Galen T. Shimoda

Mr. Shimoda earned his J.D., with Great Distinction, from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, where he was also inducted into the Order of the Coif. He served as Editor-in-Chief for The Transnational Lawyer from 2002 to 2003. Mr. Shimoda received a B.A. in Asian Studies and a B.S. in Business Management from the University of Utah in 2000.

Legal Experience

Prior to starting his own firm, Mr. Shimoda defended employment claims brought against large domestic and multi-national corporations while working at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP. Using this experience, he now represents individual employees in employment and personal injury cases. Mr. Shimoda specializes in prosecuting individual, class action, and Private Attorney General Act (PAGA) wage and hour claims for overtime, meal period violations, unpaid commissions and bonuses, minimum wage, and more. Mr. Shimoda also has extensive experience with other areas of labor and employment including disability and pregnancy discrimination, failure to accommodate and engage in the interactive process, sexual harassment, leave law, military rights (USERRA), privacy rights, wrongful termination, and whistleblowing cases. On a practical note, Mr. Shimoda has handled a number of jury and de novo trials, arbitrations, Labor Commissioner and other administrative hearings.

Notable Decisions

Eicher v. Advanced Business Integrators, Inc., 151 Cal. App. 4th 1363 (2007) - Mr. Shimoda handled the de novo trial and the appeal in Eicher. The appellate court confirmed that Plaintiff was misclassified as a non-exempt employee and affirmed the trial court's decision. It also found that Plaintiff was entitled to attorney's fees despite losing his overtime claim in front of the Labor Commissioner.

Dayton v. Sears Roebuck & Co., 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5075 (E.D. Cal. Jan. 14, 2015)– Summary judgment denied against Plaintiff’s Fair Employment and Housing Act claims denied in a hotly contested disability discrimination case.

McFarland v. Almond Board of California, No. 2:12-CV-02778 (E.D. Cal. 2015) –Summary judgment denied in a case involving claims and allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination.

Publications

"Japan's New Equal Employment Opportunity Law: Combating Sexual Harassment in the Workplace," 16 Transnational Law. 215 (2002)

"The Underrepresented Worker," Sacramento County Bar Journal (September 2006)

"Abuses of Firm Technology Can Be Fatal Distraction," L.A. Daily Journal (June 25, 2004)

Professional Memberships and Affiliations

- California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA)

- Sacramento County Bar, Labor and Employment Member and Past Board Member

- Capitol City Trial Lawyers Association Member

Speaking Engagements

Mr. Shimoda has been invited to speak at a number of forums as a plaintiff lawyer:

- Lorman Military Leave Law Speaker

- Restaurant Association Speaker at Annual Seminar (Los Angeles)

- Federal Bar Association, Sacramento Chapter: 2015 Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (Mar. 30, 2016)

- CEB – Employment Law Practice: 2016 Year in Review (Jan. 20, 2017)

- CEB – Employment Law Practice: 2015 Year in Review (Jan. 22, 2016)

- CEB – Employment Law Practice: Year in Review (2014) (Jan. 9, 2015)

- CEB - Employment Law Practice: Year in Review (2013) (Jan. 10, 2014)

- Sacramento County Bar Association - Class Actions from the Trenches: Real World Experiences from the Plaintiff and Defense Bar (Feb. 21, 2012)

- Sacramento Employer Advisory Council – Wage and Hour Workshop: Going Beyond the Exemption Discussion (Apr. 7, 2016)

- Sacramento County Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section – PAGA Representative Litigation: Emerging Trends and Issues (May 17, 2016)

- Sacramento Business Journal Panel – Overtime Rules (Jun. 23, 2016)

- Association of Defense Counsel of Norther California & Nevada - Employment Law Update – Do the Math: Calculation Exposure and Damages in Wage and Hour Cases (Aug. 12, 2016)

Personal Interest