Partner

Pascal Benyamini is a partner in the firm's Labor & Employment Practice Group.  He defends employers in state and federal court proceedings against claims of wrongful terminations, discrimination, harassment, wage and hour and unlawful employment practices.  Pascal also represents clients in government administrative proceedings.  While he seeks expeditious and cost-effective resolutions to disputes, Pascal is prepared to advise clients through mediations, trial preparation and jury and bench trials.  He also counsels employers on claim prevention, investigations, discipline, terminations, compliance matters and employee handbook issues and provides anti-sexual harassment training.

In addition to his employment law practice, Pascal successfully represents clients in litigation matters related to business and ERISA.

Recent representative matters:

• Defended large company in gender discrimination and wrongful termination claims.  Managed all aspects of the case, including deposition of plaintiff, multiple witness interviews, third party depositions and expert witnesses.  The case settled for nominal amounts in mediation.
• Defended large company in race discrimination and wrongful termination claims.  Moved case to early mediation, presenting convincing evidence that resulted in a settlement for a nominal amount.
• Defended mid-sized company and its principals in age discrimination and wrongful termination claims.  Following first round of discovery and depositions, resolved case with favorable terms for client.
• Defended small companies and their owners in sexual harassment and wrongful termination claims.  Resolved cases in mediation with favorable terms for client.
• Defended wage and hour class action resulting in a Class Settlement Agreement with favorable terms for client.
• Defended wage and hour lawsuits and obtained successful resolution of the claims.
• Assisted employers with Department of Labor investigations of wage and hour practices, resulting in nominal penalties.
• Defended lawsuit for Serious and Willful claim against employer resulting in dismissal of the claim.

Pascal was named a Southern California Super Lawyer Rising Star in Labor & Employment Law in 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011. He was also one of the featured articles for the July 2010 issue of Southern California Rising Stars 2010, entitled “Ice Man.”  Rising Stars are determined via a survey of Southern California attorneys who are 40 years old or younger, or have been in practice 10 years or less.  Only 2.5 percent of lawyers in Southern California receive this honor.

In General.  Pascal earned his J.D. from the University of California at Davis School of Law (King Hall) in 1999.  Pascal served as staff editor on Law Review.  He also served as an extern to Senior Judge Arthur L. Alarcón, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, during his first summer of law school.  Pascal received B.A. degrees, summa cum laude, in economics and French Studies from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1996, and received his Diplôme D’Études Collégiales (Diploma of Collegial Studies) in 1992 from Marianopolis (CEGEP) College in Montréal, Quebec, Canada.  Pascal is fluent in French, proficient in Hebrew and conversant in Persian.