Jesse A. Cripps is a partner in Gibson Dunn's Los Angeles office and a member of the firm's Labor & Employment, Litigation and Class Action Practice Groups.
Mr. Cripps has handled the full range of labor and employment matters under both federal and state law, specializing in the defense of high-risk, complex and class action litigation. His recent successes include defeating collective action certification of a nationwide class under the Fair Labor Standards Act, securing the dismissal of state law class action claims on the pleadings, and securing the dismissal of class-wide federal wage claims before the commencement of discovery.
Mr. Cripps has a wide-range of courtroom experience, including several months of experience in various state and federal jury trials. He has successfully argued high-stakes motions in both federal and state courts, has first chair success before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and has authored multiple winning briefs before the Ninth Circuit resulting in both favorable published opinions for his clients and the recovery of attorneys' fees and costs. He has successfully represented clients in administrative hearings and investigations, and secured a favorable defense judgment in a federal employment bench trial-a judgment which he, in turn, successfully defended before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
His representative matters include the defense of statewide and nationwide wage and hour class actions, the representation of employers in high-stakes non-compete and trade secret disputes, and the defense of various discrimination, retaliation, whistleblowing and ERISA claims. Mr. Cripps also represents employers in matters involving federal contract compliance (affirmative action), reductions in force, family and medical leave, traditional labor relations, occupational safety and health, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.In addition to his courtroom experience, Mr. Cripps also spends time counseling clients on preventative planning under state and federal laws and advises clients on traditional labor relations matters. He has also served as lead counsel representing management in collective bargaining negotiations with organized labor, including the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
In addition to his employment practice, Mr. Cripps has also represented clients in a variety of commercial disputes.
Mr. Cripps has been named a "Southern California Rising Star" on four occasions by Los Angeles and Law & Politics magazines. He also serves on the Board of Directors and is a member of the Executive Committee for the Los Angeles County Bar Association Center for Civic Mediation. Mr. Cripps speaks regularly on employment issues, and has also presented on issues of electronic discovery and records management as a member of the firm's Information Law and Electronic Discovery Practice Group.
He graduated summa cum laude from Pepperdine Law School in 2002, where he served as Note and Comment Editor for the Pepperdine Law Review. He is also a contributor to the Gonzaga Law Review and Employment Discrimination Law (settlement chapter) (BNA).
Mr. Cripps is admitted to practice in the State of California.
Recent Publications
A New Battlefield
California Supreme Court Rejects Strict Application of "Administrative/Production Worker" Dichotomy
U.S. Supreme Court Finds That Class Action Waivers in Arbitration Agreements Are Enforceable Under the Federal Arbitration Act
U.S. Department of Labor Amends Regulations Regarding Employee Tips, Creating Direct Conflict with Ninth Circuit
Second Circuit Issues Wage-Hour "Administrative/Production Dichotomy" Decision Out of Step with Other Circuits