Labor Lawyers Shut Out of State (Ca) Jobs (because of pro-worker stance) Join Forces in Small Firm

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202430535208&Labor_Lawyers_Shut_Out_of_State_Jobs_Join_Forces_in_Small_Firm

Petra Pasternak
The Recorder
May 8, 2009

Shut out of careers with the state of California, Miles Locker and Rachel Folberg have gone private. The two former Division of Labor Standards Enforcement lawyers opened a two-lawyer San Francisco shop, Locker Folberg, in April.

Locker was ousted from the DLSE in 2006, at least in part because of his pro-worker stance on big-ticket wage and hour rules. Folberg left shortly after and started her own part-time practice.

As a duo, they will take on individual and class action wage and hour cases as well as retaliation cases. Locker will handle some litigation and continue to be an expert witness and consultant.

Folberg said the plan is to bring on at least one associate by the end of the year.


Rachel Folberg and Miles Locker
Jason Doiy/The Recorder

Locker and Folberg say that the five years together in the pressure cooker that was the DLSE office gives them confidence that their career interests are aligned and their personalities are a fit. "We had such a huge number of cases at any given time, it was hard to get breathing room," Folberg said. "In that high-stress environment it's easy to blow your top. ... We have disagreed once or twice on legal issues, but I'm happy to report we've never yelled at each other."

Locker said his and Folberg's work styles were "very complementary" -- she was outstanding with the witnesses and "getting her views across to the court," he said. His own strengths included "more of the legal, theoretical work," like briefing and writing. "It was just a good match."

FULL story at link.