Public Offices Honors Affiliations Admissions
Colin J. Tanner is a founding partner of the Firm, Chair of the Firm’s Labor & Employment Practice Group, Chair of the Firm’s Personnel Committee, and Co-Chair of the Firm’s Litigation Practice Group. In these capacities, Mr. Tanner advises the Firm’s clients regarding their labor and employment practices as well as defends and/or prosecutes litigation claims on their behalf. He also practices in the areas of preventive liability, insurance coverage, and business litigation for the Firm’s public and private sector clients. Mr. Tanner has been awarded an AV® rating, the highest accolade from his peers, from the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.
Mr. Tanner was born in Oyster Bay, New York. He received a B.A. in English & American Literature and Political Science from the University of California San Diego in 1987 and his J.D. from the University of California Hastings College of Law in 1990. Mr. Tanner has been admitted to practice before all courts and administrative tribunals in California, as well as the United States District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Central Districts of California. He has also been admitted to practice in the State of Colorado. Mr. Tanner is a member of the California State Bar, American Bar Association, and Orange County Bar Association.
In 1990, Mr. Tanner joined the general litigation department of Haight, Brown & Bonesteel, LLP, in Santa Monica after clerking with the firm during law school. In 1993, Mr. Tanner joined the litigation group of Fainsbert, Mase & Snyder LLP in West Los Angeles, eventually becoming Chair of the litigation and employment practice groups before relocating to Orange County in 1999. In 1999, Mr. Tanner joined Hart, King & Coldren as senior counsel, continuing his litigation and employment practices. In 2000, Mr. Tanner joined Burke, Williams & Sorensen LLP as a contract partner in its Irvine office, eventually being invited to be a full equity partner, and participating in the Firm’s public law, labor & employment and business practice groups. In 2003, Mr. Tanner became a founding partner in Aleshire & Wynder LLP and undertook to Chair its Labor & Employment Practice Group.
In the field of Labor law, Mr. Tanner provides broad based as well as specialized legal advice to public sector clients on compliance with the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (MMBA) governing public sector labor relations. He assists the Firm’s clients in meeting the mandates of the MMBA to “promote the improvement of personnel management and employer-employee relations.” His advice includes the critical subjects of employee bargaining unit determination and/or modification, the right to employee representation, employee organization recognition, the duty to bargain, the scope of bargaining, impasse resolution, strikes and/or other concerted employee action, negotiation and drafting of labor agreements with employee organizations, enforcement and defense of labor agreements, arbitration representation, prosecuting/defending against unfair practice charges filed with the Public Employment Relations Board, and prosecuting/defending against related civil court actions.
In the related field of Employment Law, Mr. Tanner advises clients on the critical subjects of personnel administration, including but not limited to drafting of personnel rules and policies, determining and enforcing workplace management and employee rights, the hiring process, the employee evaluation and promotion process, employee training, personnel file maintenance and disclosure, personnel investigations, employee discipline and discharge, layoffs, due process employee appeal rights and hearings, employee disability and retirement issues, grievance hearings, proactive restraining orders, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights Act, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, Federal Civil Rights Acts, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act, the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, Family and Medical Leave laws, Occupational Safety and Health laws, workers’ compensation laws, and Employment Development Department obligations, among others.
Mr. Tanner is currently labor and employment counsel for the cities of Banning, Carson, Covina, Cypress, Hesperia, Irwindale, Lawndale, Lynwood, Perris, and Signal Hill. He has served as labor and employment counsel for the cities of Chino Hills, Hemet, Industry, Lake Forest, Palm Springs, and Stanton. Mr. Tanner also serves or has served as general counsel to a number of private companies, including national transportation companies, national food distributors, and several local businesses.
Mr. Tanner has authored or co-authored articles which include: When is an Administrative Decision Final?, U.S. Supreme Court Holds Mandatory Arbitration Provisions in Employment Contracts Are Valid and Enforceable, Public Employee’s Failure To Promptly Seek Judicial Review Of Adverse Administrative Decision May Bar Lawsuit Under FEHA, and California Supreme Court Validates Binding Pre-Dispute Arbitration Agreements In Employment Discrimination Cases.
Public Offices
Labor & Employment Counsel
Banning (2008 - present)
Carson (2003 - present)
Cypress (2002 - present)
Covina (2004 - present)
Hesperia (2007 - present)
Irwindale (2002 - present)
Lawndale (2002 - present)
Lynwood (2008 - present)
Perris (2002 - present)
Signal Hill (2002 - present)
Deputy City Attorney/Labor & Employment
Palm Springs (2002 - 2005)
Special Counsel
Adelanto (2008 - present)
Newport Beach (2009 - present)
Signal Hill Civil Service Commission (2002 - present)
Honors
AV® Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rated
Affiliations
American Bar Association
Orange County Bar Association
Admissions
State Bar of California
US District Court, Central, Southern, Northern, Eastern Districts of CA
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