The Watkins Firm has almost four decades of experience and legal skill defending a California or San Diego employer in any dispute or lawsuit.   If you are a San Diego or California business owner, employer or corporate manager and you are concerned about a lawsuit from an employee we can help to reduce or eliminate your exposure.

These cases are all about documentation, the facts and the people involved, as well as the alleged impact the issue has had upon the life of the employee.  We have worked with several business clients who felt their case was hopeless and helped them to aggressively defend their interests and win at trial.

Key Takeaways For What to Look for in an Attorney When Defending a California or San Diego Employer in any Dispute:

• Look for attorneys with proven strategies for California employer defense, extensive decades of successful experience and proven strategies.
• California is, arguably, the most challenging state in which to be an employer.  You need a legal partner who can keep you up to date and ensure you are preventing litigation before it ever has the ability to develop.
• The moment you suspect any possible issue or dispute with an employee, call the Watkins Firm immediately.  We can help you to take quick action to mitigate or remediate the situation altogether, often blowing the dispute out of the water before it has a chance to get started.

Proven Strategies for Employer Defense

The Watkins Firm has a unique strategy that immediately attacks the core of an employee’s case while defending a San Diego employer.  We work with our clients to manage not only the dispute itself, but to work through the impact of the dispute on the atmosphere of the workplace.  We protect careers.  There is hope, even when you feel all of the facts are stacked against you.

Your Watkins Firm employer defense lawyer resolves most of these cases through effective, leveraged negotiation.  In many cases we are able to take immediate action with our client to remediate what has happened and put a stop to the progression of the case.

We represent our clients in mediation, and if necessary arbitration or trial.  Put the power, strength and proven track record of success of the Watkins Firm behind you as we work to achieve a positive, successful outcome in your case.

Over 40 Years of Experience Defending a California or San Diego Employer in any Dispute

California has some of the most challenging employment courts in the United States from the perspective of a business owner or manager, but our attorneys work effectively within California and Federal law to protect our clients and ultimately carry the day.  Imagine the joy of a client who felt there was absolutely no hope at the outset on the day of our total and absolute victory in Court!  Ask about our track record in these cases.  The Watkins Firm can and will absolutely make a difference in the outcome of your case.

We defend employers against accusations including, but not limited to:

• Wage and hour law violations
• Unpaid overtime
• Private Attorneys General Act or PAGA actions
• Discrimination
• Sexual harassment
• Retaliation
• Wrongful termination
• FMLA and ADA disputes and lawsuits

Pro-Tip: “So as an employer, what’s the best precaution one can take? the answer: Pay attention and have a good lawyer.

Have a good lawyer for employers who stays up to speed and take those little technical matters seriously, because it doesn’t cost much to be in compliance. It really doesn’t, but it costs so much to get caught. Usually you don’t get caught for a few months and before you know it, you could literally lose hundreds of thousands of dollars for an accounting error or the way you put your paychecks out or your refusal or failure to put up a little sign in your break room. All those little things. There’s some lawyer out there, Mr. Bounty Hunter, looking for you to try to collect five, 10, $15,000 in attorneys fees for tiny mistakes made by San Diego and California employers.

When we’re talking about protecting our employer clients, the old saying, ‘a good defense starts with a good offense,’ definitely applies. What are the elements of a good offense in your mind for an employer?

Employment contracts, human resource manuals, employee handbooks, rules and regulations, training and staying up to speed on the ever-changing laws in California.  Having a lawyer on speed dial you can call with a question or concern and get the right answer, often without a bill!

Let’s talk about class actions. That’s how you take a mistake on the way somebody drafted someone’s paycheck in the tune of, let’s say $15 a week. That puts you in a class action that costs you three, $400,000 because of an accounting error that led to a class action. Now, had you had certain types of agreements in place, even some kinds of arbitration agreements (that’s where we’re at now on these laws) you could have cut this off. Also, had you had a Watkins Firm lawyer you could talk to about your procedures or maybe an outside accounting service to review it or a CPA or our HR person, someone you can call, you could prevent a huge potential liability. If there’s any questions or your staff can call, then you won’t have this problem. And if you do, then you shut it down right away.

Fast action in any of these matters is the key. Pick up the phone and call us the second that you think something’s going on. Quick action gives your lawyer the right to do things that just destroy a case in the beginning.” – Dan Watkins, Founding Partner

40+ Years Experience Defending a California or San Diego Employer in any Dispute

Are you facing a lawsuit from an employee? Call on attorneys with decades of proven experience defending a San Diego employer in any dispute or lawsuit.  The key to these cases is taking immediate action as soon as you learn of any potential issue or challenge.  We invite you to review our podcast Episode 39 – What Keeps Employers Up at Night as well as the strong recommendations of our clients and contact the Watkins Firm or call 858-535-1511 for a complimentary consultation today.  Learn about our unique approach to litigation, and our track record of success in these cases.

Meet Daniel Watkins:

Daniel W. Watkins is a true people person who sincerely listens. He cares deeply about what others are going through.  Dan enjoys digging into the facts and finding creative solutions to problems.  He contributes his insights candidly and constructively.

Dan’s interest in people make him deeply invested in every relationship and his exuberant personality makes him a true litigator. Dan fights for his clients with a fierce and calculated commitment.

Dan has practiced in the areas of business, medical practices and healthcare business, high tech/science, real estate and employment defense law since 1987. He is a trusted litigation strategist and true trial attorney with over 50 jury and bench trials to his credit. Dan has successfully represented both large companies and individuals and achieved substantial victories in well-publicized trials throughout California and the U.S.

He is experienced in business and corporate formation and administration, as well as all forms of alternative dispute resolution, including binding arbitration and mediation.

THE ROAD TO BECOMING A BUSINESS LAWYER AND LITIGATOR

Dan has almost 40 years of experience working with, for and against some of the largest insurance companies in the country. He has successfully tried and litigated cases in the areas of Healthcare Compliance, Commercial Litigation, Unfair Business Practices, Fraud, Breach of Contract, Battery, Premises Liability, Product Defect, Medical Malpractice, Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, Construction Defect, as well as Unfair Competition, Defamation, and Trade Secrets.

In December 2003, Dan commenced litigation against Health South Surgery Centers-West, Inc and its’ subsidiaries, exposing the company’s extensive mismanagement and misconduct of its’ surgery centers. Dan has also been asked by some of California’s largest municipalities and corporations to conduct legally required investigations into matters involving alleged employment discrimination and harassment.