From left to right: Dov M. Grunschlag, Brian M. Carter, Michelle Q. Carter, Robert T. Fries and James A. Carter.

Carter, Carter, Fries and Grunschlag provides the full range of legal services most clients typically require in labor and employment matters. We have expertise prosecuting and defending cases in both California and federal courts, as well as before administrative agencies like the Department of Fair Employment & Housing, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, and the National Labor Relations Board. Unlike many labor and employment law firms, CCF&G has expertise in representing employees as well as employers, giving our firm a detailed and balanced knowledge of the labor/employment law field. While our main area of emphasis is on labor and employment matters, we also have extensive experience in contract drafting and negotiation, as well as various types of civil litigation. One of our partners, Robert Fries, is also an experienced mediator who both conducts and teaches about mediation and mediation techniques.

Our attorneys have almost 150 years of experience litigating employment cases in California. The types of cases we have handled include: all forms of discrimination, sexual and other forms of unlawful harassment, retaliation, reasonable accommodation (disability and religion), wage and hour, trade secrets and unfair competition, ADA compliance, Family Medical Leave Act/California Family Rights Act, National Labor Relations Act, Railway Labor Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, wrongful discharge, employee privacy and independent contractor/employee litigation, among others.

We also advise management in collective bargaining negotiations, in responding to unfair labor practice charges, in union organization and election matters, and on strikes/picketing issues.

There are a few areas involving employer/employee relations that are outside our expertise. Other than defense of retaliation claims under Labor Code section 132a, we do not handle Workers Compensation claims. We also do not handle ERISA claims or claims brought against public entities.

Our attorneys emphasize the use of preventative measures, including training of management in methods of informal dispute resolution and use of arbitration/mediation agreements in the employee handbooks that we draft. Our success rate settling cases in mediation is quite high. We also employ other litigation avoidance techniques to resolve the disputes that inevitably arise in the workplace.

Despite our best efforts, we cannot avoid litigation in every case. However, we have a good success rate getting cases resolved on motions for summary judgment/adjudication without the need for costly and disruptive trials. In sum, we strive to resolve all matters in the most expeditious and cost-effective manner possible.