Sue M. Bendavid
- Biography
- Media
- Publications
- Speaking
- Memberships
- Awards
- Sue M. Bendavid is an employment attorney, Shareholder, and the Chair of our Employment Practice Group.
Working exclusively with employers, Ms. Bendavid handles employment litigation, counseling and transactions, representing employers in matters from claims prevention and training, to individual and class action lawsuits.
Apart from victories in the trial and appellate courts, Ms. Bendavid obtains dismissals and favorable rulings from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the Employment Development Department, the Labor Commissioner and the Department of Labor – saving clients millions by quashing litigation.
- Manufacturing and Distribution Companies
- Restaurants & Other Food Service Providers
- Hospitality (Hotels & Motels)
- Entertainment Development & Production
- Global Tourism & Travel Companies
- Law, Accounting, Insurance and Engineering Firms
- Mass Special Transit and Transportation Companies
- Hospitals, Doctors and Medical Groups
- Private Schools and Universities
Ms. Bendavid assists employers with hiring and firing; wage and hour issues; leaves of absence; wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, and retaliation claims; preparation of employee handbooks, policies, employment agreements; and performance management. She successfully defended multiple harassment, discrimination, wrongful termination and wage and hour disputes; and has substantial experience with trials and class actions, writs, appeals, hearings and motion practice.
With a practice focus on claims prevention, Ms. Bendavid provides in-house training on sexual harassment, discrimination, hiring and firing, disciplinary methods, leaves of absence, and other employee topics. She also aids clients with corporate down-sizing such as WARN Act notifications and strategies to determine layoff procedures.
Graduating cum laude with honors in Political Science, Ms. Bendavid earned her undergraduate degree from California State University, Northridge. Ms. Bendavid was a member of the Political Science Honor Society, the Golden Key Honor Society, and the Dean's List. She received her Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School Los Angeles, in 1990, and was elected to the St. Thomas More Law Honor Society and was a contributor to the International and Comparative Law Journal.
Ms. Bendavid is a member of the State Bar of California and the Los Angeles County Bar Association. She is a member of the San Fernando Valley Bar Association, where she served multiple terms as Trustee, Officer, Chair of various committees, and President, and serves the Valley Industry Commerce Association as Chair of VICA's Labor and Employment Committee. She is admitted before the U.S. District Court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
A frequent lecturer, Ms. Bendavid publishes employer-focused articles and receives numerous business and legal recognition awards. As a California employment attorney, Ms. Bendavid served as counsel in the published decision of Reeves et al. v. Hanlon, et al. (2003), and in Century 21 adv. Fenton (1998).
Court Opinions
- Vazquez et al v. Warren Distributing, Inc. et al 2020 WL 3888067 (Cal.App.2 Dist.) (class certification denied)
- Contiki U.S. Holdings, Inc. v. ____ 2015 WL 412997 (Cal. App. 2 Dist.)
- Reeves v. Hanlon et al. - 106 Cal. App. 4th 433 (2003)
- Fenton v. Century 21 Real Estate Corp. et al. - CCH Franchise Guide (1998)
- Media Interviews:
- KNX 1070 News Radio, re employer compliance and opening businesses during COVID-19, May 2020
- AirTalk with Larry Mantle: There's an Increased Market for Sexual Harassment Training Videos, But Are They Effective? - KPCC 89.3, November 2019
- AirTalk with Larry Mantle (guest host Libby Denkmann): A Look at the Challenges of #MeToo in the High School Setting - KPCC 89.3, August 2019
- AirTalk with Larry Mantle: State Lawmakers Introduced Series of Bills in Wake of #MeToo Movement. Where Are They Now? - KPCC 89.3, August 2018
- AirTalk with Larry Mantle: Starbucks Closing 8K Stores for Discrimination Training: Implicit Bias in the Workplace - KPCC 89.3, April 2018
- AirTalk with Larry Mantle: Sexual Harassment in CA Legislature: New Website Connects Sexual Assault Victims in the Workplace - KPCC 89.3, April 2018
- Visits by Federal Immigration Authorities Are Spooking California Businesses, Workers - Los Angeles Times, February 2018
- AirTalk with Larry Mantle: Sexual Harassment in CA Legislature: Latest on Mendoza Investigation - KPCC 89.3, February 2018
- Business Chamber Spotlight with Fred Arnold: Wage and Hour Spotlight - KHTS AM 1200, May 2017
- AirTalk with Larry Mantle: Watching Workers - Debating the Legality of 24/7 Tracking - KPCC 89.3, May 2015
- Dennis Prager Radio Interview - KRLA 870, November 2002
- Legal Forum TV Show - Guest Speaker, October 2002
- Money Matters TV Show - Guest Speaker, 2001
- Pete Demetriou Radio Interview - KFWB 980, September 1998
- Sex Harassment Prevention Training for Supervisors, AB 1825 Mandatory Training
- Employer Defense and Claim Prevention, MCLE, CPE & HRCI accredited Seminar Series
- Paralegal Certificate Extension Program, Employment Law, Los Angeles Valley College
- Communication in the Workplace, Annenberg School of Communications, University of Southern California
- Annual Employment Law Update, MCLE, CPE & HRCI accredited Seminar Series
- Top 10 Mistakes Companies Should Avoid, Employment Law, Los Angeles Valley College
- Compliance with AB 1825 Supervisory Training on Unlawful Harassment, Discrimination and Retaliation, State mandated compliance training for companies with more than 50 employees
- California Wage and Hour 101, MCLE, CPE & HRCI credited Seminar Series
- Participant: Labor & Employment - A Roundtable Discussion - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, March 2024
- HIT Podcast Interview: 2024 Legal Update for Employers - HIT Podcast: Human Resources, Insurance, Technology, January 2024
- Quoted: Bullying? Coercing? Hung juries are rare -- so what happened last week in a San Jose courtroom? - The Mercury News, August 2023
- Co-author: Legal implications of the Supreme Court's ruling in Adolph v. Uber - The Los Angeles Daily Journal, July 2023
- Participant: Labor & Employment: A Roundtable Discussion 2023 - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, January 2023
- Participant: Labor & Employment Roundtable: What Business Owners and Executives Need to Know - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, July 2021
- Co-author: Employer Guidelines for COVID-19 Infections in the Workplace - The Los Angeles & San Francisco Daily Journal, February 9, 2021
- Participant: Labor & Employment - A Roundtable Discussion - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, January 2021
- Quoted: Uber, Lyft Remain in Business for Present - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, August 2020
- Participant: California Labor & Employment - A Roundtable Discussion - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, July 2020
- Quoted, Communication Up for Employment Lawyers - The San Fernando Valley Business Journal, April 2020
- Quoted: Parsing AB5's Impact - Lewitt Hackman Puts Anti-Gig Law at Centerstage - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, February 2020
- Participant: California Labor & Employment - A Roundtable Discussion - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, January 2020
- Quoted: End of Indie Contractors Means Employer Woes - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, September 2019
- Quoted: Anti-Gig Worker Bill Passes California Senate - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, September 2019
- Participant, Business Law Roundtable (Employment Defense) - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, January 2019
- Featured: Legal Traps at Work - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, March 2019
- Co-Author: The “ABC” Test – Not as Easy as 1…2…3 for California Businesses - Valley Lawyers, August 2018
- Participant, Labor & Employment: A Roundtable Discussion - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, January 2019
- Participant, Business Law Roundtable: What You and Your Organization Needs to Know- San Fernando Valley Business Journal, July 2018
- Interviewed: Power in Numbers? Or Confidential Black Hole? New Website Connects Sexual Assault Victims in the Workplace, 89.3 KPCC: “AirTalk” with Larry Mantle, April 2018
- Quoted, Visits by Federal Immigration Authorities are Spooking California Businesses and Workers - Los Angeles Times, February 2018
- Quoted, State Sen. Bob Hertzberg's Accuser, an Ex-colleague, Says He Should Go - San Francisco Chronicle, February 2018
- Quoted, California Bill Could Extend Time for Employees to File Harassment Claims- Northern California Record, February 2018
- Participant, Employment Defense Roundtable: What Owners & Executives Need to Know- San Fernando Valley Business Journal, January 2018
- Honorable Mention, Diversity in the Legal Profession: A Pipeline to Equal Access and Inclusion - Vally Lawyer, a publication of the San Fernando Valley Bar Association, January 2018 (Former SFVBA President Richard A. Lewis credits Sue Bendavid for her role in launching the SFVBA Diversity Committee.)
- Participant, Business Law Roundtable: How You Can Avoid Traps in New Labor and Employment Laws - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, June 2017
- Participant, Labor & Employment: A Roundtable Discussion - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, January 2017
- Selected, 2016 Top Women Attorneys in Southern California - Super Lawyers Magazine, September 2016
- Participant, Employment & Labor Law Roundtable: What Management Needs to Know - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, January 2016
- Participant, Employment & Labor Law Roundtable: What Business Owners & Executives Need to Know - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, January 2015
- Participant, Employment & Labor Law Roundtable: What Valley Business Owners & Executives Need to Know - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, June 2014
- Participant, Employment & Labor Law Roundtable - Los Angeles Business Journal, May 2014
- Participant, Employment & Labor Law Roundtable: What Owners & Executives Need to Know - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, January 2014
- Quoted, Employment Law Roundtable: What Owners & Executives Need to Know - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, June 2013
- Co-Author, Going Postal: Employer Use of Criminal Information in Hiring and Promotion Decisions - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, September 2012
- Quoted, Car Rental Age Restrictions, Negligence and the Law - Auto Rental News, March 2012
- Quoted, Keys to an Effective Cell Phone Policy - Business Legal Resources, February 2012
- Quoted, New Laws Address Credit Reports, Gender Identity - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, January 2012
- Quoted, Real Estate Wages Suit May Be Limited - Los Angeles Daily Journal, September 2011
- Author, Professional Staffing Basics for Business Owners - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, September 2011
- Interviewed, Six Keys to an Effective Cell Phone Policy - Business Fleet Magazine, September 2011
- Author, Proving Commonality a Hurdle for Future Class Actions - Los Angeles Daily Journal, June 2011
- Author, Oral Complaints: More Than a Case of Semantics - Los Angeles Daily Journal, April 2011
- Author, Supreme Court Widens Worker Protection - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, January 2011
- Co-Author, Courts Side with Non-Solicitation Agreements when Narrowly Defined - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, May 2010
- Co-Author, Layoffs and Terminations in These Troubled Times - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, March 2009
- Author, Court Rules for Firms on Breaks - The Daily News, August 2008
- Author, Brinker Ruling Gives Employers Rest Break Flexibility - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, August 2008
- Author, Attorneys Give Back by Being Judges - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, July 2008
- Author, Bar Service Will Help Find Lawyer - The Daily News, June 2008
- Author, Court Ruling gives Guidance on Workplace Retaliation - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, April 2008
- Author, Bellying Up to the Valley Bar Association - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, March 2008
- Author, Important Issues Face the Bar Association and Valley Legal Community - San Fernando Valley Bar Association's BarNotes Publication, October 2007
- SFVBA Installation Gala (regarding president-elect Sue Bendavid) - San Fernando Valley Bar Association's BarNotes Publication, September 2007
- Co-Author, Got Lunch? California Supreme Court Expands Employer Liability for Missed Meal and Rest Periods - San Fernando Valley Bar Assoc's BarNotes, July/August 2007
- Author, How to Handle When the Labor Commissioner Visits - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, April 2007
- Author, Minimum Wage Hike Guidelines - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, September 2006
- Co-Author, Decision Puts Strict Rule on Pay of Temp Workers - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, July 2006
- Co-Author, From the Mouths of Babes: Deposing Children in Civil Suits - Los Angeles Daily Journal, July 2006
- Author, California Supreme Court Broadens Sexual Harassment - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, August 2005
- Author, Proposed Rules Would Modify Lunch-Break Policies - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, May 2005
- Quoted, Court’s Age Ruling Moves States in Line With California - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, April 2005
- Author, RULES Resolutions - Big News for Small Firms Magazine, Nov./Dec. 2004
- Author, Businesses Face New Harassment Training Standards - San Fernando Valley Business Journal, December 2004
- Author, Departing Law Firm Employees Should Practice Civility, Restraint - Los Angeles Daily Journal, November 2004
- Co-Author, Employer Not Liable for Harassment by Others - San Fernando Valley Bar Assn. Bar Notes, December 2002
- Quoted, Know the Background of Background Checks - Workforce Magazine (interviewed by Gillian Flynn), September 2002
- Author, Staring Ruled an Actionable Offense - Pihrascope - Professionals in Human Resources Assoc., January 2002
- Author, Staring Contest" - Verdicts & Settlement: Focus on Employment - Los Angeles Daily Journal, January 2002
- Co-Author, Wage Games - The Practitioner Employment Law - Los Angeles Daily Journal, August 2001
- Co-Author, Privacy Probe: Employers Must Enforce Drug Testing Policies in a Way That Minimizes Exposure to Tort Claims - Los Angeles Daily Journal, Business Supplement, April 2001
- Co-Presenter: Top 10 Employer Mistakes - Lewitt Hackman MCLE, CPE and HR Re-certification accredited Seminar Series, September 2024
- Co-Presenter: Private Attorneys General Act - Lewitt Hackman MCLE, CPE and HR Re-certification accredited Seminar Series, August 2024
- Co-Presenter: 2024 Workplace Violence Prevention - Lewitt Hackman MCLE, CPE and HR Re-certification accredited Seminar Series, June 2024
- Co-Presenter: California Employment Defense: New Laws 2024 - Lewitt Hackman MCLE, CPE and HR Re-certification accredited Seminar Series, December 2023
- Presenter: Navigating the CCPA: Protecting Privacy in the Workplace - PIHRA: California Employment Law Update, October 2023
- Presenter: Fundamentals of FMLA for Managers - Lorman Education Services, March 2014
- Co-Presenter: 2021 Employment Defense: Mid-Year Legal Updates - Lewitt Hackman MCLE, CPE and HR Re-certification accredited Seminar Series, June 2021
- Presenter: ADA and FMLA Coverage: Stress and Depression - Lorman Education Services, June 2021
- Co-Presenter: 2021 Employment Defense: Legal Updates - Lewitt Hackman MCLE, CPE and HR Re-certification accredited Seminar Series, January 2021
- Presenter: 2021 California Legislative Update - United Chambers of Commerce, January 2021
- Presenter, Ramping Up: COVID-19 Considerations When Bringing Employees Back to Work - Valley Economic Alliance webinar; and United Chambers of Commerce webinar, May 2020
- Presenter, COVID-19: Issues Impacting Your Workforce - client webinar, April 2020
- Presenter, COVID-19: Top 10 Management Mistakes - client webinar, March 2020
- Presenter, Lewitt Hackman MCLE/CPE Seminar Series - California Employment Law Update, annual update
- Presenter, Employee Claims and Litigation Prevention 101 - The East Ventura County Employer Council, April 2017
- Presenter, L/B/W Insurance Services Annual Employment Law Update - The Odyssey, Granada Hills, January 2017
- Co-Presenter, Lewitt Hackman MCLE/CPE Seminar Series: Mid-Year Employment Law Update, July 2016
- Presenter, Valley Industry & Commerce Association, VICA U - HR Update: Minimum Wage Hikes, Sick Days & Federal Exempt Mandates, June 2016
- Presenter, Client Employee Training: Child Abuse & Reporting Act (CANRA) - client training seminar, April 2016
- Presenter, California's Paid Sick Leave Law 2015, Valley Industry & Commerce Association, VICA U, 2015
- Presenter, Lewitt Hackman MCLE/CPE Seminar Series - California Employment Law Update, annual update
- Presenter, AB 1825 Mandatory Training - Sex Harassment Prevention Training for Supervisors, ongoing
- Presenter, Lewitt Hackman Seminar Series - Employment Laws Re Caregivers: In-Home Workers/Residential Care Facilities, 2014
- Presenter, San Fernando Valley Bar Association - New Employment Law Updates, ongoing
- Presenter, Volunteer Center of Los Angeles - Unlawful Harassment in Employment, April & May 2005
- Author, Sterling Education Services, Inc. - Managing the Modern Workforce re: Employee Handbooks, February 2005 - Employment Law Update, September 2005
- Presenter, San Fernando Valley CPA Discussion Group of the Los Angeles Chapter - Employment Law Litigation Seminar, August 2004 - Paid Family Leave Act, July 2004 - Labor Law Update, October 2003
- Presenter, Build Work Source – California - New Employment Laws, 2004 and 2005 - Hiring and Firing Practices, March 2004
- Presenter, California Staffing Professionals - Los Angeles Chapter - New Employment Laws for 2005, January 2005
- Presenter, Employer Advisory Council (East Ventura County) - Is Dirty Talk in the Workplace Acceptable After the "Friends" Decision?, October 2006 - Handling Employee Performance and Discipline from Hiring and Firing, October 2005 - Recent Employment Law Issues/Exempt or Non-Exempt, April 2004 - Legal Development in Employment Discrimination and Harassment News, June 2003 - Zero Tolerance in the Workplace, May 2002 - Exempt vs. Non-Exempt, April 2001
- Presenter, Employer Advisory Council (San Fernando Valley) - Employee Handbooks, January 1999 - Sexual Harassment in Employment, June 1999
- Presenter, Employer Advisory Council (San Gabriel Valley) - New Employment Laws for 2002, April 2002
- Presenter, San Fernando Valley Bar Association - Law and Motion and Trial Update, November 2007 - Elimination of Bias, December 2003 - Hot Employment Topics for 2002, October 2002
- Presenter, West Valley CPA Group - New Employment Laws for 2004, March 2004
- California CPA Education Foundation - 2002 Employment Practice Conference: Reducing the Liability of Your Firm and Clients, October 2002
- Presenter, California Society of CPA's Los Angeles Chapter - Employment Issues from Hiring to Termination, February 2000
- American Corporate Council Association - So. Calif. Chapter - Co-Presenter: A New Era of Privacy and Information Security, March 2002
- Israeli Business Network - Hiring & Firing Practices for Employers, May 2001
- Executive Women International - Loved or Harassed?, February 2002 - Sexual Harrasment in Unemployment, 1999 - The Need for Employee Handbooks, 1998
- Augora/Las Virgenes Chamber of Commerce - Hiring Tips, March 2001
- Palmdale Chamber of Commerce - Hot Buttons in Employmnet Law, September 2000
- Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce - Employer/Employee Rights and Wrongs, June 1999
- National Association of Women Business Owners - Ventura County - The Top Five Wage and Hour Mistakes and How to Avoid Them, February 2007
- Women in Technology International - Common Mistakes Made by Employers and How to Avoid Them, May 2007
Bar Associations
- State Bar of California
- San Fernando Valley Bar Association - Past President
- Society For Human Resources Management
- Professionals in Human Resources Associates (PiHRA)
- California Chamber of Commerce HR California
Community Service
- National Moot Court Competition - Judge
- Valley Associated Settlement Team - Mediation
- Judge Pro Tem
- Valley Industry Commerce Association (VICA) Labor & Employment Committee 2017
- 2023 Valley 200, San Fernando Valley Business Journal
- Best Lawyers: Employment Law - Management; and Litigation - Labor and Employment by Best Lawyers Magazine, 2019 - present
- Selected, Women of Influence: Attorneys, The San Fernando Valley Business Journal - June 2022
- AV Rating of 5.0 Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell's highest rating awarded by peers of the bar and judiciary for legal ability and ethics.
- Nation's Top Attorneys in Business, Super Lawyers Business Edition
- San Fernando Valley's Top 10 Business Women of the Decade, San Fernando Valley Business Journal
- Top 25 Lawyers of the Valley, San Fernando Valley Business Journal
- Southern California Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers Magazine
- Women Who Mean Business, San Fernando Valley Business Journal
- Top Women Attorneys in So. California, Los Angeles Magazine
- Top Female Attorneys in Southern California, Los Angeles Magazine
- Valley 200: The SFV's Most Influential People, San Fernando Valley Business Journal