Employment Advice

Employment/Labor Litigation

Civil Litigation

Wage and Hour Litigation

Appellate Law

Equine Law

Partner David G. Jones has substantial experience in providing advice on labor and employment issues to both employers and employees. Mr. Jones is also well versed in employment litigation, having handled cases, among many others, concerning discrimination, sexual harassment, benefits issues, and retaliation.  In the past, Mr. Jones has represented entities such as City and County of Los Angeles and Wal-Mart in employment related matters. 

Mr. Jones has also served as General Counsel for the Los Angeles Firemens' Relief Association, which administers self-funded health plans for active and retired Los Angeles City firefighters and offers programs and assistance for nearly 12,000 firefighters and their families. As part of his work, Mr. Jones was instrumental in negotiating and securing a two hundred million dollar Operations Agreement directing City health insurance subsidies to retired Los Angeles City Firefighters.

Mr. Jones has drafted, reviewed and negotiated hundreds of employment and severance agreements for employers and employees at all levels, from large companies to small, and executives to rank and file employees.  Additionally, Mr. Jones is versed in the drafting of employment policies and employee handbooks.  Mr. Jones regularly defends employers in connection with governmental investigations relating to wage and hour and various other employment related compliance inquiries.

With a varied litigation background which includes significant experience in complex civil litigation matters and appellate advocacy before state and federal courts, he is well suited to handle complex business litigation matters.  Mr. Jones has a background which includes insurance bad faith defense litigation and substantial exposure to equine law issues, with a focus on thoroughbred horse racing matters.

Always on the forefront of emerging employment issues, Mr. Jones developed arguments adopted in Latona v. Aetna U.S. Healthcare Inc. (C.D. Cal.1999) 82 F.Supp.2d 1089, the first reported opinion under California law which found that the firing of employees who refuse to sign non-compete agreements constitutes a wrongful termination in violation of the public policy of the State of California.  This decision ensured that employees must be shielded from such oppressive conduct by employers.

Mr. Jones also successfully argued and prevailed in Gavin W. v. YMCA (2003) 106 Cal.App.4th 662, a landmark decision regarding liability releases in California. The Court in Gavin W. ruled that child care providers may not contract away their duty to exercise ordinary care in watching children under their supervision. In invalidating the YMCA standard form release, the Court decided that child care releases seeking to absolve providers of their own negligence are void because they affect the public interest, and determined that children needed to be protected and compensated.

Mr. Jones successfully argued a case before the California Supreme Court in Klein v. United States (2010) 50 Cal.4th 68, a decision with broad implications for both outdoor recreationists and landowners within the State of California.  In Klein, the Court sided with outdoor enthusiasts. After initially convincing the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to certify the legal question, and send it before the California Supreme Court, Mr. Jones prevailed.  Simply stated, the Court determined that landowners should not be let off the hook when they negligently injure people in recreational areas.  Due to the vigilant efforts of Mr. Jones, recreationists are now protected when they are injured by careless landowners.

In 2019, Mr. Jones prevailed in Jeffra v. California State Lottery (2019) 39 Cal.App.5th 471, where the Court of Appeal decided that a Lottery investigator who engaged in whisteblowing activities under the California Whistleblower Protection Act and was subjected to retaliation by the employer should prevail on an anti-SLAPP motion to dismiss his complaint. Mr. Jones successfully argued that Mr. Jeffra engaged in protected conduct when he and another investigator complained to the California State Auditor about alleged fraud and mismanagement by the Lottery. The Court of Appeal credited the evidence supporting his position that the employer investigation was pretextual, and that Jeffra was forced to retire or face losing benefits based upon his whistleblowing activity. 

Mr. Jones also served as a Settlement Officer for the Los Angeles Superior Court, in its Voluntary Settlement Conference Program from 2009 to 2012.  Mr. Jones serves as a panel Arbitrator for Labor and Employment matters for a national mediation and arbitration service.

Mr. Jones has been recognized on the Southern California Super Lawyer list for Employment Law.  No more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by Super Lawyers. Super Lawyers is a rating service of 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.

Mr. Jones has been AV Rated (Preeminent) by Martindale Hubbell, receiving a peer rating of 5 of a possible 5.  Mr. Jones also received a perfect 10 out of 10 rating from the attorney website AVVO.  These websites rate attorneys based upon various factors including experience, industry recognition and professional conduct. 

Mr. Jones has served as a Trustee for the San Fernando Valley Bar, and is currently President-Elect for the 2019-20 term. He is the current Chair of the Bar's Attorney Referral Service Committee and serves on various other committees.

He has been involved as a Board representative for the Valley Community Legal Foundation, and participates in its annual "Blanket the Homeless" Program.  Mr. Jones acted as attorney advisor to the Mock Trial Team for West Ranch High School, which advanced to semi-finals in 2015-16 in the Constitutional Rights Foundation Los Angeles County Mock Trial Competition for first time in school history.

He has also served as a Trustee and Vice President to the Whittier Law School Alumni Association and has been actively involved in its Los Angeles Chapter.  ​

Mr. Jones has served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Whittier Law School, teaching a course on Employment Law.  He has also served as an expert witness on employment related matters.