Dennis R. Murphy

Dennis Murphy is a partner in the Labor and Employment Law Team. His experience commenced in 1972 and includes the representation of employers in every aspect of labor and employment law. It includes both trial and appellate advocacy and counseling. He has appeared before the United States Supreme Court, before many state and federal appellate courts, in numerous jury trials and before most of the governmental agencies that handle labor and employment issues. Additionally he has represented employers in every aspect of union-management issues. His clients include a professional sports organization, the state legislature, soft drink bottling companies, transportation companies, construction companies, universities and law schools, insurance brokers and others.

Dennis successfully represented the California State Assembly in two high profile sexual harassment cases - Holman vs. Connolly and Boyd vs. Conroy.  He has appeared before the United States Supreme Court in Concrete Pipe and Products vs. Construction Laborers Pension Trust.
 
He is a member of the American Bar Association, the State Bar of California, the Labor Advisory Committee of the California Chamber of Commerce, and has served as a panelist and moderator for the California Continuing Education Bar Labor Law presentations.

Dennis is an AV® Peer Review Rated lawyer and was listed as a Super Lawyer in Northern California Super Lawyers in 2005, 2006, and 2011. He received his B.S. and J.D. degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Areas of Practice

Labor and Employment Law, Business and Commercial Litigation

Representative Experience

• Representation of employers in wrongful termination, sexual harassment and sexual discrimination cases 

• Representation of employers before the National Labor Relations Board, including elections, unfair labor practice, appeals, and enforcement proceedings in the circuit courts and before the United States Supreme Court

• Representation of clients before both the Fair Employment Practice Commission of the State of California and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission of the United States

• Representation of clients before the Occupational Safety & Health Administration of California

• Defense of employers in actions brought in state court by the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement for discharge of employees allegedly in violation of the California OSHA Act

• Representation of clients in suits brought on behalf of Trust Funds, including advising clients with respect to audits performed by Trust Funds, claims for unfunded vested liability, and representation of Trust Funds in actions on their behalf

• Representation of clients accused of violating various state labor codes, including failure to make overtime payments, forfeiture of vacation pay

Industries Served

Construction, Retail Outlets, Water Agencies, Educational, Manufacturing, Fire Protection, Financial Institutions, Printing, Warehousing, Oil, Transportation, Agricultural, Food Processing, Automotive, State Agencies/Governmental Entities, and Healthcare

Unions Negotiated with on Behalf of Clients

Teamsters, Machinists, Iron Workers, Longshoremen; Oil, Chemical & Atomic Workers, Teachers, Fire Fighters, Steel Workers, Pressmen, Typographical, Operating Engineers, Electricians, Laborers

Leadership Positions and Memberships

• Labor Advisory Committee of the California Chamber of Commerce

• American Bar Association

• State Bar of California

• Sacramento County Bar Association

Recent Speaking Engagements/Seminars

• Speaker, "What California Employers Need to Know in 2011," Rancho Cordova Chamber of Commerce, Rancho Cordova, CA ( February 3, 2011)
• Speaker, “Wage and Hour Issues in the New Workplace,” Association of Corporate Counsel, Sacramento, CA (June 17, 2010)
• Speaker, "How Changes to Employment Law will Impact Your Business in 2010," Rancho Cordova Chamber of Commerce, Rancho Cordova, CA ( January 27, 2010)
• Presenter, Association of Corporate Counsel, Sacramento Chapter, "Inside Counsel’s Guide to Preparing for and Managing Unexpected Legal Challenges and Emergencies," Sacramento, CA (April 16, 2009)

Education

University of California, Los Angeles
B.S., Engineering (1968)
J.D. (1971) Moot Court Honors Program

UCLA Football Letterman - 1965, 1966 and 1967
Associated Press Honorable Mention, All American 1966
    and 1967
First Team All Pacific Eight Football - 1967
Member U.S. Eagles Rugby Team - 1976-1977
Member America’s Senior Rugby Team - 1988, 1989, 1990

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