Catherine C. Smith

Catherine Smith is a partner in the firm’s Labor, Employment, and Workplace Safety practice. She represents and counsels employers regarding a broad range of labor and employment issues including employee terminations and performance management, disability accommodation, leaves of absence, background checks and hiring procedures, wage and hour compliance, protection of trade secrets, union avoidance and administration of collective bargaining agreements.

As a member of both the California and Washington bars, Catherine has significant experience advising national employers with operations in California, Washington and throughout the United States.

Catherine represents employers in collective bargaining, union grievance proceedings and National Labor Relations Board proceedings. She assists employers prepare for organizing campaigns and respond to election petitions, counsels employers regarding compliance with federal labor laws, and counsels employers regarding labor matters in mergers and acquisitions.

Catherine has represented employers in state and federal court, mediation, arbitration, labor commission and other administrative agency hearings. She also assists clients with responses to pre-complaint demand letters and administrative agency charges, negotiating early settlements, and drafting cease and desist letters to protect employer trade secrets and enforce restrictive covenant agreements.

Catherine partners with the corporate practice group to assist clients with employment matters related to mergers and acquisitions. She regularly drafts and updates a variety of employment-related documents including employment policies and handbooks, offer letters and employment agreements, incentive compensation and commission agreements, non-compete, invention assignment and non-disclosure agreements, severance agreements, staffing agency agreements and independent contractor agreements.

Catherine has experience representing employers in state and nationwide wage and hour class actions and conducting wage and hour audits.

Catherine also has experience advising motion picture and television producers regarding their obligations under the various guild collective bargaining agreements, including SAG, AFTRA, DGA, WGA, AFM and IATSE.