Resume

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John Golper, Esq. is one of the preeminent labor and employment litigators in California, bringing over 48 years of unparalleled expertise to the dispute resolution arena. Since 2019, he has spent as much time mediating employment disputes as he has as an advocate. Mr. Golper is now dedicated to fostering resolution as a full-time neutral at ADR Services, Inc. focusing on resolving all types of labor and employment law and business disputes.

Mr. Golper’s decision to become a full-time neutral was driven by his realization of the profound satisfaction derived from helping litigants and their lawyers resolve disputes. He has been incredibly active as a Mediator serving on the U.S. District Court ADR Mediator Panel since 2019 and has garnered a dedicated following from labor and employment lawyers – both plaintiff and defense – who seek his expertise as a private mediator.

What sets Mr. Golper apart is his wealth of practical employment law experience, having spent almost half a century as a legal luminary in California. A rarity among employment mediators, his background encompasses significant jury trial experience, offering a unique perspective that translates into a mediator with a strong command of employment law. His decades of hands-on experience allow him to swiftly assess the nuances of each case, providing a candid evaluation of strengths and weaknesses.

Mr. Golper embarked on his career as a labor lawyer after graduating from UCLA Law School in 1975, where he served as a Research Assistant to the esteemed Labor Law Professor, Ben Aaron. In his first three years as a lawyer, Mr. Golper worked in a well-recognized boutique litigation firm which specialized in sophisticated business litigation and represented numerous labor unions in the telecommunications and entertainment industry, in addition to individual employees. He then began his long illustrious career on the management side of labor and employment law matters.

In 1986, Mr. Golper played a pivotal role in establishing Ballard Rosenberg Golper & Savitt, a prominent 26-attorney firm specializing in labor and employment law and related litigation. Over the years, he has consistently earned individual Best Lawyer rankings every year since 2003 and has been recognized as a “Super Lawyer” in Employment Litigation every year since 2004. He has been peer-reviewed as the highest possible “AV Preeminent” rating from Martindale-Hubbell since 1987.

Mr. Golper’s practice expertise runs the gamut of every kind of matter involved in labor and employment law, from traditional labor/management issues involving union contracts and cases under the pertinent grievance and arbitration procedures to representing clients on human resource matters and in court as well as before numerous administrative agencies. He is one of only a few labor and employment lawyers who not only has expertise in traditional labor law but is also a highly experienced jury trial lawyer. His trial experience ranges from smaller wrongful termination cases to multi-week trials addressing systemic discrimination and harassment. His appellate prowess is equally impressive, contributing to major legal precedents and securing victories as lead or amicus counsel. He was inducted into the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) in 2009.

Now, having successfully mediated over 100 cases, Mr. Golper eagerly anticipates continuing his legacy of service to the legal community as a full-time neutral at ADR Services, Inc. His commitment to facilitating resolution and drawing on his wealth of legal experience positions him as a sought-after mediator in the complex landscape of labor and employment disputes.

2017-Present       Mediator
ADR Services, Inc., 2024-Present
United States District Court, ADR Panel, 2019-Present

1986-2023 Ballard Rosenberg Golper & Savitt, LLP
Of Counsel, 2017-2023
Senior Partner, 1986-2016

1978-1986      Parker, Milliken, Clark, O’Hara & Samuelian
Partner, Labor Department, 1983-1986
Associate, Labor Department, 1978-1983

1984-1986      California Comparable Worth Task Force
Appointed by Governor Deukmejian as one of three gubernatorial appointees to eleven-member task force and wrote Minority Report to the California Legislature regarding proposed changes to Labor Code Section 1197.5.

1974-1978      Bodkin, McCarthy, Sargent & Smith
Associate, Labor and General Litigation Departments, 1975-1978
Summer Law Clerk, 1974

1974      California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District, Division 3
Extern Law Clerk to Honorable Winslow Christian

1973-1974      Whittaker Corporation
Law Clerk

• 2019-Present       United States District Court, Annual Advanced Mediator Training
• 1975-Present       Numerous CLE, PLI, American Management Association programs
• 2018       American Arbitration Association, 32-hour Mediator Training
• 1977       New York University Law School Certification in Negotiating Labor Contracts
• 1975       University of San Francisco, Labor Management School Certification in Labor Arbitration

• Associate, American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), Since 2009
• AV-rated, Martindale-Hubbell, Since 1986
• Southern California “Super Lawyer” (Employment Litigation), Since 2004
• Best Lawyers (Employment Law, Labor Law, Litigation Labor and Employment), Since 2003
• “Top Lawyer” in Employment Law, Pasadena Magazine, 2015
• Dean’s Circle Award, UCLA School of Law, 2014
• “Best Lawyer” for Labor & Employment Law, California Employment Law, 2004
• “Top 25 Attorneys of the San Fernando Valley”, San Fernando Business Journal, 2002
• Profiled in Verdicts & Settlements, Daily Journal, May 1999 and Cover Story, January 2000
• Listed in Who’s Who in American Law, Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in California
• Frequent Speaker at Numerous CLE and PLI Programs on Labor and Employment Law Topics
• Frequent Trainer/Presenter on Advanced Mediator Training Topics

• Harassment: Race, Gender, Age, National Origin, Ethnicity, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Pregnancy, Disability or Perceived Disability, Religion
• Discrimination: Race, Gender, Age, National Origin, Ethnicity, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Pregnancy, Disability or Perceived Disability including Failure to Accommodate, Religion
• Sexual Harassment or Assault
• Retaliation including Safety Complaints, Pay Disputes, Exercise of Protected Rights
• Wrongful Termination / Constructive Discharge
• Wage & Hour Claims,
• Wage & Hour Class Actions / Private Attorney General Act (PAGA)
• Breach of Employment Contracts
• Whistleblower Wrongful Termination
• Leaves of Absence, FMLA, CFRA
• Equal Pay Act and other Fair Pay Claims
• Labor Code Violations
• Background Check Violations including FCRA, Fair Chance Act, and Use of Criminal Records
• Breach of Union Contracts and Union Duty of Fair Representation Claims
• ERISA Trust Fund Claims
• WARN and CAL-WARN Claims
• Buy-Sell Agreement Disputes, including Golden Parachute and other Severance Pay Provisions
• Commissions / Bonuses / Benefits
• Non-Compete Agreements
• Trade Secret and Unfair Business Practice Cases
• Partnership Disputes and Dissolutions
• Attorney Fee Disputes and Reasonable Fee Claims
• ADA Accessibility Cases