California Trial Lawyers

Steel Zandi

3501 Jamboree Road
Newport Beach, California
USA

(949) 551-9000 or (800) 626-0003

www.steelzandi.com/

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Law Firm Overview Free Consultation

Steel Zandi is a trial and multi-lingual law firm with offices in Palos Verdes, San Francisco and Newport Beach, California. We are dedicated to the representation of the individual in Employment Law, Whistleblowers/Qui Tam, and, Personal Injury matters.

Our knowledgeable team of lawyers is proud of their diverse backgrounds and exceptional experience.

Practice Areas

Additional Practice Areas: Retaliation; Defamation in Employment; Age Discrimination; Pregnancy Discrimination; Discrimination based on Race, National Origin and Religion; Medical Condition/Disability Discrimination; Executive and Professional Severance Negotiations; Non-compete and Non-disclosure Agreements; Employee Counseling; Misclassification of Employment Status; Wage and Hour Disputes; Workplace Violence; Workplace Injuries; Hostile Work Environments; Invasion of Privacy; Civil Rights Violations; Elder Abuse; Healthcare Fraud; Securities Fraud; Defense Contracts; TARP and Bailout Fraud; Federal Student Loan Fraud; GSA Fraud; Federal Crop Insurance; Government Construction Fraud; Customs and Shipping Fraud; Federal Loan Fraud; Government Grant Fraud; U.S. Postal Service Fraud; Cash for Clunkers; Tax Fraud.

Practice Areas Description

- Employment Law

At Steel Zandi, our clients come from varied employment situations. With years of experience, we have the skill to handle all major labor law and work issues including sexual harassment, unpaid overtime, disability discrimination, discrimination based on age, race, gender, religion or pregnancy, and whistleblower claims.

Our areas of practice include:

• Retaliation

If your employer retaliated against you, attorney Matthew Zandi may be able to hold them accountable. Both federal and California laws offer protection for employees. This protection does not just include firing and wrongful termination; it includes all types of retaliation, such as demotions, failure to promote, stripping of responsibilities, micro managing and creating a hostile work environment.

• Defamation in Employment

Making untrue statements that injure another's reputation is defamation and is legally actionable. Defamation, also called slander or libel (depending on whether the untrue statement was written or voiced) can be an issue in employment disputes, insurance claims, and business conflicts. Clients come to the Law Offices of Shawn Steel & Associates seeking relief from the problems caused by a defamer.

• Wrongful Termination

Anyone who has ever been dismissed from a job thinks it is unfair--and maybe it is. However, under the law, an unfair termination is not necessarily wrongful. A wrongful termination is a legal term that refers to a firing that happened illegally. Consult an employment lawyer to determine whether you have a case if you have been fired. Attorney Matt Zandi represents employees who have experienced wrongful termination.

• Sexual Harassment

Matt Zandi has been handling sexual harassment cases for more than 11 years. Although people are more aware of what is appropriate in a workplace, sexual harassment still happens. Certain industries are still living in the past, making workplaces extremely uncomfortable even as they try to comply with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) rules.

• Age Discrimination

Employees are protected by both federal and California law from being treated differently because of their age. Age discrimination occurs when employers take illegal actions based on age — both against the young and the aging. There are many types of age discrimination. Wrongful termination is one of the most serious types of age discrimination. Other forms may include discrimination, harassment, demotion, unwarranted promotions, or failure to promote.

• Pregnancy Discrimination

Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), a series of federal statutes that protect workers, women (and men as well) are entitled to up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for pregnancy and to spend time with a newborn or newly-adopted child. After the 12 weeks end, the employee must be allowed to return to work. If your employer has told you that you are not eligible for FMLA time, it is a good idea to talk with an experienced employment law attorney about your rights. Attorney Matt Zandi can help you understand your options under state and federal laws.

• Discrimination based on Race, National Origin and Religion

Discrimination based on your race, your religion, where your ancestors are from, and your national origin is illegal in California. If you have been discriminated against by an employer, talk with trial lawyer Matt Zandi about protecting your rights.

Mr. Zandi uses years of experience to help California employees seek successful jury verdicts and settlements. Before joining Shawn Steel & Associates, he was a U.S. Department of Justice Federal Prosecutor who represented employees, as well as a defense attorney at the nation’s largest firms. He knows the strategies that employers use to defend cases, and uses this knowledge to help employees build strong cases against them.

• Medical Condition/Disability Discrimination

If your employer has refused to offer you reasonable accommodations for your disability, or discriminated against you based on your disability, attorney Matt Zandi can help. As an experienced lawyer, Matt Zandi has the in-depth knowledge and experience necessary to help clients achieve the best possible results in employment law matters.

Mr. Zandi also represents clients who have been fired because of their disabilities, helping them to file wrongful termination lawsuits in California courts. He tailors his approach to his clients' goals. Sometimes workers with disabilities want nothing more than their jobs back. Other times, they desire compensation for missed work and the expenses of a new job search.

• Executive and Professional Severance Negotiations

Most people are fearful of a layoff. But the truth is that layoffs, while difficult, can come with a great deal of opportunities. It may be time for a needed career change or an executive severance package that gives you the resources needed to refocus on important things.

By handling severance negotiations on your own, you give up these valuable opportunities. Many employers are willing to be flexible in severance negotiations. With some skillful negotiation, they may offer career development opportunities, extended healthcare benefits, or other perks in addition to financial compensation.

• Non-compete and Non-disclosure Agreements

If you are asked to sign a non-compete or non-disclosure agreement, you should know that these documents can have a significant effect on your career down the road. The fine print and legal language may affect where you can work, which clients you can continue relationships with and which information you can disclose. Some employees are even asked to give up the right to any intellectual property they develop while in the course of employment.

Attorney Matt Zandi offers experienced legal counsel on employment law agreements, including non-compete and non-disclosure agreements. He reviews these documents with clients and helps them fully understand their options before they sign — or don't sign.

• Employee Counseling

Matt Zandi counsels executives, professionals, and other employees throughout California. He offers thorough review of employment contracts, including non-compete and non-disclosure agreements, and can help you understand exactly what you are agreeing to before you sign. Mr. Zandi also counsels clients facing difficult choices about severance agreements, and he offers valuable legal advice for entrepreneurs who are considering starting their own businesses.

• Misclassification of Employment Status

Thousands of employees throughout America are victims of misclassification of employment status. They are paid a salary when they really should be paid hourly and receive overtime pay. If you are tired of being run ragged by your employer, you should think of pursuing overtime pay. Attorney Matt Zandi can help.

• Wage and Hour Disputes

Many wage and hour disputes stem from unlawful practices like taking improper deductions, failing to give employees access to tips they earned, failing to pay past-due commissions, or to pay earned vacation time. Employers also fail to pay wages on time, especially when an employee is fired and all wages are due upon termination.

Unlawful practices often happen to illegal immigrants. If you are in the country illegally and you have a wage and hour dispute, it is okay to talk with a lawyer about your options. Meetings with attorney Matt Zandi are confidential, and some legal protections do apply to workers who are not legal United States citizens.

• Workplace Violence

For years, Mr. Zandi has served clients throughout California in employment law matters. He is an experienced and aggressive trial lawyer who does not hesitate to litigate workplace violence claims. His thorough case preparation and reputation for successful jury verdicts help him negotiate favorable settlements for his clients. If no acceptable settlement can be reached, however, he has the resources necessary to pursue success at trial.

The decision of whether to settle your workplace violence claim or take it to trial is always yours to make. Mr. Zandi will offer his advice, talking to you about your options and the potential outcomes of your actions, so that you can make the right decisions.

• Workplace Injuries

Mr. Zandi handles cases involving injured workers who have experienced all types of workplace personal injury:

. Accidents caused by contractors, cleaning people, and vendors on the job site;
. Accidents caused by dangerous and defective machinery;
. Violence due to retaliation for reporting illegal or unethical actions by an employer;
. Violence based on race, religion, national origin, or sexual status;
. Sexual violence, up to, and including rape;
. Workplace injury after an employer's failure to maintain a safe work environment.

Many of the cases Mr. Zandi handles involve injuries caused by coworkers or by employers themselves. He conducts a thorough investigation. This often involves investigating the scene of the accident, interviewing witnesses, and reviewing accident reports. He also researches case law on similar cases, helping you to predict the possible outcomes of your case.

• Hostile Work Environments

A hostile work environment is something that no employee should tolerate. For whatever reason, it occurs, especially in retaliation for reporting illegal actions, because of a boss's instability, or because a coworker wants your job. A lawyer's help can stop it.

If you are subject to harassment, contact trial attorney Matt Zandi to take legal action. Mr. Zandi has the skills and in-depth knowledge necessary to help clients achieve the best possible results.

• Civil Rights Violations

Federal law protects the civil rights of all Americans. This means that an organization cannot violate a person's civil rights without legal consequences. These rights include freedom of speech and freedom of association. Sadly, actions taken by employers, nonprofits and state agencies often violate those rights. Each day in our country, people face discrimination because of traits that should be protected by the Constitution. If you have been the victim of a civil rights violation, you may be able to file a lawsuit against those responsible for the harm you suffered. Talking to experienced attorney Matt Zandi is a good way for you to understand your options.

• Invasion of Privacy

Many different types of information are considered private under California state and federal laws. These include things like salary information, benefits, deductions, pension information and the results of drug tests. The laws that protect them vary depending on the type of information. Medical information, for example, is protected by HIPAA — the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. There are many ways that California workers invade their workers' privacy:

. Granting improper access to medical information to employers and other coworkers;
. Leaking of medical or financial information;
. Asking certain prohibited questions in job interviews and other work situations;
. Requiring drug testing in jobs that cannot require it.

• Elder Abuse

Steel Zandi represents aging clients who have become the victims of various types of elder abuse. They handle cases of abuse and neglect, including assaults committed against the elderly, but most work focuses on financial abuses suffered by California's aging population.

Many elderly people are seen as easy targets by scammers. They are often isolated and have a lack of familiarity with financial matters. Many suffer physical or mental disabilities that make them more vulnerable.

Steel Zandi is dedicated to protecting elderly Californians. They are viewed as aggressive trial lawyers who, through years of experience, have developed a history of successful outcomes for their clients.

- Whistleblowers/Qui Tam

If you are a whistleblower with information about fraud on the government, then you may be able to bring a Qui Tam lawsuit under a federal law known as the False Claims Act. A Qui Tam lawsuit is one brought by a private citizen, but in the name of the government. By bringing a Qui Tam lawsuit, you will help the government stop the wrongdoing, and you will protect your fellow taxpayers. As your reward, the False Claims Act provides that you can receive between 15% and 35% of the amount recovered as a result of your Qui Tam lawsuit.

Individuals who bring Qui Tam lawsuits can help the government uncover fraudulent schemes and help save U.S. taxpayers countless amounts of money. Some examples of types of fraud that have been subject to Qui Tam lawsuits include:

• Healthcare Fraud
• Securities Fraud
• Defense Contracts
• TARP and Bailout Fraud
• Federal Student Loan Fraud
• GSA Fraud
• Federal Crop Insurance
• Government Construction Fraud
• Customs and Shipping Fraud
• Federal Loan Fraud
• Government Grant Fraud
• U.S. Postal Service Fraud
• Cash for Clunkers
• Tax Fraud