Kate Gold is a partner in the Labor & Employment Law Department in the Los Angeles office.
Kate has over 25 years of experience representing clients in a range of industries, across all areas of employment law. An experienced litigator, she has represented clients in all types of employment-related suits, including class and collective actions, discrimination, retaliation and harassment, non-compete and wage/hour matters. In addition to litigating, she conducts high-level workplace investigations and routinely counsels clients on matters involving the full range of state and federal employment issues.
Kate also represents clients in disputes involving misappropriation of intellectual property and trade secrets, interference with contract, and unfair competition. Kate also counsels on classification of employees, employment issues in the context of purchase and sale of businesses, and non-competition agreements. Additionally, she negotiates and drafts executive employment and separation agreements and conducts training on sexual harassment prevention.
Kate received her B.A. and J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley.
Education
- University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, J.D.
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University of California, Berkeley, B.A.
highest distinction
University of Paris I, Sorbonne
Admissions & Qualifications
- California
Memberships
Constitutional Rights Foundation, Board Member
Litigation and Employment Law Sections, Los Angeles County Bar Association
Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles
Joint Task Force of Los Angeles County Bar Association and Women Lawyers Association
of Los Angeles on Retention and Promotion of Women in Law Firms (2008-2013)
Los Angeles Superior Court, Volunteer Judge Pro Tem
Beverly Hills Bar Association Work/Life Committee, Executive Committee (2007-2008)
Awards & Recognition
Fellows of the College of Labor & Employment Lawyers 2020
Los Angeles Business Journal, Top Women Attorneys in Los Angeles, 2020
Los Angeles Business Journal, Leaders In Law: Litigators and Trial Lawyers 2020
Best Lawyers in America 2020-2021
Leaders in Law Finalist, Labor & Employment, Los Angeles Business Journal, 2019
"Most Influential Women Attorneys," Los Angeles Business Journal, 2018
One of the Top Labor & Employment Lawyers in California, Daily Journal, 2018
Acritas Star Lawyer 2020
The Legal 500 United States: Labor & Employment: Labor and Employment Disputes (including Collective Actions): Defense 2020
The Legal 500 United States: Labor & Employment: Workplace and Employment Counseling 2020
Matters
Kate has represented her clients in several significant matters in the trial and appellate courts, as well as in arbitration, including, among many others:
- Defense of an aerospace research and development company in a putative nationwide collective and class action for age discrimination, arising out of a widespread reduction in force. Defeated class claims in both federal and state court and obtained summary judgment in remaining five single plaintiff cases.
- Defense of a national retail merchandiser in a putative class action alleging various wage and hour violations (off the clock, meal and rest break, expense reimbursement). Defeated class certification on all but one claim which was resolved for a small fraction of Plaintiff’s original demand.
- Defense of a national restaurant supply wholesaler in putative collective and class action alleging misclassification of managers. Successfully compelled entire action to arbitration on an individual basis.
- Lead counsel for a prominent Southern California medical group in arbitration brought by hospital department Chair for breach of contract, fraud and defamation. Prevailed on all claims.
- Lead counsel for television network and production company in pregnancy discrimination claim by a former model/actress. Prevailed on a motion for new trial, vacating verdict. In a companion case by a second model/actress alleging pregnancy discrimination, obtained summary judgment, which was affirmed on appeal.
- Lead counsel in arbitration on behalf of producer of longest-running, nationally broadcast television game show. Obtained arbitration award in action for retaliatory failure to hire and age and gender discrimination. Arbitration award was affirmed in full by California Court of Appeal.
- Lead counsel in arbitration on behalf of the nation’s largest publicly traded Hispanic-controlled media and entertainment company to enforce exclusivity provisions of employment agreement for morning drive time star disc jockey.