Julia Trankiem

Julia Y. Trankiem’s practice focuses on the representation of management in a broad range of employment matters under state and federal law. Julia extensively collaborates and partners with companies to solve complex employment issues.

She has represented employers across wide-ranging industries in class, collective, representative and hybrid actions brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act and state wage and hour laws.

Her wage and hour experience includes litigation involving claims of misclassification, off-the-clock work and unpaid overtime, and meal and rest period violations. She has successfully limited class size and defeated class certification.

Based on her in-depth knowledge of wage and hour laws, Julia also provides advice to clients concerning compliance and assists clients in litigation avoidance by conducting audits and assisting in the implementation of new practices focused on compliance with state and federal wage and hour requirements.

In addition, Julia has a significant amount of experience in defending claims of wrongful discharge, employment discrimination and other employment-related issues. Her extensive experience has resulted in obtaining defense verdicts at jury trials and arbitration hearings and favorable summary judgment rulings.

She provides strategic advice and counsel to clients on a range of employment issues, including assistance in handling performance management, discharge and other employee matters and issues.

She has created and revised employment manuals and personnel policies, and she has counseled employers in connection with workplace investigations.

Julia also has represented employers in complex employee benefits litigation, namely “stock drop” class actions brought under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

Experience:

• Successfully defended appeal before California Court of Appeal from summary judgment ruling by trial court dismissing PAGA action.
• Prevailed in jury trial on age discrimination claims under Texas state and federal law.
• Prevailed in arbitration hearing on disability discrimination claims under California state law.
• Prevailed in arbitration hearing on retaliation claims under California state law.
• Successfully achieved dismissal of cases at dispositive motion stage, including claims related to wage and hour practices, discrimination, harassment, retaliation and PAGA claims.

EDUCATION:

• JD, University of Michigan Law School, 2003
• BA, University of California, Los Angeles, 2000

BAR ADMISSIONS:

• California
• Illinois
• New York

Memberships:

• Site selection committee member, National Employment Council
• Newsletter committee member, California Minority Counsel Program