree from the University of California, San Diego.
Said Dinkin, "I am very enthusiastic about joining Sheppard Mullin with its distinguished roster of 50 labor and employment attorneys. The firm has a national reputation for its legal expertise, not only in labor and employment matters, but across the board. I will now be able to draw upon this deep well of expertise to better represent my clients. With companies facing workforce adjustments in response to changing economic conditions, and with the proliferation of wage and hour class action cases, employers require the most knowledgeable and effective legal representation."
Sheppard Mullin has more than 330 attorneys among its seven offices in Santa Barbara, West Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Orange County, Del Mar Heights, San Diego, and San Francisco. The full-service firm provides counsel in Antitrust & Trade Regulation; White Collar and Civil Fraud Defense; Business Litigation; Construction, Environmental, Real Estate, Land Use Litigation & Natural Resources; Corporate; Finance & Bankruptcy; Financial Institutions; Government Contracts & Regulated Industries; Healthcare; Intellectual Property; Labor & Employment; and Tax, Employee Benefits, Trusts & Estates. The firm is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2002.
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