Gregory C. Cheng represents employers in all aspects of litigation filed in state and federal court, arbitration, or before state and federal administrative agencies. He has substantial experience defending employers against lawsuits claiming for discrimination, harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, and various other statutory claims. Greg has substantial experience defending employers in complex wage and hour class actions alleging misclassification, unpaid overtime, meal and rest periods violations, travel time, off-the-clock work, and Business and Professions Code sections 17200 et seq. He also has prosecuted/defended clients in trade secret, non-compete, and injunctive relief actions. Greg represents and has represented employers from virtually all industries and sizes ranging from Fortune 50 corporations to sole proprietors.
In addition, Greg regularly advises employers on the interactive process, reasonable accommodation issues, wage and hour compliance, employee discipline, terminations, employee handbooks, reductions in force, plant closings, drug testing, non-compete agreements, severance negotiations, internal investigations, and workplace violence. Greg has provided training to his clients on wage and hour compliance and the administration of leaves of absence issues under state and federal law.
Prior to joining Ogletree Deakins, Greg served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable William F. Highberger and the Honorable David L. Minning of the Los Angeles Superior Court.
Greg is also fluent in Chinese-Mandarin and conversational in Spanish.
Experience
Greg has been with the firm since 2006. He has managed numerous litigation matters from inception to resolution. Greg has taken numerous depositions of named plaintiffs and third parties, and has argued dispositive and discovery motions. He has resolved numerous matters for employers during the litigation and pre-litigation stages, including mediation and through informal direct negotiation. Additionally, Greg, along with his Ogletree colleagues, have:
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of a national cable company against former employee claiming disability discrimination.
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of a hospital against former employee claiming race discrimination.
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of a railroad company against an individual claiming ADA Title III violations and against threatened cross-claims from cross-defendant public entity.
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of international computer consulting company against an individual for a variety of contract and tort claims.
- Obtained a defense judgment against claims for unpaid wages and penalties on behalf of a nursing home against former employee after full hearing before the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement.
- Obtained a complete dismissal of a claim for breach of an employment agreement alleging unpaid wages of over $100,000 at the DLSE conference stage.
- Obtained complete dismissal with prejudice of several lawsuits without having to pay any money, including but not limited to:
- a negotiated walk-away on the eve of trial (after 4 years of litigation) on behalf of an international media company;
- a negotiated walk-away on behalf of a technology company (after very contentious litigation against same attorney in a separate case); and
- a dismissal with prejudice by the Court on behalf of an international technology company after winning a series of discovery motions. Plaintiff's attorney had withdrawn from the case after Greg filed a trade secret misappropriation cross-complaint against the plaintiff.
California
U.S. District Court, Central, Eastern, Northern and Southern Districts of California
Professional Activities
- San Francisco County Bar Association
- State Bar of California (Labor & Employment Section)
- Ogletree Deakins Seminar - "You're Not the Boss Of Me - Regulating Employee Conduct On And Off The Job" - San Francisco - October 2011
- Employer Research Institute - "Travel Pay In California: Proven Strategies For Avoiding Devastating Wage/Hour Lawsuits" - August 11, 2011