Mr. Farmer is the managing shareholder of the firm’s San Francisco office, and a member of the firm’s Management and Class Action Steering Committees. His litigation practice focuses on representation of management in wage and hour class actions and wrongful termination matters. He has tried to verdict a variety of employment cases in state and federal courts, including wage and hour representative actions, sexual harassment, age discrimination, pregnancy discrimination, and other wrongful termination matters.
Mr. Farmer is the author of several widely used employment law publications and lectures frequently on employment law topics. He has been recognized as one of California’s leading employment lawyers in Chambers USA, America’s Leading Business Lawyers, and as a "Super Lawyer" by the publishers of Northern California Super Lawyers magazine, a recognition based on peer reviews and professional achievement limited to five percent of all California lawyers. Prior to joining Ogletree, he was a partner in the labor department of an AM 100 Law Firm, and a former Trial Attorney for the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Experience
Experience:
Mr. Farmer currently serves as lead defense counsel in several significant California wage and hour class actions, including:
- Nationwide California/FLSA class action against Fortune 10 company alleging off-the-clock, overtime, bonus, and meal/rest period violations on behalf of convenience store managers.
- Two California class actions against Fortune 100 food production company for off the clock, donning/doffing, and meal and rest period violations.
- California wage and hour class action against Fortune 200 clothing retailer alleging unpaid off-the-clock work by store managers and assistant store managers.
- Class action against Fortune 500 manufacturer for off-the-clock, overtime, and meal/rest period violations.
- Class action against Fortune 500 industrial supply company for misclassification of store managers, failure to pay overtime, and meal and rest period violations.
- California wage and hour class action against Fortune 500 electrical supply company alleging unpaid overtime and meal and rest period violations as to warehouse and driver employees.
- Class investigation by Department of Labor of world’s largest convenience store chain for alleged minimum wage, overtime, and recordkeeping violations at 1500 California stores.
- Multiple consolidated class actions against one of nation’s largest transportation logistics companies for failure to pay drivers for hours worked, meal and rest period violations, and related penalties.
- Multiple consolidated class actions against nationwide trucking and logistics company for failure to pay mechanics for all hours worked, meal and rest period violations, and related penalties.
Admitted to Practice:
California
U.S. District Court, Central, Eastern, Northern and Southern Districts of California
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
Education and Honors
Honors and Awards:
- Rotary Graduate Scholar - Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico City, 1982-83
Professional Activities
Professional Activities:
- California State Bar (Employment Law Section)
- San Francisco Bar Association (Diversity Committee)
- Civil Service Commission, City of Piedmont, CA (Commissioner and Past Chair)
- East Bay Spanish Speaking Citizen’s Foundation (Board Member and Past President and Chair)
- The Working Group (Board Member)
Speeches:
- California Employment Law Council - "Dealing With The Obama Agencies – EEOC, NLRB, OFCCP" - San Francisco - November 2011
- California Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) - Moderator - "California Employment Law Fundamentals" - San Francisco - October 2011
- California Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) - "California Wage And Hour Law" - San Francisco - October 2011
- California Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) - "Drafting California Employment Policies & Handbooks" - San Francisco - October 2011
- Association of Otolaryngology Administrators - "EEOC and the Disgruntled Employee – The Strategic Response To Complaints Of Discrimination" - San Francisco - September 2011
- Ogletree Deakins Webinar - "Essential Payroll Practices for Companies Doing Business in California" - September 2011
- Lorman Education Services (Audio Conference) - "California Wage And Hour Law – Essential Payroll Practices For Companies Doing Business In California" - July 2011
- Manager Training Program - "Hiring & Termination -- Training For Partners And Principals" - San Francisco - June 2011
- Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar (Moderator) - "Medical Marijuana in The Workplace" - Chicago - May 2011
- Manager Workshop - "Supervisor Training – Hiring; Leaves Of Absence; Termination & Discipline; Wage And Hour" - San Francisco - May 2011
- Ogletree Deakins Seminar - "Developments In California Wage And Hour Law – Wage Statement Defenses And Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) Claims" - San Francisco - April 2011
- Lorman Education Services - "Effective Employee Documentation Strategies" - San Francisco - March 2011
- Levinson Benefits Group - "Top Employment Law Issues Facing California Restaurant Owners" - San Francisco - March 2011
- Ultimate Software Human Resources Program - "Wage And Hour Law – Trends In California Litigation" - San Jose - February 2011
- NCLR Affiliates Workshop - "Employment Law Trends For Non-Profit Organizations" - Oakland - February 2011
In The News
Media Quotes:
- August 5, 2011 - Law360 - "Q&A With Ogletree Deakins' Douglas Farmer"
- July 2011 - HR Magazine - "State Laws on Medical Marijuana Inconsistent, Unclear"
- December 16, 2010 - San Francisco Business Times - "Employment Issues to Watch as 2011 Dawns"
- October 14, 2010 - The Recorder - "Jackson Lewis Disqualified Over Deal With Class Representative"
- December 3, 2009 - San Francisco Business Times - "Not Everyone's a Loser When Jobs Get Whacked"
- May 11, 2009 - SHRM.org - "Following Workers Online May Lead to Developing Areas of Law"
- November 1, 2008 - Inside Counsel - "Poaching for Profit - Noncompetes, Trade-Secrets Litigation Land More Employers in Court"
- May 9, 2008 - SHRM.org - "Customize Diversity Training To Meet Specific Goals"
- March 31, 2008 - Missouri Lawyers Weekly - "Making Your Case: Arbitration Falling Out of Vogue in Some Areas"
- March 10, 2008 - Lawyers USA - "Arbitration Falling Out of Vogue"
Published Works:
- June 16, 2011 - Ogletree Deakins Publication - "News From the California Class Action Front – Emerging Defenses to Wage Statement Claims . . . But Hold On to Your Seats"
- 2010 - Advising California Employers and Employees (Chapter 17) - "Disciplining And Termination"
- July 1, 2008 - Ogletree Deakins Publication - "The California "Multiplier Effect": How Small Wage and Hour Violations Create Big Class Settlements in California"
- December 1, 2007 - Human Resources (Chapter 12) - "State And Local Paid Leave Laws: New Statutes And Trends In Legislation"
- June 2005 - The Recorder's Labor and Employment Law Magazine - "He Said/She Said"
- May 2003 - California Constructor Magazine - "Managing Employee Leaves Of Absence Caused By Injury Or Illness"
- May 2003 - Engineering & Utility Contractors Association (EUCA) Magazine - "Simplifying The Complex: Managing Employee Leaves Of Absence"
- April 2000 - Workforce Magazine - "Recruiting On The Internet: Avoiding The Legal Pitfalls"
- Fall 1998 - House Counsel - "When Temporary Workers Sue: New Prevention Strategies for Staffing Agencies and Employers Who Use Them"
- 1997 - Employment Law Compliance For New Businesses - "Chapter 9, Discipline and Termination"
- Fall 1996 - The Labor Lawyer - "Settlement Of Age Discrimination Claims: The Meaning And Impact Of The Older Worker Benefits Protection Act"
- Summer 1996 - Footnotes (Career Pathways Quarterly Bulletin) - "Avoiding Million Dollar Liability: Essential Steps For Preventing Wrongful Termination Lawsuits"
- Spring 1995 - California Health Law News - "Labor And Employment Strategies For Health Care Mergers, Acquisitions And Consolidations"
- June 30, 1994 - Daily Journal Labor Law Supplement - "Navigating The Employment Maze: Sick Building Disability"