Practice Overview
Jonathan D. Hicks is an associate in the firm’s Employment and Litigation practices. Jonathan represents businesses and executives to resolve employment matters involving wage and hour issues, employee agreements, breach of contract, fraud, responding to government complaints, and general business litigation. Jonathan has achieved positive results for his clients at trial, arbitrations, through motion practice, and before state agencies.
Representative Matters
- Obtained a defense award -- including defendant's recovery of all costs -- before a JAMS Arbitrator, where plaintiff alleged defendant breached the parties' agreement by failing to pay certain referral fees
- Successfully asserted a claim against the State of California to recover six-figures in penalties that were wrongfully assessed against his client
- Successfully prosecuted and defended numerous misappropriation of trade secret disputes involving his client's valuable proprietary information
- Advised clients on detailed employee classification issues that are essential for the continued and successfully operation of the client's business
- Obtained dismissal of a fraud and race/national origin case on the first day of trial
- Favorably resolved numerous wage and hour claims before the Department of Labor Standards Enforcement and the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board
- Prepared numerous employee handbooks and employment, confidentiality, and severance agreements
- Regularly presents Northern California seminars for employers on a variety of employment topics, including an annual employment law update, wage and hour matters, leave issues, and harassment concerns
Community Activities
Jonathan serves on the Executive Board for ACE Charter School. ACE is a 5th through 8th grade middle school that recruits students that have fallen significantly below grade level and helps those low-achieving students become college ready by 8th grade graduation. Recently, ACE's students achieved the highest jump in API in Santa Clara County, and the second highest jump in the State of California.
Background
Jonathan externed for Associate Justices Ronald B. Robie and Coleman A. Blease in the California Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District. He wrote a dissertation on California reforms in direct democracy with Professor Erwin Chemerinsky, and at the University of California at Berkeley he received the California Alumni Award in 1998 and 1999.