Charles O. Thompson

Charles O. Thompson: Attorney with Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Attorney Awards
  • Martindale-Hubbell Peer Reviewed
About Attorney Awards

Biography

Charles Thompson is a dynamic and creative trial lawyer serving national and global clients in high-stakes litigation. He focuses his practice on employment litigation and counseling representing clients through all phases of Class Actions and Single Plaintiff cases. Charles has wide-ranging experience litigating employment-related issues for public and private companies, having handled over 1,000 employment matters for clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to Silicon Valley startups. He has tried employment, commercial, and professional liability cases to verdict and directed verdict, has litigated and appealed cases from California State Courts to the United States Supreme Court, and is a fellow of the prestigious College of Labor and Employment Lawyers.

Charles represents employers in wage and hour cases, as well as EEOC class actions, in state and federal courts across the United States and has broad experience appearing before the California Civil Rights Department, the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, the Employment Development Department, and the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Labor.

In addition to his trial and counseling work, Charles serves as a private and judicial mediator and arbitrator, and has acted as a pro-tem judge upon request of the court. He has broad experience in binding arbitrations and trial. He has taught trial advocacy, diversity, employment and substance abuse to clients and industry organizations.

Throughout his career, Charles has been a champion for diversity and has served on the Executive Committee of the board of Directors for the Justice & Diversity Center of The Bar Association of San Francisco. He actively supports and promotes diversity efforts and collaborates with clients on diversity issues.

Concentrations

•Class Action
•Americans with Disabilities Act
•Sexual harassment
•Discrimination and wrongful termination matters
•Sexual assault
•Wage and hour
•Catastrophic cases

Recognition & Leadership

Awards & Accolades

•fellow, College of Labor and Employment Lawyers
•Six Sigma Greenbelt
•Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Litigation - Labor & Employment, 2025-2026
•Listed, The Legal 500 United States, Labor and Employment Disputes (Including Collective Actions): Defense, 2021-2024
•Listed, Benchmark Litigation, 'Labor & Employment Star,' 2020-2024
•Recognized, National Law Review, 'Go-To Thought Leader,' 2020
•fellow, American Bar Foundation

See more ›

Areas of Practice (5)

  • Labor & Employment
  • Wage & Hour Class and Collective Litigation
  • Employment Litigation & Trials
  • Workplace Compliance & Counseling
  • Corporate Restructuring & Employment Due Diligence

Education & Credentials

University Attended:
University of San Francisco, B.S., 1983
Law School Attended:
Golden Gate University School of Law, J.D., 1988
Year of First Admission:
1988
Admission:
1989, California
Memberships:

Professional & Community Involvement

•Member, American Health Lawyers Association, 2017-Present
•Vice Chair, Labor and Employment Practice Group, 2018-2021
•Member, Association of Corporate Council, 2004-Present
•Volunteer Arbitrator, San Francisco and Marin County Courts, 2000-Present
•Member, International Association of Defense Counsel, 2000-Present
•Member, Multinational Committee, 2000-2006
•Member, Employment Committee, 2000-Present
•Member, Risk and Insurance Management Society, 2000-2014
•Member, Professional Liability Underwriting Society, 2000-2012
•Member, Defense Research Institute, 2000-2010
•Member, Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California and Nevada, 1995-2005
•Member, Board of Directors, 2000-2005
•Member, Bar Association of San Francisco, 1990-Present
•Executive Committee, Board Member, and Finance Committee Member, The Bar Association of San Francisco, 2021-Present
•Executive Committee & Board Member, Justice & Diversity Center 2018-2020
•Member, American Bar Association, 1989-Present
•Member, State Bar of California, 1989-Present
•Board Member, Labor and Employment Section, 1989-2018

Birth Information:
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, August 14, 1959
Reported Cases:
Experience: Representative Matters: Social Media.: Represents international short form platform clients in state and federal courts and has won terminating sanctions motions in federal court.;; Insurance: .: Won a three-week trial in San Francisco in February 2020 recovering $2.5m for a transportation client.;; Agribusiness.: Defense of two class and collective class actions and PAGA actions on behalf of an agribusiness in Merced County for a high-profile client. Class size is 450 workers with 22 causes of action and PAGA.;; Food Service Company.: Defense of two class and collective class actions and PAGA actions on behalf of a food service company in San Diego Superior Court. Class size is 400 workers.;; Telecom.: Defended a class and collective class action and PAGA action for class of 200 with settlement after law and motion.;; Agribusiness.: Defended a PAGA only action for large agribusiness with early mediation.;; Hi-tech: Defended a very large national class and collective class action and PAGA action. Resolved for five percent of exposure.;; Cosmetic/Beauty Industry.: Defended a class and collective class action and PAGA action for 300 workers. Settled for 10 percent of exposure.;; Hi-Tech.: Defended a class and collective class action and PAGA action. Resolved in mediation.;; Steel Industry.: Defended a class and collective class action and PAGA action with settlement post law and motion at seven percent of exposure.; The above representations were handled by Mr. Thompson prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
ISLN:
903173993

Peer Reviews

5.0/5.0 (1 review)
Peer Reviewed

  • Legal Knowledge

    5.0/5.0

  • Analytical Capability

    5.0/5.0

  • Judgment

    5.0/5.0

  • Communication

    5.0/5.0

  • Legal Experience

    5.0/5.0
Peer reviews submitted prior to 2008 are not displayed.

Client Reviews Write a Review

Location

Contact Charles O. Thompson

Contact Information:

415-248-2101  Fax

www.gtlaw.com/en/professionals/t/thompson-charles-o

Required Fields

Required Fields

Clear All Fields

By clicking on the "Submit" button, you agree to the Terms of Use, Supplemental Terms and Privacy Policy. You also consent to be contacted at the phone number you provided, including by autodials, text messages and/or pre-recorded calls, from Martindale and its affiliates and from or on behalf of attorneys you request or contact through this site. Consent is not a condition of purchase.

You should not send any sensitive or confidential information through this site. Emails sent through this site do not create an attorney-client relationship and may not be treated as privileged or confidential. The lawyer or law firm you are contacting is not required to, and may choose not to, accept you as a client. The Internet is not necessarily secure and emails sent though this site could be intercepted or read by third parties.