Paul D. Knothe Associate

ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS

Police Officers v. City (2015) - Prosecuted the termination appeals of multiple officers terminated in connection with an internationally renowned incident of excessive force resulting in the death of a citizen.

APPELLATE

Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs v. County of Los Angeles (2015) - 234 Cal.App.4th 459 - Published Court of Appeal decision holding that deputy sheriffs' associations that were parties to five MOUs providing for individual arbitration of wage/hour disputes could not combine claims and proceed instead in court in an interest of "judicial efficiency."  This opinion arose out of the same matter as Los Angeles County v. Los Angeles County Employee Relations Commission.

LITIGATION

Moreno et al v. City of Beverly Hills (2019) – LCW defended the City in a lawsuit brought by four employees of the City’s police department. The four plaintiffs alleged that they were subjected to a number of different adverse employment actions that they contented were motivated by illegal discrimination and/or relation. Some of the plaintiffs also alleged they were subjected to illegal harassment. After a trial that lasted more than four weeks, the plaintiffs asked the jury to award them more than $20 million.  While the jury found some liability, the plaintiffs received just a fraction of the damages they claimed to have suffered. Paul drafted an argued a successful Motion for Judgment Notwithstanding Verdict which overturned the jury’s verdict as to one of the four plaintiffs, resulting in a defense judgment as to that plaintiff.

Doe v. Private School (2018) – Obtained dismissal of entire action following sustained demurrers to Plaintiff’s complaint and four amended complaints alleging negligence, breach of contract, and denial of due process where student-athlete withdrew from school after being required to attend classes remotely and prohibited from participating in football games during investigation of sexual assault allegation against him.

Munroe v. County of Riverside (2016) - Obtained summary judgment on claims on behalf of the County of Riverside in a lawsuit brought by a former Deputy County Counsel for violation of the California Equal Pay Act, FEHA gender discrimination and retaliation, discrimination for use of medical leave under the California Family Rights Act, and whistleblower retaliation under Labor Code section 1102.5.  The plaintiff alleged that her male counterpart was paid significantly more even though she had more experience and was performing comparable work and that her termination was retaliatory.  

Romero v. City of Barstow; City of Barstow v. Barstow Police Officers Association (2015) - Defeated a petition for writ of mandate and obtained an order confirming arbitration award where terminated police officer claimed that he was entitled to judicial review of binding arbitration award under the POBR and Constitutional due process.

Los Angeles County v. Los Angeles County Employee Relations Commission (2013) - Obtained a writ of mandate overturning the order of the Employee Relations Commission combining into one multi-class action approximately 10,000 wage-hour claims that were required to be brought individually under the terms of five Memoranda of Understanding between the Association and the County.