Rick Harding has more than 38 years' experience with Littler Mendelson, exclusively representing employers in labor and employment matters. He has defended clients in federal and state trial and appellate courts, as well as before the National Labor Relations Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the Department of Labor and the California Labor Commissioner. He also has extensive arbitration and mediation experience.

Rick has developed and implemented litigation and defense strategies designed to enhance the employer's objectives in a multitude of cases, including:

• Traditional labor disputes
• Wrongful termination litigation
• Wage and hour class actions
• Discrimination class actions

He has particular expertise with claims involving Title VII, wrongful termination, wage and hour issues, the Family and Medical Leave Act and the National Labor Relations Act.

Rick also has extensive experience advising employers with respect to union-related issues, including union avoidance, union organizing, administration of labor contracts, work stoppages, picketing and unfair labor practices.

He has successfully negotiated scores of collective bargaining agreements for both individual employers and employer associations and has represented employers in a multitude of interest and labor arbitrations involving contractual disputes and employee discipline. He has also defended employers in unfair labor practice and representation cases in proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board.
 
Drawing upon his vast experience in varied areas of labor and employment law, Rick actively counsels employers regarding business decisions and planning, personnel issues and preventive employment law, with a central focus on achieving the business objectives of the employer.

Rick has worked with a diverse group of private and public sector clients in various industries, including healthcare, hotel and hospitality, service, transportation, moving and storage, warehousing, wholesale and retail sales, automotive, agriculture, printing, waste disposal, postal service, manufacturing, real estate, title and escrow, tree surgery, energy, senior housing, funeral and private country clubs.

Throughout his career, Rick has been a frequent speaker before individual employers and various trade and employer associations and civic groups on a wide variety of labor and employment law topics.

Rick founded Littler’s Walnut Creek office, which he managed for over 20 years. He has also served on Littler’s Board of Directors and Finance Committee and was the long-time chair of the firm’s Hiring Committee.

Before joining Littler, Rick served as a captain in the United States Marine Corps from 1968 to 1973. Prior to college, he was a congressional page.

PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY AFFILIATIONS

• Member, American Bar Association
• Member,  Labor and Employment Section - State Bar of California
• Member, Litigation Section - State Bar of California
• Member, Contra Costa County Bar Association
• Former member, Boards of Directors
  • Kaneohe Federal Credit Union
  • Walnut Creek Rotary Club
  • Alexander J. Lindsay Museum
  • Contra Costa Country Club

RECOGNITION

• Awarded, Martindale-Hubbell AV® Peer Review Rating
• Named, Super Lawyer - Northern California