As the founding partner of the Farrell Law Group, Mary has extensive experience defending wrongful termination cases, handling employment discrimination and harassment matters, and providing preventative advice to both private and public employers.

Mary counsels employers on all aspects of employer-employee relations including privacy issues, proprietary rights/trade secret conflicts, wage and hour laws, personnel policies, and employee leave issues. By offering preventative advice, Mary assists employers in reducing the incidence of litigation. When litigation is imminent, however, Mary provides employers with an alternative to expensive and protracted litigation. As an effective advocate, Mary has experienced significant success in resolving disputes short of trial by way of dispositive motions and/or settlement negotiations. In addition to her employment law practice, Mary has handled complex business litigation and intellectual property matters.

A sought-after lecturer at various employment law seminars, Mary was recently Keynote Speaker for California’s Division of Workers Compensation Educational Conference. She has served on the Executive Committee of the Labor and Employment Section of the Sacramento County Bar Association and is active in the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce, Sacramento Trade & Commerce Association and the Sacramento Area Human Resources Association.


Areas of Practice
Labor and Employment Law

Representative Experience

• Represented employers in defense of claims of employment discrimination (age, race, gender, ethnic origin, and retaliation); breach of employment contract; wrongful termination in violation of public policy; and constructive termination in state and federal courts as well as before the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
• Represented the California Legislature in employment discrimination suits filed by former employees.
• Represented a large residential real estate broker in a sexual harassment and retaliation suit filed against real estate agent and broker
• Represented employers in state court in defense of defamation and interference with contractual relations claims by former employees.
• Defended employers in numerous wage claims before the California Office of Labor Commissioner.
• Represented employer against claims of employee raiding and trade secret misappropriation by regional competitor through discovery to settlement.
• Represented employers/business establishments in federal court in defense of class action and other lawsuits under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
• Extensive law and motion experience, including numerous successful summary judgment motions in state and federal courts; numerous judicial arbitrations; negotiations of settlement agreements and releases.
• Prepared Respondent’s briefs in appeal before the Third District Court of Appeals.
• Prepared, reviewed, and revised employee handbooks and policy manuals; drafted employment agreements and negotiated severance packages for corporate executives; negotiated and drafted severance agreements on behalf of employers; drafted alcohol and drug testing policies, workplace search policies, and pre-employment inquiry policies and procedures.
• Conducted due diligence regarding all employment-related matters in corporate mergers, acquisitions, and public offerings and advised clients regarding disclosures arising from employment claims and potential claims.
• Counseled employers regarding employee discipline and employment termination, workplace searches and investigations, alcohol and drug testing, employee policies, employment discrimination and harassment, and supervisor training.
• Advised employers regarding union organizing activities.
• Advised employers and prepared relevant documents with regard to mass lay-off and reduction-in-force.
• Trained managers and supervisors on compliance with Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)/California Family Rights Act (CFRA); California’s Fair Employment & Housing Act/Title VII; Americans With Disabilities Act; and other compliance issues.
• Reviewed and updated independent contractor agreements.
• Advised employers regarding implementation of workplace safety and security policies and procedures.
• Drafted agreements regarding protection of employer’s confidential proprietary information and intellectual property.
• Advised departing employees on confidential information obligations to employers.
• Advised employers regarding misappropriation of trade secret information and unfair competition by former employees and business competitors.

Memberships and Community Involvement

• State Bar of California
• Former Executive Committee Member, Labor & Employment Section, Sacramento County Bar Association
• Sacramento Area Commerce and Trade Association (SACTO)
• Sacramento Human Resources Management Association
• Anthony M. Kennedy Inns of Court
• Natomas Schools Foundation Board of Directors

Education
McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific
J.D., with Great Distinction, 1994
Order of the Coif
Traynor Honor Society
California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo
B.A. 1990