Tazamisha H. Imara

Tazamisha H. Imara is senior counsel in the Orange County office, where she represents employers in labor and employment litigation in state and federal court. She also counsels in-house legal teams, HR professionals, and other business partners on leaves of absence, discipline and terminations, the interactive process, and related compliance matters.

With nearly three decades of experience representing management in labor and employment matters, Tazamisha has first- and second-chaired litigation involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and wage and hour claims, including high-stakes cases involving executive employees. She has appeared in court and at hearings on matters ranging from summary judgment motions to motions in limine, and she regularly resolves disputes early by responding to demand letters and negotiating favorable pre-litigation settlements.

Tazamisha has also defended class action litigation and brings broad experience across management-side labor and employment matters, from day-to-day advice to complex counseling. Earlier in her career, she served as in-house counsel for a privately held company, advising its corporate departments and executive officers on employment law and employee relations. That experience ranges from drafting separation, settlement, and employment agreements to litigating single-plaintiff and wage and hour class actions and directing outside counsel on matters in other states. She has also built employee handbooks and performance management materials from the ground up, developed anti-harassment training programs required under California law, and trained supervisors, department heads, and other employees on putting those policies into practice.

Before joining Ogletree Deakins, Tazamisha spent nine years as senior counsel at a national law firm, working out of the firm’s Los Angeles and Orange County offices.

Tazamisha is a member of the State Bar of California and is admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the United States District Courts for the Central, Eastern, Northern, and Southern Districts of California.

Outside of work, Tazamisha is an avid traveler and reader who makes time each month for her book club. Music runs deep for her too: she has sung with local choirs over the years and remains a devoted jazz fan, making it a point to catch the Monterey Jazz Festival whenever her schedule allows.