Employment Litigation
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Comprehensive Employment Litigation Experience
Wilson Sonsini's employment litigation attorneys provide general advice and counseling, representation in high-stakes litigation and labor matters, negotiation of M&A deals, preparation of executive agreements, workplace investigations, and compliance monitoring.
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Regional Focus; Nationwide Reach
Wilson Sonsini's employment litigation team is adept at advising multi-state employers and helping them remain in compliance with federal and state employment laws and related obligations.
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A Collaborative Approach
Wilson Sonsini's employment litigators work closely with the firm's corporate, securities, employee benefits, and intellectual property practitioners to provide clients with timely and business-minded legal advice in areas that are at the core of the employer-employee relationship.
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A Diverse Client Base
Wilson Sonsini's team represents clients in a variety of technology and growth sectors, including communications and networking, electronics, financial institutions, information service providers, life sciences, media and entertainment, open source, renewable energy, retail and consumer, semiconductors, software, and finance.
Every year, Wilson Sonsini's employment attorneys help more than 1,000 emerging and established companies navigate the ever-changing and complex landscape of state and federal employment laws. We provide proactive compliance strategies and litigation defense uniquely suited to visionary companies, entrepreneurs, investors, and founders in innovation hubs around the country. Our clients need prompt, cost-efficient, and expert advice; practical and business-oriented solutions; and strategic and effective litigation support—and our team delivers.
Our knowledge of the challenges faced by employers of any size, including entrepreneurial start-ups and global technology employers, is unparalleled. We understand how, when, and why employment law issues arise, and how best to effectively resolve them. We also appreciate the need for cost control, and we staff our matters accordingly. Our innovative approach is applied to every facet of our practice, including general advice and counseling, high-stakes litigation, negotiation of mergers and acquisitions, preparation of executive agreements, workplace investigations, compliance monitoring, and labor matters.
Employment Law Anchored in the Business Context
Challenging employment problems are not effectively addressed with cookie-cutter solutions. The firm's vast experience in the technology and emerging growth sectors truly sets us apart and allows our employment attorneys to offer advice and representation specifically tailored to the real-world challenges in those spaces.
We work hand in hand with the firm's corporate, securities, employee benefits, and intellectual property attorneys to provide our clients with expert advice across all areas that touch the full life cycle of the employment relationship as it plays out in the technology and emerging growth environments—from effective recruiting through termination and post-termination disputes. This experience gives clients our unique perspective on their employment matters.
Regional Focus, Nationwide Reach
Employment law differs—often dramatically—from state to state. Knowing site-specific case law and regulations, how different judges handle cases, and how opposing counsel settle disputes is often crucial to a successful outcome. In turn, clients often must apply different policies, use different contracts, and plan risks differently where they have multi-state operations. The firm's employment litigation attorneys have experience advising multi-state employers and keep up with case law around the country, with teams in place in key geographies such as the West Coast, the East Coast, and Texas.
What We Offer
Strategic Litigation
- Complex individual cases (involving executives or high-profile issues)
- Class and collective actions (including defending complex and high-stakes wage and hour cases for Fortune 500 companies)
- Trade secrets and employee mobility
- Government-initiated litigation in courts or administrative forums
- Amicus and appellate representation in high-visibility cases
Counseling and Advice
- Avoiding and reducing wage and hour liability
- Hiring "best practices"
- Board and audit committee advice on executive terminations, transitions, and misconduct
- Compensation issues
- Contract disputes
- Employee mobility and restrictive covenants
- Harassment and discrimination prevention training
- Independent contractor classification
- Intellectual property disputes and trade secret protection
- Internal compliance audits
- Labor Code violations
- Preparation of full employment infrastructure of agreements and policies
- Privacy issues
- Reductions in force and WARN compliance
- Whistleblower complaints
- Workplace violence
- Wrongful termination
Mergers & Acquisitions/IPOs
- Direct negotiations of merger agreements
- Post-merger integration services
- Liability assessment for parent and seller/diligence review
- Preparing target company for sale or public offering
- Non-compete and other restrictive covenants
Workplace Investigations and Monitoring
- Internal investigations on sensitive issues, including harassment, discrimination, and retaliation complaints
- Government compliance and investigations
- Consent decree monitoring
- Workplace audits
Labor
- National Labor Relations Board charges
- Department of Labor audits
- OFCCP/Affirmative Action plans, compliance reviews, and enforcement proceedings
- Union organizing efforts
Related Industries
Our employment law attorneys serve a wide range of technology and growth sectors, including:
- Communications and networking
- Electronics and computer hardware
- Financial institutions
- Information service providers
- Life sciences
- Media and entertainment
- Open source
- Renewable energy
- Retail and consumer products and services
- Semiconductors
- Software
- Venture capital
Overview
Every year, Wilson Sonsini's employment attorneys help more than 1,000 emerging and established companies navigate the ever-changing and complex landscape of state and federal employment laws. We provide proactive compliance strategies and litigation defense uniquely suited to visionary companies, entrepreneurs, investors, and founders in innovation hubs around the country. Our clients need prompt, cost-efficient, and expert advice; practical and business-oriented solutions; and strategic and effective litigation support—and our team delivers.
Our knowledge of the challenges faced by employers of any size, including entrepreneurial start-ups and global technology employers, is unparalleled. We understand how, when, and why employment law issues arise, and how best to effectively resolve them. We also appreciate the need for cost control, and we staff our matters accordingly. Our innovative approach is applied to every facet of our practice, including general advice and counseling, high-stakes litigation, negotiation of mergers and acquisitions, preparation of executive agreements, workplace investigations, compliance monitoring, and labor matters.
Employment Law Anchored in the Business Context
Challenging employment problems are not effectively addressed with cookie-cutter solutions. The firm's vast experience in the technology and emerging growth sectors truly sets us apart and allows our employment attorneys to offer advice and representation specifically tailored to the real-world challenges in those spaces.
We work hand in hand with the firm's corporate, securities, employee benefits, and intellectual property attorneys to provide our clients with expert advice across all areas that touch the full life cycle of the employment relationship as it plays out in the technology and emerging growth environments—from effective recruiting through termination and post-termination disputes. This experience gives clients our unique perspective on their employment matters.
Regional Focus, Nationwide Reach
Employment law differs—often dramatically—from state to state. Knowing site-specific case law and regulations, how different judges handle cases, and how opposing counsel settle disputes is often crucial to a successful outcome. In turn, clients often must apply different policies, use different contracts, and plan risks differently where they have multi-state operations. The firm's employment litigation attorneys have experience advising multi-state employers and keep up with case law around the country, with teams in place in key geographies such as the West Coast, the East Coast, and Texas.
What We Offer
Strategic Litigation
- Complex individual cases (involving executives or high-profile issues)
- Class and collective actions (including defending complex and high-stakes wage and hour cases for Fortune 500 companies)
- Trade secrets and employee mobility
- Government-initiated litigation in courts or administrative forums
- Amicus and appellate representation in high-visibility cases
Counseling and Advice
- Avoiding and reducing wage and hour liability
- Hiring "best practices"
- Board and audit committee advice on executive terminations, transitions, and misconduct
- Compensation issues
- Contract disputes
- Employee mobility and restrictive covenants
- Harassment and discrimination prevention training
- Independent contractor classification
- Intellectual property disputes and trade secret protection
- Internal compliance audits
- Labor Code violations
- Preparation of full employment infrastructure of agreements and policies
- Privacy issues
- Reductions in force and WARN compliance
- Whistleblower complaints
- Workplace violence
- Wrongful termination
Mergers & Acquisitions/IPOs
- Direct negotiations of merger agreements
- Post-merger integration services
- Liability assessment for parent and seller/diligence review
- Preparing target company for sale or public offering
- Non-compete and other restrictive covenants
Workplace Investigations and Monitoring
- Internal investigations on sensitive issues, including harassment, discrimination, and retaliation complaints
- Government compliance and investigations
- Consent decree monitoring
- Workplace audits
Labor
- National Labor Relations Board charges
- Department of Labor audits
- OFCCP/Affirmative Action plans, compliance reviews, and enforcement proceedings
- Union organizing efforts
Related Industries
Our employment law attorneys serve a wide range of technology and growth sectors, including:
- Communications and networking
- Electronics and computer hardware
- Financial institutions
- Information service providers
- Life sciences
- Media and entertainment
- Open source
- Renewable energy
- Retail and consumer products and services
- Semiconductors
- Software
- Venture capital
Alerts
California Governor Gavin Newsom Vetoes Law Requiring Attorney General Approval for Certain Healthcare Investments
Last weekend, California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed Assembly Bill (AB) 3129, which would have required healthcare investors to notify and obtain written consent from the California Attorney General (AG) before investing in certain healthcare facilities and providers. In a letter to the California State Assembly, Governor Newsom reasoned that California’s existing Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA) is the more appropriate entity for healthcare transaction reviews:
Alerts
Heightened Obligations for Job Postings for Massachusetts-Based Roles
Beginning on July 31, 2025, Massachusetts will join a host of other states1 in requiring employers to provide detailed pay disclosures in public-facing and internal employee job postings pursuant to the recently passed Frances Perkins Workplace Equity Act (the Act). Specifically, the Act will require covered Massachusetts employers to disclose employee pay ranges in job postings and submit annual wage data reports to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD).
Alerts
California Passes Law Requiring Attorney General Approval for Certain Healthcare Investments and Emphasizes Requirements for MSO-PC Models
Pre-Closing Notice or Consent: Assembly Bill 3129 (AB 3129) mandates that certain healthcare investors must provide a 90-day written notice to, or obtain consent from, the California Attorney General (AG) before proceeding with transactions involving specific healthcare facilities and providers.
Alerts
FTC Non-Compete Ban Blocked Nationwide
On August 20, 2024, a federal district court in Texas blocked the final rule issued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that would have prohibited all for-profit employers nationwide from using non-compete agreements with any worker (the Rule) as an unfair method of competition. The Rule was set to take effect on September 4, 2024, and would have required employers to send notices to all current and former workers who had entered into covered non-compete agreements informing them that their covenants not to compete would not be enforced. The court’s decision bars the Rule from being enforced nationwide.
Alerts
Washington Employers to Face Increased Limitations on Non-Competes
On June 6, 2024, Washington’s non-compete statute will receive substantial amendments affecting employers with workers in the state. Employers should review their employment agreements and personnel onboarding practices to ensure compliance with the amendments, which further narrow the permissible uses of non-competes and non-solicits beyond existing limitations that were introduced when Washington first implemented its non-compete statute in 2020. Beginning June 6, 2024, employers should not enter into new agreements, or attempt to enforce existing agreements, that would not comply with the amended statute.
Alerts
FTC Issues Sweeping Non-Compete Ban
On April 23, 2024, the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) voted 3-to-2 along party lines to approve a final rule (Rule) that prevents all for-profit employers nationwide from using non-compete agreements for any worker (whether an employee, independent contractor, or other), regardless of whether they are designed to protect legitimate business interests of employers. The Rule declares that it is an unfair method of competition—and therefore a violation of section 5 of the FTC Act—for businesses to impose non-compete restrictions (non-competes) on workers on or after the Rule’s effective date.
Insights
Alerts
California Governor Gavin Newsom Vetoes Law Requiring Attorney General Approval for Certain Healthcare Investments
Last weekend, California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed Assembly Bill (AB) 3129, which would have required healthcare investors to notify and obtain written consent from the California Attorney General (AG) before investing in certain healthcare facilities and providers. In a letter to the California State Assembly, Governor Newsom reasoned that California’s existing Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA) is the more appropriate entity for healthcare transaction reviews:
Alerts
Heightened Obligations for Job Postings for Massachusetts-Based Roles
Beginning on July 31, 2025, Massachusetts will join a host of other states1 in requiring employers to provide detailed pay disclosures in public-facing and internal employee job postings pursuant to the recently passed Frances Perkins Workplace Equity Act (the Act). Specifically, the Act will require covered Massachusetts employers to disclose employee pay ranges in job postings and submit annual wage data reports to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD).
Alerts
California Passes Law Requiring Attorney General Approval for Certain Healthcare Investments and Emphasizes Requirements for MSO-PC Models
Pre-Closing Notice or Consent: Assembly Bill 3129 (AB 3129) mandates that certain healthcare investors must provide a 90-day written notice to, or obtain consent from, the California Attorney General (AG) before proceeding with transactions involving specific healthcare facilities and providers.
Alerts
FTC Non-Compete Ban Blocked Nationwide
On August 20, 2024, a federal district court in Texas blocked the final rule issued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that would have prohibited all for-profit employers nationwide from using non-compete agreements with any worker (the Rule) as an unfair method of competition. The Rule was set to take effect on September 4, 2024, and would have required employers to send notices to all current and former workers who had entered into covered non-compete agreements informing them that their covenants not to compete would not be enforced. The court’s decision bars the Rule from being enforced nationwide.
Alerts
Washington Employers to Face Increased Limitations on Non-Competes
On June 6, 2024, Washington’s non-compete statute will receive substantial amendments affecting employers with workers in the state. Employers should review their employment agreements and personnel onboarding practices to ensure compliance with the amendments, which further narrow the permissible uses of non-competes and non-solicits beyond existing limitations that were introduced when Washington first implemented its non-compete statute in 2020. Beginning June 6, 2024, employers should not enter into new agreements, or attempt to enforce existing agreements, that would not comply with the amended statute.
Alerts
FTC Issues Sweeping Non-Compete Ban
On April 23, 2024, the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) voted 3-to-2 along party lines to approve a final rule (Rule) that prevents all for-profit employers nationwide from using non-compete agreements for any worker (whether an employee, independent contractor, or other), regardless of whether they are designed to protect legitimate business interests of employers. The Rule declares that it is an unfair method of competition—and therefore a violation of section 5 of the FTC Act—for businesses to impose non-compete restrictions (non-competes) on workers on or after the Rule’s effective date.
Speaking Engagements
MassArbCon Tech Legal 2023
MassArbCon is a comprehensive two-day summit to discuss strategies and trends regarding mass action arbitration. The conference brings subject matter and legal experts involved in different aspects of the law to help attorneys learn about the intricacies of mass actions — from client intake to management, mediations, negotiation, administration, business development, and how law firms can implement technology and automation to lead to digital transformation. Over the past two years, MassArbCon has created a community that celebrates diversity, fosters inclusion, and upholds civility in the legal industry by blending technology and legal expertise.
Affiliated Programs
Race, Religion, and the Corporation: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Two Supreme Court decisions issued on June 29, 2023, promise to fundamentally reshape the relationship between employers and employees. These decisions will make it easier for employees to obtain religious accommodations, and harder for employers to promote diversity. In Groff v. DeJoy, the Court held that Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires that employers grant religious accommodations unless doing so imposes a “substantial” hardship on the employer. This standard is significantly more burdensome for employers than the pre-existing de minimis burden test, and could lead to a sharp increase in demands for religious accommodations. In cases against Harvard and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Court ruled that the universities’ affirmative action admissions programs violate the Constitution’s equal protection clause. The decision effectively ends race-conscious admissions programs, and leaves many businesses concerned about the legality of race-based preferences in hiring, promotions, and contracting. Republican state attorneys general have already sent a letter to CEOs of the 100 largest U.S. companies arguing that the decision also applies to private employers in an effort to force employers to roll back DEI programs and commitments.
Affiliated Programs
28th Annual Stanford Directors’ College
Wilson Sonsini is proud to support the 28th Annual Directors’ College from June 26 – 28. This conference is the nation’s premier executive education program for directors and C-level executives of publicly traded firms. The program addresses a broad range of problems that confront modern boards, including the board’s role in setting business strategy, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), CEO succession, techniques for controlling legal liability, challenges posed by activist investors, boardroom dynamics, and contemporary challenges including the state of the macroeconomy, the politicization of the corporation, and emerging ransomware and cybersecurity threats.
Wilson Sonsini partner Katherine Henderson will serve as a panelist for the program, “Risk Management and Compliance at the Board Level: Caremark Obligations and Beyond,” on Tuesday, June 27 from 1:55 to 2:55 pm.
Wilson Sonsini partner Katherine Henderson will serve as a panelist for the program, “Risk Management and Compliance at the Board Level: Caremark Obligations and Beyond,” on Tuesday, June 27 from 1:55 to 2:55 pm.
Speaking Engagements
AIPLA 2023 Spring Meeting
AIPLA will host its third consecutive, fully in-person, meeting since emerging from the pandemic. With Seattle as the backdrop, #aiplaSM23 will highlight hot topics in intellectual property, provide ample networking opportunities and social gatherings, and showcase the work of our 60+ committees. The conference will cover topics including:
WSGR Events
Navigating Employment Law in the U.S.
For companies based in the UK and Europe, hiring and managing employees in the United States can be difficult and tricky. Every state has distinct laws around non-compete, non-solicit, and arbitration agreements, etc. Also, each state requires different policies in employee handbooks and specific disclosures when employees are terminated. What’s more, with remote work situations becoming the norm, companies are having to track the laws in multiple states.
Events
Speaking Engagements
MassArbCon Tech Legal 2023
MassArbCon is a comprehensive two-day summit to discuss strategies and trends regarding mass action arbitration. The conference brings subject matter and legal experts involved in different aspects of the law to help attorneys learn about the intricacies of mass actions — from client intake to management, mediations, negotiation, administration, business development, and how law firms can implement technology and automation to lead to digital transformation. Over the past two years, MassArbCon has created a community that celebrates diversity, fosters inclusion, and upholds civility in the legal industry by blending technology and legal expertise.
Affiliated Programs
Race, Religion, and the Corporation: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Two Supreme Court decisions issued on June 29, 2023, promise to fundamentally reshape the relationship between employers and employees. These decisions will make it easier for employees to obtain religious accommodations, and harder for employers to promote diversity. In Groff v. DeJoy, the Court held that Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires that employers grant religious accommodations unless doing so imposes a “substantial” hardship on the employer. This standard is significantly more burdensome for employers than the pre-existing de minimis burden test, and could lead to a sharp increase in demands for religious accommodations. In cases against Harvard and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Court ruled that the universities’ affirmative action admissions programs violate the Constitution’s equal protection clause. The decision effectively ends race-conscious admissions programs, and leaves many businesses concerned about the legality of race-based preferences in hiring, promotions, and contracting. Republican state attorneys general have already sent a letter to CEOs of the 100 largest U.S. companies arguing that the decision also applies to private employers in an effort to force employers to roll back DEI programs and commitments.
Affiliated Programs
28th Annual Stanford Directors’ College
Wilson Sonsini is proud to support the 28th Annual Directors’ College from June 26 – 28. This conference is the nation’s premier executive education program for directors and C-level executives of publicly traded firms. The program addresses a broad range of problems that confront modern boards, including the board’s role in setting business strategy, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), CEO succession, techniques for controlling legal liability, challenges posed by activist investors, boardroom dynamics, and contemporary challenges including the state of the macroeconomy, the politicization of the corporation, and emerging ransomware and cybersecurity threats.
Wilson Sonsini partner Katherine Henderson will serve as a panelist for the program, “Risk Management and Compliance at the Board Level: Caremark Obligations and Beyond,” on Tuesday, June 27 from 1:55 to 2:55 pm.
Wilson Sonsini partner Katherine Henderson will serve as a panelist for the program, “Risk Management and Compliance at the Board Level: Caremark Obligations and Beyond,” on Tuesday, June 27 from 1:55 to 2:55 pm.
Speaking Engagements
AIPLA 2023 Spring Meeting
AIPLA will host its third consecutive, fully in-person, meeting since emerging from the pandemic. With Seattle as the backdrop, #aiplaSM23 will highlight hot topics in intellectual property, provide ample networking opportunities and social gatherings, and showcase the work of our 60+ committees. The conference will cover topics including:
WSGR Events
Navigating Employment Law in the U.S.
For companies based in the UK and Europe, hiring and managing employees in the United States can be difficult and tricky. Every state has distinct laws around non-compete, non-solicit, and arbitration agreements, etc. Also, each state requires different policies in employee handbooks and specific disclosures when employees are terminated. What’s more, with remote work situations becoming the norm, companies are having to track the laws in multiple states.
Matt Gorman
Partner
Matt Gorman is a partner in the Boston office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. He is a member of the firm's employment litigation practice, which specializes in handling a variety of cases, including those involving race, sex, religion, age, national origin, harassment, and disability discrimination. In addition, Matt regularly counsels employers on hiring practices, employee and contractor classification, employment policies, employment contracts, terminations, and other issues that arise under federal, state, and local labor and employment laws.
Steffen N. Johnson
Partner
Steffen Johnson is an experienced appellate practitioner who co-chairs the firm's national Supreme Court and Appellate practice.
Martin Luff
Partner
Martin Luff is a dual-qualified partner in the London office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where he is a member of the firm’s employment practice. Martin focuses on UK, US, and international labor and employment law, and has extensive experience counseling clients in all aspects of the employment relationship. He supports clients on day-to-day UK human resources and personnel issues, including employment and consulting agreements, international employee transfers and expatriate arrangements, disciplinary and performance issues, senior executive terminations, and employment disputes. He also advises on employment matters related to domestic and cross-border business transactions. Additionally, Martin provides counsel on non-competition and non-solicitation covenants, redundancies and group layoffs, employment issues arising from US federal government contracts, record retention policies, and international data privacy and transfer laws.
Jason M. Storck
Partner
Jason specializes in representing employers in federal and state court litigation and before administrative agencies regarding all types of labor and employment law matters.
Marina C. Tsatalis
Partner
Marina advises and represents the world’s leading technology, communications, pharmaceutical, and life sciences companies in significant trade secret and employee mobility matters.
Rico Rosales
Retired Member
Rico practiced employment law for more than 35 years and has seen virtually every type of employment issue faced by technology and growth companies.
Aren Balabanian
Of Counsel
Aren Balabanian is Of Counsel in the employment and trade secret group at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. Aren regularly counsels employers regarding all aspects of the employment relationship, including terminations and reductions in force, enforceability of covenants not to compete, worker classification, employment contracts, hiring practices, employment policies, workplace investigations, and leave laws. He also advises employers on trade secret misappropriation issues, including employee raiding and solicitation matters. In addition, Aren counsels clients with respect to preventive measures designed to minimize the risks associated with hiring competitors' employees or addressing those employees who leave to join a competitor. He also regularly negotiates and drafts employment, release, and confidentiality agreements, and he has reviewed and drafted numerous employment policies.
Alison (Renner) Genova
Of Counsel
Alison (Renner) Genova is Of Counsel in Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati’s New York office, who practices employment law and specializes in representing employers in disputes discrimination, harassment, retaliation, breach of contract (including restrictive covenants), wage and hour, wrongful termination, breach of fiduciary duty, misappropriation of trade secrets, and other types of labor and employment law matters. In addition, Alison counsels employers on various employment and labor issues, including employment and separation agreements, hiring practices, reductions in force, independent contractor and employee classifications, workplace investigations, and the drafting of effective employment policies and handbooks under federal, state and local law.
Colleen Angus-Yamada
Associate
Colleen Angus-Yamada is an associate in the New York office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where she is a member of the firm’s employment law practice. Colleen regularly assists clients in mergers and acquisitions by advising on, and reducing the risk of, employment-related liability. Her merger and acquisition experience consists of representing both buyers and sellers in domestic and international transactions, including in mergers, acquisitions, and asset purchases. Colleen also advises clients on a wide range of employment issues, including enforceability of restrictive covenants, wage and hour compliance, employment-related policies, discrimination and harassment matters, terminations and workforce reductions, employment agreements, and separation agreements.
Quinn E. Christie
Associate
Quinn E. Christie is an associate in the New York office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where he focuses on labor and employment law. Quinn’s practice involves disputes related to discrimination, harassment, pay equity, wages and hours of work, non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, misuse of proprietary information and trade secrets, breach of fiduciary duty, and enforcement of arbitration provisions. Quinn regularly counsels businesses nationwide on a range of labor and employment issues both during the ordinary course of operations and arising out of complex corporate transactions.
People
Matt Gorman
Partner
Matt Gorman is a partner in the Boston office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. He is a member of the firm's employment litigation practice, which specializes in handling a variety of cases, including those involving race, sex, religion, age, national origin, harassment, and disability discrimination. In addition, Matt regularly counsels employers on hiring practices, employee and contractor classification, employment policies, employment contracts, terminations, and other issues that arise under federal, state, and local labor and employment laws.
Steffen N. Johnson
Partner
Steffen Johnson is an experienced appellate practitioner who co-chairs the firm's national Supreme Court and Appellate practice.
Martin Luff
Partner
Martin Luff is a dual-qualified partner in the London office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where he is a member of the firm’s employment practice. Martin focuses on UK, US, and international labor and employment law, and has extensive experience counseling clients in all aspects of the employment relationship. He supports clients on day-to-day UK human resources and personnel issues, including employment and consulting agreements, international employee transfers and expatriate arrangements, disciplinary and performance issues, senior executive terminations, and employment disputes. He also advises on employment matters related to domestic and cross-border business transactions. Additionally, Martin provides counsel on non-competition and non-solicitation covenants, redundancies and group layoffs, employment issues arising from US federal government contracts, record retention policies, and international data privacy and transfer laws.
Jason M. Storck
Partner
Jason specializes in representing employers in federal and state court litigation and before administrative agencies regarding all types of labor and employment law matters.
Marina C. Tsatalis
Partner
Marina advises and represents the world’s leading technology, communications, pharmaceutical, and life sciences companies in significant trade secret and employee mobility matters.
Rico Rosales
Retired Member
Rico practiced employment law for more than 35 years and has seen virtually every type of employment issue faced by technology and growth companies.
Aren Balabanian
Of Counsel
Aren Balabanian is Of Counsel in the employment and trade secret group at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. Aren regularly counsels employers regarding all aspects of the employment relationship, including terminations and reductions in force, enforceability of covenants not to compete, worker classification, employment contracts, hiring practices, employment policies, workplace investigations, and leave laws. He also advises employers on trade secret misappropriation issues, including employee raiding and solicitation matters. In addition, Aren counsels clients with respect to preventive measures designed to minimize the risks associated with hiring competitors' employees or addressing those employees who leave to join a competitor. He also regularly negotiates and drafts employment, release, and confidentiality agreements, and he has reviewed and drafted numerous employment policies.
Alison (Renner) Genova
Of Counsel
Alison (Renner) Genova is Of Counsel in Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati’s New York office, who practices employment law and specializes in representing employers in disputes discrimination, harassment, retaliation, breach of contract (including restrictive covenants), wage and hour, wrongful termination, breach of fiduciary duty, misappropriation of trade secrets, and other types of labor and employment law matters. In addition, Alison counsels employers on various employment and labor issues, including employment and separation agreements, hiring practices, reductions in force, independent contractor and employee classifications, workplace investigations, and the drafting of effective employment policies and handbooks under federal, state and local law.
Colleen Angus-Yamada
Associate
Colleen Angus-Yamada is an associate in the New York office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where she is a member of the firm’s employment law practice. Colleen regularly assists clients in mergers and acquisitions by advising on, and reducing the risk of, employment-related liability. Her merger and acquisition experience consists of representing both buyers and sellers in domestic and international transactions, including in mergers, acquisitions, and asset purchases. Colleen also advises clients on a wide range of employment issues, including enforceability of restrictive covenants, wage and hour compliance, employment-related policies, discrimination and harassment matters, terminations and workforce reductions, employment agreements, and separation agreements.
Quinn E. Christie
Associate
Quinn E. Christie is an associate in the New York office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where he focuses on labor and employment law. Quinn’s practice involves disputes related to discrimination, harassment, pay equity, wages and hours of work, non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, misuse of proprietary information and trade secrets, breach of fiduciary duty, and enforcement of arbitration provisions. Quinn regularly counsels businesses nationwide on a range of labor and employment issues both during the ordinary course of operations and arising out of complex corporate transactions.
Related Practices
Recent Insights
Alerts
California Governor Gavin Newsom Vetoes Law Requiring Attorney General Approval for Certain Healthcare Investments
Last weekend, California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed Assembly Bill (AB) 3129, which would have required healthcare investors to notify and obtain written consent from the California Attorney General (AG) before investing in certain healthcare facilities and providers. In a letter to the California State Assembly, Governor Newsom reasoned that California’s existing Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA) is the more appropriate entity for healthcare transaction reviews:
Learn More
Alerts
Heightened Obligations for Job Postings for Massachusetts-Based Roles
Beginning on July 31, 2025, Massachusetts will join a host of other states1 in requiring employers to provide detailed pay disclosures in public-facing and internal employee job postings pursuant to the recently passed Frances Perkins Workplace Equity Act (the Act). Specifically, the Act will require covered Massachusetts employers to disclose employee pay ranges in job postings and submit annual wage data reports to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD).
Learn More
Recent Events
Speaking Engagements
MassArbCon Tech Legal 2023
MassArbCon is a comprehensive two-day summit to discuss strategies and trends regarding mass action arbitration. The conference brings subject matter and legal experts involved in different aspects of the law to help attorneys learn about the intricacies of mass actions — from client intake to management, mediations, negotiation, administration, business development, and how law firms can implement technology and automation to lead to digital transformation. Over the past two years, MassArbCon has created a community that celebrates diversity, fosters inclusion, and upholds civility in the legal industry by blending technology and legal expertise.
Learn More
Affiliated Programs
Race, Religion, and the Corporation: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Two Supreme Court decisions issued on June 29, 2023, promise to fundamentally reshape the relationship between employers and employees. These decisions will make it easier for employees to obtain religious accommodations, and harder for employers to promote diversity. In Groff v. DeJoy, the Court held that Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires that employers grant religious accommodations unless doing so imposes a “substantial” hardship on the employer. This standard is significantly more burdensome for employers than the pre-existing de minimis burden test, and could lead to a sharp increase in demands for religious accommodations. In cases against Harvard and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Court ruled that the universities’ affirmative action admissions programs violate the Constitution’s equal protection clause. The decision effectively ends race-conscious admissions programs, and leaves many businesses concerned about the legality of race-based preferences in hiring, promotions, and contracting. Republican state attorneys general have already sent a letter to CEOs of the 100 largest U.S. companies arguing that the decision also applies to private employers in an effort to force employers to roll back DEI programs and commitments.
Learn More
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