LOS ANGELES – Liebert Cassidy Whitmore is pleased to announce that six LCW attorneys have been named 2025 Southern California Super Lawyers and Rising Stars. Firm Co-Managing Partner J. Scott Tiedemann, and Partners Peter J. Brown & Geoffrey S. Sheldon were selected as Super Lawyers while Partner Alexander Volberding, Senior Counsel Megan Atkinson, and Associate Anni Safarloo were selected as Rising Stars. Scott, Peter, Geoff, Alex, Megan and Anni earned this distinction due to their persistent and unwavering efforts in representing LCW’s clients, in addition to their steadfast commitment to the legal profession.
Super Lawyers is a rating service for outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process is multi-phased and includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations. Each year, no more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected as Super Lawyers and no more than 2.5 percent are selected as Rising Stars.
2025 Southern California Super Lawyers
Firm Co-Managing Partner J. Scott Tiedemann, having been awarded this honor eleven times throughout his career, represents a wide variety of government agencies in labor and employment matters. He is best known as a leading advocate for and trusted advisor to public safety agencies across California. Scott is called upon in high profile cases to advise public safety executives regarding how to conduct complex investigations, manage media relations and navigate the procedural complexities of the Public Safety Officers and Firefighters Procedural Bill of Rights.
Partner Peter J. Brown, having been awarded this honor fifteen times throughout his career, is the Chair of the firm’s Labor Relations and Wage & Hour Practice Groups and has been involved in all areas of LCW’s practice since 1989. His career has evolved from representing public agencies in litigation and all types of administrative hearings to now, where he spends most days at the collective bargaining table or in a City Council or Board meeting advising on labor negotiations. Additionally, Peter manages, develops content, and provides training for the firm’s Labor Relations Certification Program, which offers in-depth workshops on key topics such as contract negotiations, employee discipline, and grievance handling. His expertise helps ensure that participants gain practical skills and strategic insights to navigate the complexities of public sector labor relations with confidence.
Partner Geoffrey S. Sheldon, having been awarded this honor nine times throughout his career, is the Chair of the firm’s Public Safety practice group. In addition to helping establish best practices for service to the firm’s public safety clients, Geoff routinely assists public agency clients, law enforcement and fire service executive associations with labor and employment matters. A seasoned litigator, Geoff regularly defends firm clients in traditional employment litigation as well as class and collective action lawsuits involving thousands of employees. Geoff frequently conducts trainings for firm clients, and he conducts internal investigations for certain clients.
2025 Southern California Rising Stars
Partner Alex Volberding is honored to accept this distinction for the first time in his career. Alex has spent much of his career working for and on behalf of public agencies in matters pertaining to labor law and labor relations. Alex is well-versed in bargaining strategy and tactics and negotiates collective bargaining agreements on behalf of public agency clients. When he is not bargaining, Alex advises and counsels public agency clients on a wide range of labor relations matters from meet and confer obligations to factfindings to employee strikes. Alex regularly appears at and advocates for clients in administrative proceedings and in arbitrations. Additionally, Alex has led a team of attorneys that developed resources and training materials that have helped hundreds of firm clients come into compliance with new obligations related to the prevention of workplace violence.
Senior Counsel Megan Atkinson, ranking as a Rising Star for her sixth consecutive year, represents public entities in labor and employment law matters. She focuses her practice on public safety employment issues, including the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights Act and the Firefighters Procedural Bill of Rights Act. Megan provides advice and counsel to public safety clients regarding a variety of employment law matters, including assisting throughout the disciplinary process, from the initiation of an investigation through termination. She also litigates in both state and federal court and has experience from pre-litigation through trial.
Associate Anni Safarloo, ranking as a Rising Star for her fourth consecutive year, provides representation and counsel to public agency and nonprofit clients in transactional, advice and counsel, administrative, and pre-litigation and litigation matters. Her work includes labor and employment law, business and facilities, and commercial issues. Anni has handled various matters before PERB as well as traditional civil litigation, writ matters and appellate work. In addition to her litigation work, Anni has assisted clients with transactional issues such as amendments to their articles of incorporation, obtaining lines of credit, ordinance revisions, leases, joint powers agreements, and various other types of agreements.
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With offices throughout California, Liebert Cassidy Whitmore is a full service employment and labor relations law firm. Our legal experts provide client focused services in litigation, labor relations, negotiations, employment, business, and construction. LCW delivers vital web-based and live training to clients, proactively helping them avoid problems. Leveraging decades of expertise, we conduct impartial workplace investigations for California’s private sector employers. Visit www.lcwlegal.com for more information.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Cynthia Weldon
Director of Marketing & Training
310.981.2055
cweldon@lcwlegal.com