Katherine A. Roberts

Kate’s representative employment matters include:

• Obtained complete summary judgment (affirmed on appeal) for national retail client against former store manager alleging race, age and sex discrimination and wage and hour claims.
• Obtained partial summary judgment in wage/hour class action in the Central District of California alleging misclassification of worker’s compensation insurance adjusters. The matter resolved on the eve of trial under terms that were extremely favorable to the client.
• Part of team that defeated class certification in California class action alleging misclassification of insurance adjusters filed against top national insurance company, leading to favorable settlement.
• Obtained summary judgment on majority of claims in two cases for healthcare employer, leading to settlement for minimal amount on the eve of trial.
• Obtained full dismissals of numerous EEOC and DFEH charges for various clients.

Representative labor matters:

• Lead negotiator and labor counsel for major West Coast solid waste/recycling company with more than 30 collective bargaining agreements. Negotiated initial contracts in Oregon and California with Teamsters and Operating Engineers.
• Lead negotiator and labor counsel for healthcare client in collective bargaining negotiations with SEIU-UHW and Operating Engineers. 
• Defeated class certification and won complete summary judgment in LMRA Section 301 hybrid breach of CBA/duty of fair representation claim against a major Los Angeles performing arts venue. Serve as lead negotiator and labor counsel for same client in negotiations with musicians’ union.
• Represented major West Coast healthcare employer in back-to-back representation elections at Los Angeles-area hospitals involving an 800-employee non-professional unit (SEIU-UHW) and a 600-employee registered nurse unit (California Nurses Association).
• Represented Los Angeles acute care hospital in NLRB election in which NUHW unsuccessfully tried to organize 500-employee service and technical unit. Election results certified in favor of the hospital without any post-election challenge from the union.
• Labor counsel for West Coast hospital system during coordinated, multi-facility strike by California Nurses Association.
• Provided on-site labor relations advice, responded to unfair labor practices allegations, oversaw communications with union representatives, hospital stakeholders, government officials and media, and interacted with law enforcement and hospital security to ensure safety of patients, employees and union members.
• Managed daily operations of union avoidance campaign for national retail client.
• Conducted supervisor/manager training for healthcare clients regarding union avoidance and proper conduct during union bargaining.
• Obtained full dismissals of numerous unfair labor practice allegations for healthcare, media, retail and performing arts clients before National Labor Relations Board.

Part of a team representing the First Amendment Coalition of Arizona and seven death row prisoners in a case challenging the constitutionality of the State of Arizona’s lethal injection procedures. As part of a settlement agreement, Arizona became the only state in the United States to ban the use of a controversial sedative and all paralytic drugs in its lethal injections. The National Law Journal highlighted the victory in naming Sidley as a finalist to its 2020 “Pro Bono Hot List.”

Kate serves as outside counsel for labor & employment matters to The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ young people.

• Co-chair, Public Counsel Leadership Council
• Member, Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF) Global Advisory Board
• Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association
• Member, ABA Labor and Employment Section