Emphasis
Litigation of Employment Law Claims in State and Federal Courts
Wage & Hour Matters
Wrongful Termination
Biography
Julie Dunne is a shareholder in Littler's San Diego office. She is co-chair of the Firm's Retail Practice Group and is a core group member of the Wage and Hour Practice Group. She is also Chair of the National Retail Federation Committee on Employment Law's Wage and Hour Subcommittee. Ms. Dunne specializes in representing employers and management with respect to employment matters including wage and hour class actions, wage and hour audits and every type of discrimination, harassment and wrongful termination in violation of public policy claim.
Education
J.D., University of San Diego, 1992, cum laude
B.A., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1989, High Honors, Comparative Literature
Publications
"Ready, Set, Wait – Timely Tips on the Compensability of On-Call Time," Corporate Counsel Magazine, August 2009
"The Compensability of Home-to-Work Travel Under The Employee Commuting Flexibility Act," Employee Relations Law Journal, Vol. 33, No. 1 Summer 2007
"Take That To The Bank," Stores Magazine, April, 2007
"Ninth Circuit Curtails Enforceability of Mandatory Employment Arbitration Agreements," May 30, 2003
"Clearing the Path to Arbitration," April 25, 2001
Honors & Awards
Voted Best Lawyers in America 2011
2008-2009 Honors Edition of Who's Who Among Executives and Professionals
San Diego Super Lawyers, 2007-2009
Legal 500 US, Employment Law Counseling, 2007
Member of the Litigation Counsel of America Trial Lawyer Honorary Society
Former Co-Chair, San Diego County Bar Association's Labor and Employment Law Section
Activities
Chair of the Wage and Hour Subcommittee of the National Retail Federation
Former Co-Chair, San Diego County Bar Association's Labor and Employment Law Section
Cases/Courts/Judges
California State Courts
U.S. District Court for the Southern, Central, Northern and Eastern Districts of California
Ms. Dunne was a summer extern to the Honorable Gordon Thompson, Jr., United States District Court Judge in San Diego, California
Litigation Experience
Ms. Dunne is currently defending employers in the following lawsuits:
- A class action for alleged failure to provide one day's rest in seven and alleged failure to pay split shift premiums in the retail industry.
- A class action for alleged improper deductions from commissions, vacation pay violations and failure to pay overtime in the retail industry.
- Class actions regarding alleged meal, rest and off-the-clock violations in the retail, freight management, manufacturing, distribution, and construction industries.
- A single-plaintiff lawsuit regarding alleged age, race and disability discrimination in the quick-serve restaurant industry.
Ms. Dunne has had the following successes in wage and hour class actions:
- Obtained summary judgment in a small-plaintiff lawsuit for alleged gender discrimination, wrongful termination and alleged failure to pay commission in the software industry.
- Prevailed in an appeal of an order granting final approval of a class action settlement, including approval of a LC 203 claim for alleged failure to timely pay final commission wages.
- Obtained voluntary dismissal of class claims regarding miscalculation of regular rate, off-the-clock work and meal and rest violations in the distribution industry.
- Obtained voluntary dismissal of both class and individual claims regarding alleged misclassification of managers in the retail industry by filing a demurrer to class allegations and a motion for sanctions.
- Obtained summary judgment in a class action alleging unlawful distribution of tips in the coffee industry.
- Obtained voluntary dismissal of class claims in a suit for alleged failure to reimburse business expenses (uniforms), alleged violation of LC 212 and alleged failure to provide meal and rest breaks by filing a motion to strike class allegations.
- Obtained voluntary dismissal of a class action for alleged misclassification of sales associates.
- Obtained voluntary dismissal of LC 212 class action.
- Prevailed on a motion for summary judgment in a nationwide collective action alleging failure to pay for time spent commuting between home and work sites.
- Defeated motions for class certification in two class actions for alleged misclassification of retail department managers.