Employee Handbook Compliance Review for Employers & Business Owners
Please contact us to schedule an appointment to review your existing employment Handbook, and/or company policies & procedures to ensure your business is California labor law compliant.
Welcome to the Law Offices of Chauvel & Glatt, LLP!
We are based in San Mateo, California, and serve the Peninsula and surrounding communities, including San Francisco to San Jose, as well as clients throughout Los Angeles, San Diego and San Bernardino Counties and the State of California. We’ve been providing legal services for more than 3 decades and specialize in the fields of Business Law, Real Estate Law, Employment Law, Estate Planning/Probate, Transportation Law, and Intellectual Property Law. We bring a wide range of knowledge and experience, with members of our team speaking English, Spanish and Tagalog.
Practice Areas
Business Law
Our business attorneys provide full-service representation for companies of all sizes from entity formation, preparation of business agreements, purchase and sales, and litigation.
Employment Law
Our ’employer lawyers’ counsel and protect business owners to ensure compliance with California labor laws and defend your business in the event of litigation.
Estate Planning & Probate
Chauvel & Glatt will help individuals and families plan for the future using estate planning tools that address your specific personal needs.
Intellectual Property
We protect our clients’ creative output, trade secrets, and proprietary information.
Real Estate Law
Our firm is committed to protecting your investment and income property, from lease or purchase negotiations and in the event of litigation
Transportation Law
Our attorneys specialize in the transportation field and have a thorough understanding of carrier regulation, compliance issues, and logistics.
Our Team
Our attorneys enjoy working collaboratively and strive to keep matters as simple as possible. We share a desire to give you unparalleled customer service by being proactive and responsive to all your needs.
April Glatt
April Glatt
Natalia Cañas
Natalia Cañas
Derek Myers
Derek Myers
Joe Newman
Joe Newman
Ken Weinfield
Ken Weinfield
Ron Chauvel
Ron Chauvel
Our Expertise
- We provide legal advice relative to the myriad of employment-related requirements and rules that apply to employers under California labor law.
- We handle business formation and commercial transactions, as well as commercial litigation.
- We guide our clients through the creation of individual and family trusts, wills, trust administration and the probate process.
- Our firm advises established companies as well sole proprietors, start-ups, and independent contractors in relation to protecting their rights.
- We are well-versed in a wide variety of commercial and residential real estate matters to provide you full-service representation for all your property needs.
- Our attorneys specialize in the transportation and logistics fields and have a thorough understanding of carrier regulations and compliance issues.
Chauvel & Glatt Brings You The Latest Updates.
- Employment Law Articles & Legal Guides for Employers
Posted in: News
What does wrongful termination defense look like for employers in California? Terminating an employee in California, or for that matter anywhere, is difficult. There is an extremely likely chance that it will be emotional, as well as complicated. We hope to unpack this contentious area of employer legal defense for you in a digestible and easy-to-understand way.
Wrongful termination claims are a highly litigated area of employment law. That means that employer defense lawyers will be essential in terms of mitigating an employer’s risks. At Chauvel & Glatt, we are employer dispute lawyers whose goal is to protect our clients so that they feel 100% confident that they are being defended & protected against potential wrongful termination claims.
Our strategy is to be proactive and anticipatory so that the likelihood of a wrongful termination claim is minimized. If one does arise, we have the history and the experience to mitigate your risk before a wrongful termination claim leads to litigation.
Our employment law expertise is holistic.. We use our employment law knowledge in a preventative manner. What we know in one area of employment law can inform the mitigation of potential wrongful termination claims in a way in which all of the key and most relevant facts are:
- Scrutinized (is it a legitimate claim, for example?)
- Thoroughly assessed, where every detail is taken into consideration
- Used to arrive at a strategically sound path forward, and
- Ultimately, the goal is resolution of this matter
Employment Law Defense Is Not Your Day Job (Nor Should It Be).
We know that running a successful business is enough of a challenge without having to feel that you need to also navigate wrongful termination claim. If a claim arises, whether it be a wrongful termination claim or constructive discharge claim, Chauvel & Glatt is an employment defense law firm you can consider to be an extension of your team. Always. We listen. We learn. We go to work to protect your business and take proactive measures to minimize your employment law risks.
Labor Law Compliance IS Our Day Job.
How can you prevent wrongful termination claims from happening? By being prepared. Labor law compliance is an area in which we specialize and excel. We have the knowledge and expertise on how to be compliant with labor laws related to discrimination and retaliation. We also have experience in establishing compliant policies and procedures guidelines and employee handbooks. Our broad and holistic experience in labor and employment law gives us a strategic advantage in providing our clients with the guidance that enables them to be as well-positioned as possible to prevent wrongful termination claims from happening.
If a wrongful termination claim still arises, we are ideally situated to defend our clients against one. We will always seek to arrive at the most favorable outcome on behalf of our clients, the employer, hopefully before litigation becomes necessary. If litigation does arise, you can trust that we are wrongful termination litigation attorneys who are backed by a steeped history of experience.
We understand that although California is an “at-will” employment state (meaning an employer can terminate an employee for supposedly any reason at all), employees still have the right to claim that they were wrongfully terminated for reasons of:
- Discrimination
- Retaliation
- Whistleblowing
These are just a few of the situations in which “at-will” employment can be tested. At Chauvel & Glatt, because we are a comprehensive employment law firm, we have a thorough understanding of what legitimate grounds for discrimination, retaliation, and whistleblowing look like. We will be ready to substantiate unsupported claims with concrete facts.
Proper Documentation May Be What Decides a Case.
That is why we want to partner with employers to help them be compliant. Documentation can determine what elevates a claim to the next level. We want to help employers accurately prepare, including documenting every aspect of an employee’s history, starting with the day they are hired, and any performance or disciplinary issues. This simply makes good employment law sense. Because one day, however well intentioned and however well an employer is prepared, it may become critically important to have engaged a professional employment dispute lawyer for wrongful termination.
At Chauvel & Glatt, we will consistently and tirelessly advocate for each and every one of our clients at the highest level of integrity, while fostering the best possible environment for them from an employment law standpoint. Employment law in California is complicated. We have a unique ability to synthesize it in a way in which our clients feel comfortable, informed, and confident that we are doing everything we can to support them.
- Beyond the Law
Posted in: News
Chauvel & Glatt congratulates Partner April Glatt, Derek Myers, and Natalia Canas for their recent achievements from Super Lawyers. Each year, 5% of the top Northern California attorneys are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor.
Congratulations!
- Business Law Articles & Legal Guides for Companies
Posted in: News
Many high school seniors feel overwhelmed at the prospect of leaving home. At the same time, parents are confronting the emotional reality of a child heading off to college—often the first time they will live apart. This transition brings increased independence and decision-making, which can be both exciting and unsettling for everyone involved.
What is often overlooked during this transition is the significant shift in legal rights and responsibilities that occurs when a child turns eighteen. While milestones such as voting or military service are widely understood, the broader legal implications are not. At eighteen, an individual becomes a legal adult, fully responsible for their own financial, contractual, and medical decisions—without any automatic legal authority for parents to step in.
This can be surprising, especially since many young adults remain financially dependent on their parents. However, the law does not account for that dependency when assigning legal authority.
The practical impact is significant: if an emergency arises—whether temporary or permanent—parents may be unable to access medical information, make healthcare decisions, or manage financial matters on behalf of their child.
A proactive way to address this is through properly executed Financial and Medical Powers of Attorney, often called POA. These documents allow a designated person—often a parent—to act on behalf of the young adult in financial and medical matters if needed.
In times of crisis, uncertainty, or incapacity, having these documents in place can make a critical difference, ensuring continuity of care and financial stability while allowing a trusted individual to step in when it matters most.
Chauvel & Glatt can assist young adults in creating these crucial documents during this transitional period. Consider giving a graduate (and parents) the gift of peace of mind, and opportunity to sign their first legal document! Contact the Estate Planning Attorneys at Chauvel & Glatt to learn more about these documents and get them prepared for your college bound children.
This material in this article, provided by Chauvel & Glatt, is designed to provide informative and current information as of the date of the post. It should not be considered, nor is it intended to constitute legal advice. For information on your particular circumstances, please contact Chauvel & Glatt at 650-573-9500 for legal assistance near you.