E. Todd Trumper

E. Todd Trumper is of counsel in the San Diego, California, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. His practice focuses on representing employers in workplace law matters, including preventive advice and counseling.

In over three decades of practice, E. Todd Trumper has partnered with private and public employers and executives to help them successfully navigate the complexities of labor and employment laws and regulations. Clients recognize Mr. Trumper as a responsive and highly trusted advisor who works closely with management, in-house counsel, and key stakeholders to gain a deep understanding of their businesses and find effective ways to prevent disputes from arising. However, if litigation ensues, Mr. Trumper is a forceful advocate for his clients. He has won defense verdicts for businesses, C-Suite executives, and management in high stakes complex disputes in federal and state courts and prevailed in claims filed with the EEOC and the California Labor Commissioner. He defends against individual and multi-plaintiff lawsuits and binding arbitrations involving numerous facets of labor and employment law including:

• Whistleblower allegations
• Wage and hour class actions and PAGA claims
• Claims arising from layoffs and reductions-in-force
• Discrimination, retaliation, and harassment allegations
• Pre-employment screening and background check regulations
• Alleged misclassifications relating to independent contractor status
• ADA compliance and the interactive process
• FMLA, CFRA, and leaves of absence under the California Pregnancy Disability Leave Law
• Employee discipline and involuntary leaves of absence
• Liability based on actions of third-party vendors
• Trade secrets and unfair competition

Mr. Trumper was an early adopter of using eDiscovery platforms for managing large-scale document reviews and productions and he regularly works with employers to develop protocols for collecting, reviewing, and organizing electronically stored information in a way that is both cost effective and efficient when preparing for trial. 

He also regularly advises employers on drafting policies and employee handbooks, privacy policies, restrictive covenants, best practices for conducting internal investigations, appropriate oversight of external investigators, document retention policies, and alternative dispute resolution. Mr.  Trumper maintains a client-first focus in crafting tailored solutions for meeting challenges employers face today and creating proactive strategies as new laws and regulations work their way through legislative and administrative processes.

In addition to labor and employment, Mr. Trumper’s past practice included litigating intellectual property rights, entertainment law, agency, and representing the interests of actors and musicians in actions involving breach of contract, licensing and royalty disputes, copyright, and protecting against the unauthorized use of their names and likenesses. He also defended many Fortune 500 companies in class actions and multi-district litigation involving anti-trust claims, tying and bundling agreements, exclusive-dealing arrangements, and restraint of trade allegations.

Mr. Trumper has won jury trials and binding arbitrations as first chair and second chair and taken and defended hundreds of key witness depositions throughout the United States. He is an active member of the Employment Section of the California Lawyers Association, the Labor & Employment Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and the Association of Business Trial Lawyers.