Our People

Peter J. Brown

Partner, Los Angeles

310.981.2000
pbrown@lcwlegal.com
Bio
Experience Representative Matters Affiliations Awards Publications Presentations

Peter Brown has been involved in all areas of Liebert Cassidy Whitmore's practice since 1989, representing public agencies in litigation, collective bargaining negotiations and many different types of administrative hearings.  Peter has a unique talent in promptly developing an expertise in most of the laws which impact our public agency clients such as the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Family Medical Leave Acts, and the state labor relations laws.  Many of the firm's clients have come to rely on his advice in guiding them in these constantly changing areas of law.

Peter has also distinguished himself as a sought-after speaker, author and trainer on topics that impact our firm's clients. He speaks at numerous conferences throughout the state of California and nationally on public sector labor and employment law topics.

Peter is one of the most prolific and popular presenters in the firm's renowned training activities. Although Peter spends much of his time out of the office in court, hearings, workshops and negotiations, he finds that the most enjoyable part of the practice of public sector labor and employment law is advising clients how to resolve day-to-day problems. "Helping people resolve a difficult problem is very gratifying. It is why I went to law school."  "I want the client to not only know the answer, but specifically what the law says.  I show them the law.  Most people are visual."

Peter has also published numerous articles and authored the CPER pocket guide to Family and Medical Care Leave.  He also co-authored Chapter 4 (Leaves of Absence) of the California Public Sector Employment Law book, State Bar of California/LexisNexis (2011).

Representative Matters

Appellate

  • Williams v. Chino Valley Fire District (2011) - A disability retired fire captain contended that he was entitled to his job back after he over-came his disabilities.  LCW attorneys argued that as a retiree, he was not entitled to his job back.  The San Bernardino Superior Court disagreed and ordered that he be given the first available Fire Captain position.  The LCW attorneys brought a writ to the California Court of Appeal and the Court of Appeal reversed the Superior Court, issuing the writ and agreeing with their argument that the law did not entitle Mr. Williams to a job with the fire district.  The Supreme Court also denied review on June 8, 2011.
  • Echaverria v. City of Upland (2004) - In an unpublished decision, the California Court of Appeal, Fourth District, affirmed that the trial court's decision that the nonpayment of sick leave was not punitive action under POBR that would entitle the officer to an administrative appeal because the peace officer had no right to sick leave when he was not sick.

Negotiations

  • City of Santa Ana Police, Fire and General Employee Negotiations (2011-2012) - As the Chief Negotiator for the City of Santa Ana, Brown recently was tasked with helping the City who was faced with a $30 million budget deficit. Brown was successful in negotiating savings with the Police Association in excess of $10 million and negotiating with the Fire Association whose services were contracted to the Orange County Fire Authority by reaching an agreement which also saved in excess of $10 million per year. An agreement was also reached with Brown as the Chief negotiator with the general employees unit which also saved millions of dollars to help the City address their significant deficit.
  • City of Beverly Hills – Police, Police Management and Fire Associations (2011-2012) - As the Chief Negotiator for the City of Beverly Hills between late 2011 and early 2012, Brown successfully negotiated collective bargaining agreements with the Police and Police Management Associations and is finishing negotiations with the Fire Association. All the agreements addressed the Council's priority of pension reform and other important savings measures.
  • City of Tustin – Police, Police Management, Safety Support and General Employee Associations (2011) - As the Chief Negotiator for the City of Tustin, Brown successfully negotiated four collective bargaining agreements with the each of the four employee associations in Tustin which resulted in significant savings for the City and addressed the pension reform which with the City Council was concerned.  Tustin, like many California cities continues to receive significant increases to their pension costs and these goals of the negotiations process were realized.
  • Long Beach Community College District – Faculty Negotiations (2011) - As the Chief Negotiator, Brown was able to negotiate an agreement with the faculty in a way that saved the District hundreds of thousands of dollars while having minimal impact on the faculty.  Primarily, modifications were made to health insurance options in a creative manner acceptable to the faculty and the Board of Trustees.
  • City of Claremont – four employee associations (2011) - Mr. Brown served as the Chief negotiator for the City of Claremont reaching agreements with all four of their non-safety employee associations which included pension concessions to address pension costs which added to the City's budget issues. The concessions require the employees to pay all of the employee contributions over a three year period. The agreements also brought labor peace and stability to the City.
  • Ventura Regional Sanitation District – Two employee associations (2011) - Mr. Brown successfully negotiated collective bargaining agreements with both the SEIU and IUOE bargaining units resulting in savings to the District who was faced with a significant budget deficit.  Those savings came from pension reform as well as other concessions.

Awards

Top Labor & Employment Lawyers, Daily Journal, 2012

Selected for inclusion in Southern California Super Lawyers 2007-2010, 2012, 2013

NPELRA President's Award, 2012

CalPELRA Award of Excellence, 2006

Publications

Presentations

Education

  • JD, Hofstra University School of Law, New York
  • BA, State University of New York at Binghamton
To Contact Liebert Cassidy Whitmore:
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