Our People

Richard (Rick) Bolanos has an exclusive practice representing California cities, counties, community college districts and special districts in labor relations services, representation in disciplinary proceedings, arbitration, mediation, fact-finding hearings, and administrative law proceedings. Rick provides oversight of complex personnel investigations and specialized advice and counsel concerning workplace harassment, discrimination and retaliation matters. In addition, Rick is one of the firm's specialists in Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) consultation and litigation.

Peter Brown has been involved in all areas of Liebert Cassidy Whitmore'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. 

Tony G. Carvalho is an Associate in Liebert Cassidy Whitmore’s Fresno Office where he provides assistance to clients in matters pertaining to employment law, wage and hour, and litigation.  His main areas of focus include: harassment and discrimination of all types, wage and hour claims, the Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) class actions, interactive process and reasonable accommodation, retaliation, and wrongful termination. Tony has experience in drafting pleadings, motions, memoranda, written discovery, mediation briefs, labor arbitration briefs, and responses to Department of Fair Employment & Housing complaints.

Dan Cassidy is among the most experienced and accomplished practitioners in the fields of public sector labor relations, negotiations and employment law.  For more than 30 years, he has effectively advocated on behalf of counties, cities, special districts, community colleges and school districts in negotiations, arbitrations and in civil service commission and other administrative hearings.  Dan, a founding partner of Liebert Cassidy Whitmore, has negotiated hundreds of labor agreements for his public agency clients, and various public safety, general, professional, and supervisory units.  He has also represented public agencies as a presenter and panel member in numerous interest arbitrations and factfinding proceedings.

An attorney in LCW's Fresno Office, Sue has over 20 years of litigation experience assisting educational institutions and public sector agencies in a variety of education and employment law matters. She has served as legal counsel to elementary, secondary and community college institutions for both the public and private sectors and has handled the defense of employers in actions brought by employees, former employees, applicants, and students. Sue has over 15 years of first-chair experience and has prevailed on behalf of clients in over 75% of the cases she has tried.

Grace represents educational institutions in all aspects of education and employment law. Grace works extensively in handling various employment and student issues, such as drafting employment agreements, employee handbooks, enrollment agreements and student handbooks, defending claims of alleged harassment, discrimination, retaliation and disability accommodation issues, and advising on employee discipline, wage and hour issues, leaves, student discipline and expulsion, tuition disputes, and contract claims. 

Melanie represents and regularly advises cities, counties, community college districts, school districts, public safety departments and special districts regarding employee and labor relations matters.  The breadth of her experience as both a negotiator and a litigator informs her practical approach to the myriad of labor and employment issues faced by public entities.

Lisa represents cities, counties, and special districts throughout the state in litigation, advice and counsel, and all other matters pertaining to labor and employment law, including investigations, public employee discipline, wage and hour compliance, the Public Safety Officers’ and Firefighters’ Procedural Bill of Rights Acts, and labor relations.  She also works with the firm’s school clients on wage and hour and other education law matters. 

Kevin Chicas is an experienced Associate in Liebert Cassidy Whitmore's Los Angeles office where he provides advice and representation to the firm's clients in labor, employment, and litigation matters. As a member of the firm’s Labor Relations practice group, Kevin regularly advises and represents clients in navigating their various meet and confer obligations under the MMBA, EERA, and TEERA.  Kevin also regularly represents agencies before PERB on matters such as unfair practice charges, representation issues, and requests for injunctive relief.  Additionally, as part of Kevin’s continuing practice in bargaining unit representation matters, Kevin served a lead role in advising clients in complying with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Janus v. AFSCME and Senate Bill 866.  Kevin also represents clients at the bargaining table, negotiating matters such as compensation, mandatory access under A.B. 119, employee communication, and other terms and conditions of employment.

Ryan Church has over a decade of experience serving as general and special counsel to governmental clients throughout California. Ryan focusses his practice on employment law, education law, investigations, civil litigation, and federal Indian jurisprudence. Ryan works closely with our clients on employee disciplines, developing workplace policies and procedures, addressing violence at the workplace, Title IX compliance, and complex conflicts of interest issues. Ryan also regularly represents clients on matters before the EEOC, DFEH, OCR, and PERB.  Ryan has litigated extensively in state and federal courts and before administrative bodies and tribal courts throughout California and other states. Ryan has obtained several favorable rulings on behalf of clients by prevailing on dispositive motions such as motions for summary judgment, Anti-SLAPP motions, motions to dismiss, and other pleadings.