CASES. ACCOMPLISHMENTS. HONORS.
In her nearly 20 year legal career, Rose-Ellen has represented a diverse list of private and public sector clients in a variety of labor and employment issues.
As Deputy City Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco, and of counsel with the firm Gordon and Rees, she has built an impressive litigation track record with more than 25 trials, arbitrations, administrative hearings, and appeals.
Here are a few of Rose-Ellen’s achievements on behalf of clients and San Francisco citizens:
In 2002, she wrote a brief to the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of 17 cities and six government entities in favor of the party that prevailed in City of Columbus v. Ours Garage & Wrecker Service.
The brief arose from a judgment Rose-Ellen won in 2001 in People ex. rel. Renne v. Servantes, when she sued a San Francisco tow truck operator on behalf of 750 citizens for unlawful towing, and defended it successfully on appeal.
Her work on the case won her the first of her two Certificates of Honor from the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, as well as a County Counsels’ Association of California Litigation Award, in 2002.
As attorney for the city's Office of Labor Standards Enforcement, Rose-Ellen reached a substantial settlement with a restaurant on behalf of its workers after they complained of wage and hour violations.
In 2011 as Deputy City Attorney, Rose-Ellen won a judgment notwithstanding the verdict (jury verdict overturned by the judge) in an employment sexual harassment and retaliation action, and also defended it successfully on appeal, in Adetuyi v. City & County of San Francisco.
Rose-Ellen has also won the outright dismissal of numerous cases in which she represented employers. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals recently affirmed a ruling where she prevailed in the dismissal of a former employee’s federal claims.
These cases do not include the many favorable settlements Rose-Ellen has negotiated for clients, consistent with her belief that full litigation is not always the most effective path to resolution.
COURT ADMISSIONS
United States District Court, Northern, Central and Southern Districts of California
United States Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit
United States Supreme Court
MEMBERSHIPS
Queen’s Bench Bar Association
Bar Association of San Francisco, Labor and Employment Law and Solo/Small Firm Sections, Co-Chair of SSF
California State Bar, Labor and Employment and Litigation Sections
Professional Women’s Network
BNI Stars, Vice President
COMMUNITY
West Portal Merchants’ Association, Vice President
Golden Gate University Appellate Advocacy Judge
Board Member, USC Gould Law School Alumni Association
Youth Basketball Coach
