Theodora R. Lee has extensive courtroom experience and practices before all state and federal courts in California and all employment-related regulatory agencies. She represents employers in:

• Class action litigation
• Wrongful termination and employment discrimination litigation
• National Labor Relations Board matters
• Representation cases
• Unfair labor practice proceedings
• Grievance arbitrations
• Title VII proceedings, including race, sex, religious and age harassment and discrimination
• Unfair competition proceedings
• State and federal wage and hour litigation

Theodora's recent litigation successes include class actions involving disparate impact; unpaid commissions and expense reimbursement; employee status, overtime, meal and rest periods; and overtime and exempt status under the California Labor Code and Fair Labor Standards Act. She also has served as lead trial counsel or co-counsel in multiple jury trials and obtained defense verdicts in cases alleging race discrimination, racial harassment, sexual harassment  and retaliation,  as well as a case alleging violation of the Unruh Civil Rights Act and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Additionally, she defends various corporations in cases in state or federal courts alleging Fair Employment and Housing Act violations, wage and hour class actions, and whistleblower and wrongful termination claims, and has obtained dismissals via summary judgment in countless cases.

A settlement commissioner, AAA certified arbitrator and mediator, Theodora has concluded more than 1,000 matters through use of private arbitration or mediation, including large, complex, multi-party litigation actions, and individuals suing their employers.

Theodora also counsels employers on:

• The Americans with Disabilities Act
• The Uniform Trade Secrets Act
• The California Business and Professions Code
• The Family and Medical Leave Act
• Employee terminations
• Corporate compliance
• Litigation avoidance
• Reductions-in-force
• The development of personnel policies and procedures
• Workplace violence
• Pre-employment screening
• Federal and state wage and hour issues
• Employment agreements
• Restrictive covenants
• Trade secrets and unfair competition
• Drug and alcohol testing

Theodora has been a contributing writer to numerous employment law publications and presents seminars on a wide variety of employment issues and regularly conducts in-house employment law training programs.

Prior to entering the practice of law, Theodora worked as a Senate intern in Washington, D.C., for Senator Sam Nunn.

PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY AFFILIATIONS

• Advisor, Executive Committee, Labor and Employment Law Section, State Bar of California
• Former member, Executive Committee, Labor and Employment Law Section, State Bar of California
• Member, Board of Directors - Bay Area Legal Aid
• Member, Board of Directors, United Negro College Fund, Northern California
• Member, Board of Directors, YMCA - San Francisco
• Member, Charles Houston Bar Association
• Member, Bar Association of San Francisco
• Member, Alameda County Bar Association
• Member, California Women Lawyers
• Member, American Bar Association
• Delegate, Conference of Delegates - State Bar of California
• Former president, Bay Area Black United Fund
• Former president, Alameda County Community Food Bank
• Former president, Barristers Section - Alameda County Bar Association
• Former member, Board of Directors - Leadership California

RECOGNITION

• Named, Leading Law Firm Rainmakers, Minority Corporate Counsel Association, 2010
• Named, Super Lawyer - Northern California, 2011 and 2012