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Overview
Jennifer S. Baldocchi is Co-Vice Chair of the Paul Hastings Employment Department and the Chair of the International Employee Mobility and Trade Secrets practice. Her practice focuses on employee mobility and intellectual property, including trade secrets, covenants not to compete, unfair competition, and fiduciary duties. She is ranked by Chambers USA, recognized by The Legal 500 US for trade secrets litigation and non-contentious matters, and recognized as both a Top Labor and Employment Lawyer and a Top Trade Secrets Lawyer by the Daily Journal. Ms. Baldocchi has significant trial experience. She litigates trade secret misappropriation claims, as well as disputes over restrictive covenants in employment-related agreements. She provides advice on best practices to protect and enforce intellectual property rights and restrictive covenants.
On the transactional side, she prepares employee and executive contracts, focusing on the protection of trade secrets and the prevention of improper customer and employee solicitations.
Ms. Baldocchi’s practice also involves advising and defending employers in complex employment claims such as wrongful discharge, discrimination, retaliation, and harassment. She defends class actions and multi-district litigation, including disparate treatment, disparate impact, and wage and hour class actions. Ms. Baldocchi also counsels clients in wage and hour issues and investigations.
Recognitions
- The Legal 500 USA, Trade Secrets, Litigation and Non-Contentious Matters (2021-2023).
- Recognized as one of Lawdragon’s Top 500 Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers (2021-2025).
- Recognized by Chambers USA as a Top Labor & Employment Lawyer.
- Recognized as one of the Daily Journal’s Top Labor and Employment Lawyers in California.
- Recognized as one of the Daily Journal's Top Trade Secrets Lawyers in California.
- Recognized as one of The Best Lawyers in America in Litigation – Labor and Employment.
Education
- University of California, Berkeley, B.A. with honors
- Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, J.D., Order of the Coif
- Note and Comment Editor, Loyola Los Angeles Law Review
- Member, St. Thomas More Law Honor Society
Representations
- Represented AeroVironment, Inc. in multiple matters, including an executive mobility and intellectual property case. Led the trial team in Ventura County Superior Court in a seven-week trial, resulting in a verdict in favor of the company. Handled additional litigation involving highly confidential information.
- Represented a technology company in litigation pending in multiple jurisdictions concerning covenants not to compete. Obtained temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction, and summary adjudication victories.
- Represented Epson America in an action involving breach of restrictive covenants by a former executive. Prevailed on contract claims on summary judgment.
- Represented LD Products Inc. in litigation involving noncompete agreements and trade secrets. Successfully convinced the court as to the unenforceability of various restrictive covenants.
- Represented American Airlines and its subsidiary, American Eagle, in their claims to reject and renegotiate collective bargaining agreements as part of the Section 1113 process in bankruptcy. This resulted in new contracts for both companies, allowing them to successfully exit bankruptcy proceedings.
- Represented UPS in a wage and hour class action alleging misclassification and meal break violations with significant potential liability. Convinced the court on the eve of trial to decertify the class and continued to represent the company in multiple trials for the individual cases. After eight years of litigation, obtained 16 wins and 38 walk-aways, and recovered defense fees in several cases.
- Represented a large financial institution in multiple actions involving alleged harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. After trial and appeals were completed, obtained a complete victory for the company on all claims.
- Defended a preeminent entertainment company against claims of copyright infringement in connection with a major motion picture. Prevailed against all claims on summary judgment.
Engagement & Publications
- Noncompetes and Restrictive Covenants 2024: What Every Lawyer, Human Resources Professional, and Key Strategic Decisionmaker Should Know, speaker, Practising Law Institute (PLI), (September 16, 2024)
- Hot Topics in Trade Secrets Protection, Enforcement, and Litigation, speaker, Sandpiper Partners Trade Secrets West Conference (April 30, 2024)
- Employee Mobility: What to Know About Noncompetes, Bloomberg, author (May 3, 2022)
- Noncompetes and Restrictive Covenants 2020: What Every Lawyer, Human Resources Professional, and Key Strategic Decisionmaker Should Know, speaker, Practising Law Institute (PLI), (January 31, 2020)
- Drafting Employment Agreements For Commission-Based Employees: Protecting Confidential Information, Speaker, Webcredenza Webinar (May 15, 2019)
- Taming the Gig Economy: Freelance Isn’t Free, ABA Business Law Section Presentation, Speaker (March 28, 2019)
- Recent Developments in Business and Corporate Litigation, ABA Annual Review Chapter on Employment Law, contributing author (2019)
- California Employment Law, Trade Secrets and Unfair Competition, Chapter 70, Matthew Bender (2018), author
- California Court of Appeals Voids Employee Post Employment Non-Solicitation Restrictions: What Your Company Needs To Do Now (November 2018)
- Co-Chair, Daily Journal Employment Law Forum (July 2018)
- Employee Mobility, speaker, Daily Journal Employment Law Forum (July 2018)
- In-House Litigation And Employment Counsel: What Keeps You Up At Night? moderator, Daily Journal Employment Law Forum (July 2018)
- Advanced Litigation Techniques In Trade Secrets Cases, speaker, L.A. County Bar Association, Annual Employment Law Retreat (April 2018)
- Obtaining Damages and Injunctions In Restrictive Covenant Cases, speaker, AELC (October 2017)
- Practical Considerations for Obtaining Injunctions and Recovering Damages in Restrictive Covenant and Misappropriation Cases, AELC, author (October 2017)
- Professional Education Broadcast Network: Drafting Sales Agents’ Agreements and Protecting Confidential Information, webinar (July 2016)
- The New Federal Trade Secrets Law: Top Takeaways for Employers (May 2016)
- There’s A New Federal Trade Secrets Statute—Now What? (May 2016)
- New California Law Closes the Door On Choice of Law and Forum Selection Clauses Aimed At Enforcing Noncompetes (September 2016)
- Location, Location, Location, Noncompete Agreements, Trade Secrets, And Employee Mobility, speaker, California State Bar Meeting (April 2014)
- Why Trade Secrets Matter, speaker, Bridgeport Continuing Education, Trade Secrets Symposium (April 2014)
- Drafting and Enforcing Restrictive Covenants: Reasonable and Effective Non-Compete Clauses, speaker, C4CM Events (August 2013)
- Motions For Summary Judgment And Dispositive Motions, speaker, Bridgeport Continuing Education, Employment Law (June 2013)
- Computer Fraud And Abuse Act: State Of The Law After U.S. v. Nosal and Strategies For Using The CFAA And Penal Code 502(c), speaker, Bridgeport Continuing Education, Litigating a Trade Secret Case (March 2013)
- Best of CLE, Employment Law Update, speaker, The Seminar Group (January 2013)
- Responding To A Trade Secrets Lawsuit, speaker, Bridgeport Continuing Education, Litigating a Trade Secret Case (December 2011)
- The Media Law Resource Center’s annual publication, the 50-State Survey on Employment Libel and Privacy Law, contributing writer
Involvement
- Vice-Chair Employment Law Subcommittee of the ABA Business and Corporate Litigation Committee
- Board Member, Public Counsel
- Member, American Employment Law Council
- Co-Chair, Paul Hastings Los Angeles Pro Bono And Community Committee and member of Paul Hastings Global Pro Bono Committee
- Former Co-Chair of Communications Committee For California State Bar Access To Justice Commission
- Former Member of Right To Counsel Committee For California State Bar Access To Justice Commission