Jon Yonemitsu is a litigation and trial practice attorney who has honed his professional skills over 20 years handling complex matters ranging from all areas of labor and employment law, commercial disputes, unfair competition, real estate litigation and product liability. Jon works tirelessly for employers covering every size from Fortune 500 companies to start-up ventures. He cares deeply about his clients and community, dedicating laser focus to his clients’ needs in the most effective and efficient way. Clients can count on Jon’s responsiveness, professionalism, loyalty and ability to listen. He’s driven to provide quality advice and counsel while also being an exceptional advocate both in and out of the courtroom.
Jon’s employment practice includes representing private and public entities focusing on defending management against single and multi-party matters involving discrimination, harassment and retaliation claims under Title VII, FEHA, ADA, FMLA, and CFRA. Jon’s most recent trial success involving a single-plaintiff litigation resulted in a complete defense verdict in Los Angeles over a two-week jury trial covering claims of discrimination, harassment and retaliation. He further focuses on representing all size employers covering class and collective actions under both California state and Federal (FLSA) wage and hour laws and PAGA. Jon has successfully defeated representative claims on dispositive motions prior to trial, as well as recently defeating class certification on all grounds for a multi-party putative wage and hour class action litigation. Jon also handles matters connected with administrative agencies involving the DFEH, EEOC, DOL and OSHA.
In addition to his extensive litigation experience, Jon regularly counsels employers regarding compliance with state and federal laws, hiring, investigations and termination issues, reviewing and drafting employee handbooks, workplace trainings, wage and hour compliance, employee classification, and accommodation and interactive process compliance. Jon practices a comprehensive and efficient approach in helping employers identify early workplace and compliance issues, as well as partnering with employers to develop preventative institutional compliance measures.
A talented and frequent speaker, Jon has handled various employer side training presentations covering employer-centric hot topics, including wage and hour, ADA and FEHA issues.
Prior to joining Littler, Jon was a long-time partner with a national law firm where he focused on single-plaintiff and class action representative employment litigation. Jon began his legal career serving as a Deputy District Attorney with the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office handling a variety of felony and misdemeanor trials involving violent crimes and fraud. He previously clerked for Judge Napoleon A. Jones, Jr., U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.
