Ann K. Bradley is a partner in Duane Morris' Employment, Labor, Benefits and Immigration Practice Group. Ms. Bradley is also a member of the firm's governing Partners Board and the firm's Professional Standards Committee, which is responsible for the process whereby associates are admitted to the firm's partnership.
Ms. Bradley practices in the area of federal and California employment law, exclusively representing employers. She focuses on advising clients daily on employee relations issues, hiring practices, discipline and discharge, leaves of absence and reasonable accommodation of disabilities. She regularly guides employers through internal investigations of employee complaints; prepares employment agreements, offer letters and separation agreements for individuals, executives and group reductions in force; performs exempt status audits; and reviews policies, handbooks and leave administration programs. Ms. Bradley also defends employers in state and federal courts and before administrative agencies, such as the EEOC, DFEH, California Labor Commissioner, and California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board.
Prior to entering the practice of law, Ms. Bradley held sales and marketing management positions with several companies and founded and operated a national consulting firm for more than a decade. She is an experienced trainer, speaker and author of numerous articles on both business and legal topics.
Ms. Bradley is a 1992 magna cum laude graduate of the University of San Diego School of Law, where she was a member of the University of San Diego Law Review, and a graduate of San Diego State University (B.A.; Certificate in Business Administration).
Areas of Practice
· Employment Law
Representative Matters
· Provided advice and counsel to clients in the biotechnology, health care, financial services, retail, hospitality and other industries regarding reductions in force and departmental restructurings, including risk assessment and preparation of all employee agreements and communications, to achieve substantial cost savings and avoidance of litigation.
· Conducted company-wide exempt status analyses and developed reclassification strategies and employee communications to avoid costly wage and hour class action litigation.
· Successful defense of employment discrimination, harassment and wrongful termination cases in federal and state courts and before federal and state agencies.
· Guided clients through high-risk internal investigations, including investigation methodology, appropriate corrective action and timely documentation of results.
· Provided advice and counsel to clients on appropriate procedures and options for responding to workplace violence threats.
· Provided on-going advice and counsel to clients regarding accommodation of employees with disabilities, including legal obligations, risk assessment, strategy development and drafting of individual employee communications.
· Successfully negotiated executive separations to avoid litigation and achieve client business objectives.
· Advised companies from small start-ups to large multi-state employers in health care, financial services and other industries regarding compliance with California and federal employment laws, including preparation of employee handbooks and forms and procedures for recruiting, hiring, background-checking and leaves of absence.
· Conducted in-house training for clients in various industries, including mandatory sexual harassment training for supervisors in California, discipline and discharge procedures, wage and hour compliance, leave of absence administration and effective internal investigations.
· Analyzed and drafted employment provisions of purchase and sale agreements and reviewed and drafted executive employment agreements in connection with mergers and acquisitions. Assisted clients with all employment aspects of post-acquisition integration.
Professional Activities
· State Bar of California
· San Diego Bar Association
Experience
· Duane Morris LLP
- Partner, 2007-present
· DLA Piper (formerly Gray Cary Ware and Freidenrich)
- Partner, 2001-2007
- Associate, 1994-2000
· Procopio Cory Hargraves & Savitch
- Associate, 1992-1994
Board Memberships
· South County Personnel Association
- Former Board Member, Officer and Legal/Legislative Chair
Selected Publications
· "Employers' Responsibility to Eliminate Sexual Harassment," San Diego Business Journal
· Mental Disability Discrimination and the Americans with Disabilities Act," California Human Resources
· "An Employer's Perspective on Telemarketing Call Monitoring: Invasion of Employee Privacy or Legitimate Business Practice?" Labor Law Journal
Selected Speaking Engagements
· "HR Action Items for 2011," Duane Morris/BB&T John Burnham Insurance 2011 Breakfast Briefing
· "Everything You Wanted to Know About California Employment Law But Were Afraid to Ask," Duane Morris Institute 2010 Webinar
· "You Can Do It . . . With Planning and Support," Building for the Future: Laying the Employment Law Foundation for Insulating Your Business, Duane Morris 2010 Spring Seminar
· "HR Action Items in 2010," Duane Morris 2010 Breakfast Briefing
· "Workplace Law and Practice 2009," Duane Morris Employment & Immigration Seminar
· "Implementing the New FMLA Regulations in California," Duane Morris 2009 Breakfast Briefing
· "Reductions in Force," Duane Morris 2008 Spring Seminar
· "Strategies for Managing Leaves of Absence and Minimizing Absenteeism," Gray Cary Employment Law Briefing
· "E-Privacy...Or is it?" Gray Cary Employment Law Briefing
· "Sexual Harassment - the U.S. Supreme Court Speaks," SDEA 18th Annual Employment Update
· "Background Checking and the California Employer: How to Comply with the FCRA," South County Personnel Association
· "Prudent Hiring - Not Privacy Invasion," California Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
· "Dealing with the Legal Issues Created by the Contingent Workforce: Independent Contractors, Leased Employees and Temps," SDEA/Cal Labor Letter 16th Annual Employment Law Update
· "Sexual Harassment Investigations - Avoiding the Pitfalls," East County Personnel Association
Selected Client In-House Workshops
· "Time Reporting and Pay Guidelines"
· "Employee Classification: Exempt or Nonexempt?"
· "Leave Administration Workshop"
· "Ten Steps for Effective Internal Investigations"