Robert Roginson is a shareholder in the firm's Los Angeles office. His practice includes all aspects of employment and labor law litigation and counseling for employers.
Mr. Roginson has represented private and public employers in state and federal courts and administrative agencies. Mr. Roginson has defended dozens of employers in class actions involving a variety of allegations, including employee misclassification, meal and rest period violations, off-the-clock claims, and record keeping violations. He also counsels employers and companies on California and federal wage/hour and pay practice laws, prevailing wage laws, project labor agreements (PLAs), reduction in force issues and WARN notification requirements, labor relations and union matters, tribal immunity and sovereignty issues, and retaliation and discrimination claims.
From November 2007 until March 2010, Mr. Roginson served as Chief Counsel for the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE). Appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mr. Roginson represented and advised the California Labor Commissioner and her staff in all aspects of enforcement and interpretation of California's labor and wage/hour laws, licensing requirements, and retaliation statutes. He also managed and directed the Division's litigation and handled matters involving meal and rest period compliance and enforcements, public works and prevailing wage requirements, child labor and work permit issues, the Talent Agency Act, farm labor contracting, garment manufacturing, and the Private Attorney General Act (PAGA).
Mr. Roginson also co-wrote and edited the DLSE's Public Works Manual.
Prior to joining Ogletree Deakins, Mr. Roginson worked in the industrial relations department for the Associated General Contractors of California (AGC of California), where he represented construction contractors in labor grievance and arbitration matters in addition to the negotiation of the Southern California Basic Trades Master Labor Agreements.
Experience:
Mr. Roginson focuses on bringing creative solutions to complex legal problems. He has negotiated several settlements of wage/hour class and representative actions on terms favorable to the companies. Mr. Roginson also has considerable experience defending against union sponsored litigation and has represented garment manufacturers in a wage and hour class action brought by UNITE, a transportation company in a meal and rest period class action brought by the Teamsters Union, and various construction companies in prevailing wage and apprenticeship class action lawsuits financed and driven by the building and construction craft unions, including the IBEW, Roofers Union, and others.
Mr. Roginson has drafted, negotiated, and analyzed project labor agreements for contractors and private and public project owners.
Mr. Roginson has also served as an expert witness and consultant in several wage and hour and public works matters.
Admitted to Practice:
California
Professional Activities:
AGC of California Legislative and Legal Advisory Committees (Chair, 2007)
Employers Group Legal Committee
Published Works:
June 24, 2013 - Ogletree Deakins Blog Post - "California Supreme Court Delays Decision in Key Arbitration Case"