Practice Areas

San Francisco Bay Area Labor and Employment, Business
Litigation & Defamation Attorney

The law practice at the Law Office of Anthony J. Sperber in Berkeley is focused on the representation of individuals and small businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area in the fields of labor and employment law, including discrimination and harassment, wrongful termination and wage and hour issues such as unpaid overtime. Other areas of focus include consumer protection, defamation and business litigation.

Below is a brief summary of our major practice areas. If you have other questions, please see our page of Frequently Asked Questions, or contact our office for a free, initial consultation regarding your legal needs.

Comprehensive California Employment Law Practice

Discrimination and Harassment – We represent employees who have been subjected to discrimination or harassment at work. Local, state and federal laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, sex, age, disability and other factors in all aspects of employment, including hiring, firing, promotions, transfers, discipline, pay, and other terms and conditions of employment. These laws also protect workers against retaliation for complaining about discrimination, filing a lawsuit or charge with a government agency, or cooperating with an investigation. We can help you by identifying the proper venue in which to file a complaint and guiding you through the complaint process. If necessary, we can represent you in mediation and courtroom litigation to resolve the complaint and ensure that you are compensated for the harm done to you.

Federal, state and local laws prohibit discrimination based on any of the following factors, among others:

Wrongful Termination – We can help you if you have been fired for a discriminatory reason or in retaliation for exercising your rights. There are a host of reasons why a wrongful discharge may be illegal or against public policy. These include being fired for medical issues such as pregnancy, mental illness, or a physical disability, or for filing a workers’ compensation or disability claim.

Whistleblower Protection – California and federal laws protect individuals from discrimination, harassment or termination for asserting legal claims, such as workers’ compensation, discrimination, or wage complaints. In addition, people who report unlawful activity or safety violations, whether reporting to a superior in the company or to a government agency, enjoy protected whistleblower status and may not be retaliated against in any way. If you have the courage to step forward and blow the whistle on illegal activity at your workplace, you will find in us a staunch ally on your side to make sure your rights are protected.

Wage & Hour – If you work more than 40 hours in a workweek, you are entitled to overtime pay at the rate of one and one-half times your hourly rate. In California, you are also entitled to meal and rest breaks depending upon the length of your shift. If you are required to give up your break or eat at your desk, you may be entitled to compensation for unpaid wages. Many people are denied overtime because they are misclassified as exempt employees or independent contractors. Often times, these practices go on for years before they are discovered. We can help you recover unpaid overtime or other unpaid wages. However, you are limited in how far back you can go to recover lost wages, so it is important to contact an experienced labor law attorney as soon as you suspect you are being underpaid.

Employment Contracts & Small Business Employer Advice – As a former small business owner himself, Anthony Sperber understands that small businesses face many of the same types of employment-related issues as large companies, including discrimination complaints, wage and hour issues, and contract disputes. We provide advice and representation to small business employers in the negotiation of employment contracts, nondisclosure agreements, and related matters.

Civil Litigation

Business Litigation – Disputes may arise in the course of business with competitors, customers, vendors or suppliers, and legal intervention may be necessary to resolve them. We represent small business owners in business litigation including breach of contract disputes as well as all manner of business torts, such as unfair competition, deceptive trade practices and fraud.

Qui Tam and False Claims Act – Millions of taxpayer dollars are lost every year to people making fraudulent government claims, such as Medicare/Medi-Cal Fraud and Student Loan Financial Aid Fraud. Often, an employee or private citizen is in the best position to uncover the fraud. The government knows this and wants your help. Through the Federal False Claims Act and the California False Claims Act, you can bring a qui tam action on behalf of the government. Whether the government takes over the prosecution or allows you to litigate the matter, you are entitled to a share of the proceeds assessed against the guilty party – as much as thirty percent of the amount recovered.

Defamation

As a private individual or business, if you are defamed either orally (slander) or in writing (libel), we can help you recover money damages for the harm to your reputation and receive an appropriate apology or retraction. We have successfully litigated against newspapers, book publishers and individuals to restore our clients’ reputations.

Call Today for a Free Consultation

If you need legal advice or representation in an employment matter or any of the above areas, contact the Law Office of Anthony J. Sperber in Berkeley. We practice throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, and we offer a free, initial consultation during which we take the time to listen to your case and let you know how we may be of help. Call (510) 845-8844 or contact us online.

Share This Page: