Catherine J. Gallagher

Catherine represents employers in a wide variety of employment matters in both state and federal court in addition to matters before state and administrative agencies. Catherine’s practice focuses on defending employers against wrongful termination claims, workplace discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims, and wage and hour issues in addition to successfully handling misappropriation of trade secret cases. Catherine has served as second-chair in both jury trial and arbitration proceedings in addition to acting as first-chair in administrative law hearings.

Catherine also regularly provides practical advice and counsel to employers on a range of matters including leaves of absence, employee discipline, wage and hour issues, hiring and terminations, internal investigations, workplace accommodations, reductions in force and several other personnel related issues. Catherine partners with employers to draft policies, employee handbooks, and other employment-related agreements to strike a balance between business objectives and compliance with state and federal law. In addition, Catherine provides employment law compliance training.

Catherine also spent several years as Assistant General Counsel, Labor & Employment for a global gaming company. This experience provided Catherine with firsthand insight into the unique needs and challenges faced by in-house counsel supporting employers with multi-jurisdictional workforces.

Catherine received her Bachelor of Arts, with honors, in 2007 from the University of California at Santa Barbara. She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego in 2012.