Rebecca Stuart

REBECCA STUART focuses her practice on representing employers in federal and state court litigation and before administrative agencies regarding a variety of employment law matters, including: discrimination (including race, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, and disability), harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, wage and hour, and wrongful termination.

In addition to her litigation practice, Rebecca regularly works with executives, board members, and HR professionals regarding all aspects of the employment relationship. She consults with them on issues such as preventive personnel practices, enforceability of covenants not to compete, hiring practices, employee classification issues, employment contracts, wage and hour matters, independent contractor audits, family and medical leaves, workplace investigations (including those involving sexual harassment), terminations, and reductions in force. She also advises companies on trade secret misappropriation issues—including employee raiding and solicitation matters and anti-competitive activity by former employees or company competitors—and counsels clients with respect to preventive measures designed to minimize the risks associated with hiring competitors’ employees or addressing those employees who are leaving to join a competitor. She has reviewed and drafted numerous employment policies, including employee handbooks, vacation policies (both traditional and “unlimited” time off policies), and family and medical leave policies, as well as other standard employment documents, such as employment, release, and confidentiality agreements.

Rebecca also has an extensive M&A experience, assisting clients in structuring corporate transactions to minimize employment-related risks and maximize the value of the transaction from an employment perspective, and she has advised on more than 750 transactions ranging in value from $20 million to $19 billion. Her merger and acquisition practice consists of representing both buyers and sellers in large and small transactions, including cross-border and other complex transactions. Her practice includes mergers, acquisitions, IPOs, asset purchases, and financing. Rebecca also has significant international experience pertaining to employment issues in the M&A context, and she regularly represents buyers and sellers in transactions involving non-U.S. employees.

Rebecca regularly speaks on employment matters, providing routine training for clients and local bar associations on matters such as anti-harassment, bias in the legal and technology sectors, use of social media in employment, general management skills, and employment law in the M&A context.

• Palo Alto Co-Chair, SidleyWomen
• Board Member, FUSE (a national non-profit which increases the capacity of local governments to engage communities, advance racial equity, and work more effectively)
• Member, Santa Clara County Bar Association
• Member, Palo Alto Area Bar Association