Biography

Jeff Ames represents public and private employers in all aspects of labor and employment litigation, with a particular emphasis on the defense of employment class actions, including class actions involving wage and hour claims, disparate impact discrimination, and WARN Act claims. In addition to litigation, he regularly advises employers on daily employment-related issues including wage and hour compliance, employee terminations, leaves of absence and disability accommodation, and reductions in force, among others. Mr. Ames’ clients include telecommunications companies, health care systems, and local and national retailers.

Mr. Ames has extensive trial experience before judges, juries, and arbitrators. After graduating from the University of Maryland School of Law, he served as a United States Navy Judge Advocate, where he successfully tried numerous cases before juries and judges. He served as the Navy’s Senior Defense Counsel for Europe and Southwest Asia in Naples, Italy, and then as Special Counsel to the United Nations War Crimes Unit in Pristina, Kosovo. Mr. Ames later prosecuted federal crimes as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of California, and was the Evidence instructor at the Naval Justice School in San Diego. Since completing his service, Mr. Ames' practice has been dedicated to defending employers in litigation matters, and counseling employers on all aspects of their daily employment practices.

Representative Matters

• Obtained summary judgment of all claims in a single plaintiff case involving claims for disability discrimination, failure to provide reasonable accommodations, sexual harassment, retaliation and wrongful discharge brought against major health care system. (2010)
• Obtained summary judgment of all claims in a case involving allegations of national origin discrimination, wrongful termination, and an unlawful “English Only” policy brought against a national telecommunications company. (2010)
• Obtained summary judgment of all claims based on the administrative exemption in a misclassification case brought by a senior IT employee of a national telecommunications company. (2009)
• Obtained summary judgment of meal break claims in a putative wage and hour class action brought against a health care system. (2008)
• Favorably settled various class actions involving wage and hour claims, discrimination, WARN Act claims, and claims under the Private Attorney General’s Act (PAGA).

Professional Activities

• Commander, Judge Advocate General’s Corps, U.S. Navy
• Member, San Diego County Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section
• Member, Association of Business Trial Lawyers of America