Labor Law

Navid Kanani is an attorney located in Woodland Hills specializing in employment, real estate, and litigation.

Jocelyn Burton has an in-depth understanding of the unique of the employment laws in California. Jocelyn Burton has over twenty-two years of legal experience and has litigated hundreds of cases in state and federal courts. Jocelyn Burton has successfully litigated a variety of matters ranging from administrative employment cases to class actions with multiple plaintiffs and potential damages ranging in the millions.

The Devadoss Law Firm, P.L.L.C. is committed to ensuring governmental employees are afforded proper representation in employment arbitration and employment mediation. As federal employees, you may encounter various types of adverse actions, disputes, and grievances. Having an experienced lawyer from our firm to represent you during these proceedings can ensure your rights are protected. Are you a federal employee requiring employment arbitration or mediation? Please call The Devadoss Law Firm, P.L.L.C. at 972-726-7400 to arrange your free case evaluation. We are committed to standing up for the rights of federal employees. Arbitrations often involve labor unions and labor union grievances. But we represent all employees at all pay grades in arbitration. As experienced former federal lawyers, we understand what it takes to successfully represent your interests in employment arbitration. Our firm has a high success rate in mediation. Mediation is considered a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) that is less adversarial than litigation and oftentimes administrative proceedings. We believe we are successful in mediation because of our creativity, our negotiation skills, and our strong belief in our clients. We represent federal employees in various arenas of mediation including EEOC, MSPB, Office of Special Counsel, OWCP, and in several administrative forums. If you are a federal employee concerned about any adverse, retaliatory, or disciplinary actions against you, please contact our firm to learn how we can help.

The Devadoss Law Firm, P.L.L.C. is committed to ensuring governmental employees are afforded proper representation in employment arbitration and employment mediation. As federal employees, you may encounter various types of adverse actions, disputes, and grievances. Having an experienced lawyer from our firm to represent you during these proceedings can ensure your rights are protected. Are you a federal employee requiring employment arbitration or mediation? Please call The Devadoss Law Firm, P.L.L.C. at 972-726-7400 to arrange your free case evaluation. We are committed to standing up for the rights of federal employees. Arbitrations often involve labor unions and labor union grievances. But we represent all employees at all pay grades in arbitration. As experienced former federal lawyers, we understand what it takes to successfully represent your interests in employment arbitration. Our firm has a high success rate in mediation. Mediation is considered a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) that is less adversarial than litigation and oftentimes administrative proceedings. We believe we are successful in mediation because of our creativity, our negotiation skills, and our strong belief in our clients. We represent federal employees in various arenas of mediation including EEOC, MSPB, Office of Special Counsel, OWCP, and in several administrative forums. If you are a federal employee concerned about any adverse, retaliatory, or disciplinary actions against you, please contact our firm to learn how we can help.

David Sanford has recovered more than one billion dollars for individual clients and the United States government since 2004. Mr. Sanford has represented CEOs, CFOs, and COOs, as well as non-managerial, hourly employees throughout the United States. Mr. Sanford has served as lead counsel in more than 50 class actions and numerous qui tam fraud cases around the United States. David has represented over 50 General Counsels and attorneys (in house and outside counsel) in contract disputes, employment matters, and severance packages.

Deena R. Merlen is a Partner at the firm. She serves clients at both our New York and Stamford offices and heads the Connecticut practice. Her practice areas include intellectual property, employment and labor law, media and entertainment, general business law, commercial transactions and dispute resolution. In her employment practice, Ms. Merlen is a trusted “go to” problem solver and counsel to individuals, established name brand companies and startups alike. She has extensive experience representing clients in matters including general counseling, discrimination actions, mediations and dispute resolution, investigations by federal or state agencies, as well as wage and hour claims and other labor law matters. She also advises on and regularly negotiates employment and separation agreements, independent contractor arrangements and other services-related arrangements. Ms. Merlen also counsels clients on employment and business matters in response to a crisis or other unexpected business impact, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting business closures, including continuity plans, employee furloughs, reductions in force and other critical measures. In her intellectual property practice, Ms. Merlen helps her clients with the development, acquisition and protection of their valuable brands and other vital intellectual property assets. She manages and grows trademark portfolios in the U.S. and internationally; negotiates licensing, assignment, distribution and branding agreements; prosecutes trademark and copyright registrations; enforces intellectual property rights; and provides strategic counsel to safeguard brand platforms and expand the value of her clients’ intellectual property assets. Ms. Merlen’s media practice encompasses the development and protection of creative works in the fields of music, film, television, theatre, publishing, literary arts, performing arts, design and technology. She ran her own business in the entertainment industry for over a decade and brings that business experience and acumen to her legal practice. In addition, Ms. Merlen provides general business counsel and represents clients in company and transactional matters such as partnerships, joint ventures, licensing arrangements, the purchase or sale of businesses, and a wide range of other corporate matters, including company formation, capitalization and governance, compliance and contracts. Representative clients include technology companies, schools and other academic institutions, personal care and beauty companies, fashion and design companies, media, arts and entertainment companies, wholesalers, retailers and more. Prior to her work with RPJ, Ms. Merlen served as Law Clerk to The Honorable Roger J. Miner of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, after which she joined Debevoise & Plimpton, where she practiced for over five years in the areas of corporate law and intellectual property. Ms. Merlen is admitted to practice in Connecticut and New York.

Representing employees against employers in claims for wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, assault & battery; whistleblower retaliation. Handle claims of retaliation for taking disability or medical leave, workers' compensation leave or family-medical leave, or denial of such leave. Harassment and discrimination claims are often based on sex, race, national origin, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, religion, medical condition and other protected classifications. Adverse job actions based on discrimination may include excessive and unfair criticism, removal of responsibilities, fewer hours, transfers or assignments with less opportunity or income, assignment to menial or dirty tasks, demotion, denial of promotion, or simply termination. The firm also handles claims for unpaid overtime, denial of lunch and rest breaks. We handle all aspects of litigation including trial, arbitration, mediation and settlement in all state and federal courts in California and before the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) and the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Also represent independent contractors and managers with discrimination claims against their employers. Attorney Geoffrey Lyon has over 25 years' courtroom experience. He has litigated hundreds of cases in state and federal court collectively resulting in well over $15 million in verdicts and settlements. Attorney Lyon has handled dozens of trials, including jury trials, as well as arbitrations, hundreds of court appearances and mediations, and thousands of depositions. He has argued before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth and Ninth Circuits and the California Court of Appeal. He was a candidate for State Assembly in 2004. Lyon is married with three children. Collectively, the firm's employee-clients have sued dozens of Fortune 500 companies in numerous industries including aerospace, entertainment, defense, broadcasting, real estate, construction, advertising, automotive, sales, service, banking, mortgage, and many other industries. Representative public entities sued by clients of the firm include the City and County of Los Angeles, school districts and numerous city, county and government agencies. Nothing herein is intended to be a prediction, guaranty or estimate regarding the outcome of your case or any particular matter.

Tracy Neal-Lopez is the founding member of the firm; she has wealth of trial and litigation experience, having taken numerous cases to judgment, including jury trials, bench trials and arbitration. She has represented many clients facing a vast array of life changing situations and she prides herself on being willing to take cases all the way to trial. Tracy represents either plaintiffs or defendants in state and federal court. She fights injustice, focusing her litigation skills primarily in employment and labor disputes. Her areas of practice include, wrongful termination, wage and hour, misclassification, whistleblower retaliation, interference with prospective economic advantage, non-compete provisions, defamation, breach of employment contract, discrimination and harassment. She also handles business and corporate litigation matters. Such as matters involving partnership disputes, corporate dissolution, breach of contract, fraud and misrepresentation, and unfair business practices. One of her primary achievements in her legal work was before the California Court of Appeals where she successfully challenged the assumption of risk doctrine in a case entitled Lackner vs. North (2006) 135 Cal. App. 4th 1188. Tracy received her law degree from Loyola Law School. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Daniel Hunt is a practicing lawyer in the state of Florida handling employment law matters.

Deena R. Merlen is a Partner at the firm. She serves clients at both our New York and Stamford offices and heads the Connecticut practice. Her practice areas include intellectual property, employment and labor law, media and entertainment, general business law, commercial transactions and dispute resolution. In her employment practice, Ms. Merlen is a trusted “go to” problem solver and counsel to individuals, established name brand companies and startups alike. She has extensive experience representing clients in matters including general counseling, discrimination actions, mediations and dispute resolution, investigations by federal or state agencies, as well as wage and hour claims and other labor law matters. She also advises on and regularly negotiates employment and separation agreements, independent contractor arrangements and other services-related arrangements. Ms. Merlen also counsels clients on employment and business matters in response to a crisis or other unexpected business impact, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting business closures, including continuity plans, employee furloughs, reductions in force and other critical measures. In her intellectual property practice, Ms. Merlen helps her clients with the development, acquisition and protection of their valuable brands and other vital intellectual property assets. She manages and grows trademark portfolios in the U.S. and internationally; negotiates licensing, assignment, distribution and branding agreements; prosecutes trademark and copyright registrations; enforces intellectual property rights; and provides strategic counsel to safeguard brand platforms and expand the value of her clients’ intellectual property assets. Ms. Merlen’s media practice encompasses the development and protection of creative works in the fields of music, film, television, theatre, publishing, literary arts, performing arts, design and technology. She ran her own business in the entertainment industry for over a decade and brings that business experience and acumen to her legal practice. In addition, Ms. Merlen provides general business counsel and represents clients in company and transactional matters such as partnerships, joint ventures, licensing arrangements, the purchase or sale of businesses, and a wide range of other corporate matters, including company formation, capitalization and governance, compliance and contracts. Representative clients include technology companies, schools and other academic institutions, personal care and beauty companies, fashion and design companies, media, arts and entertainment companies, wholesalers, retailers and more. Prior to her work with RPJ, Ms. Merlen served as Law Clerk to The Honorable Roger J. Miner of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, after which she joined Debevoise & Plimpton, where she practiced for over five years in the areas of corporate law and intellectual property. Ms. Merlen is admitted to practice in Connecticut and New York.