Over the past 25 years in private practice, RJ has participated in countless mediations as an advocate with some of the top mediators in the state and country and has served as a neutral settlement officer in the volunteer dispute resolution program set up by the Los Angeles County Superior Court. RJ received his formal training as a mediator at the prestigious Strauss Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University School of Law.

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RJ attributes his success as a legal problem solver to his deep appreciation for the fact that every case has its strengths and weaknesses, that no case is without risk, and that empathy - trying to genuinely understand what's driving the parties - goes a long way to truly understanding the real dynamics of a dispute.

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RJ received his AB degree in Rhetoric in 1990 (with honors) and Juris Doctorate degree in 1995, both from UC Berkeley. On January 8, 1996, RJ joined Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP (where he had been a summer associate) in its Litigation Practice Group, working on consumer class actions and antitrust matters. Within a few years, RJ transferred to the Labor and Employment Practice Group where he was a partner from October 2003 through May 2021 (an equity partner for the last 16 of those years).  

 

RJ is an outstanding trial lawyer, winning jury trials and arbitrations that other counsel thought were unwinnable, for clients such as American Airlines, Mercedes Benz, Yusen Terminals, Starwood Hotels, and others.  During his time with Morgan Lewis, RJ has been a repeat instructor for Morgan Lewis’ internal Trial Academy and was the National Co-Chair of the Labor & Employment Individual Employment Litigation and Arbitration Sub-Practice Group for many years until he retired.  RJ also served on the Executive Committee for the former Labor and Employment Law Section of the California State Bar from 2009-2012. 

 

RJ has argued successfully before federal and state Courts of Appeal and the California Supreme Court, including the recently decided seminal case of Oman v. Delta Airlines (Cal. Supreme Court 2020). He’s also admitted before the US Supreme Court.

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RJ has been repeatedly recognized as a Southern California Super Lawyer, and by the Daily Journal one of the top employment law litigators in California for both his employment and class action work. RJ is also known for his strategic but practical advice and counsel, with one client recently noting:

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"He is possibly the most creative legal mind I have ever worked with

due to the solutions that he offers to the legal issues we face."

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