Michael D. Singer
Managing Partner
Michael D. Singer is a 1984 graduate of U.C. Hastings Law School. He graduated magna cum laude from San Francisco State University in 1980 with a B.A. in English. He was admitted to the State Bar of California in 1984 and the State Bar of Colorado in 2001. He is a member of the California Employment Lawyers Association, San Diego County Bar Association, and the Consumer Attorneys of California. His main areas of practice include employment wage and hour, consumer, and unfair competition class actions and appellate practice.
Mr. Singer is a contributor to the Los Angeles Daily Journal, having authored several articles. He has also been published on wage and hour issues in CAOC Forum Magazine (February/March 2008) and Orange Country Lawyer Magazine (July 2004). (Linked to below.)
Mr. Singer is a CLE lecturer on class action procedure and wage and hour issues, including commercial seminars in San Diego, Orange County, and Los Angeles and presentations before the San Diego and Orange County Bar Associations. He has participated in over 50 appellate cases and argued writs and appeals before several California District Courts of Appeal, as well as federal appeals in the Second, Third, and Ninth Circuit Courts of Appeal.
Published decisions include:
- National Steel and Supply Co. v. Superior Court (2005) 135 Cal.App.4th 1072 (finding a four-year statute of limitations for rest and meal period violations) [currently under review by the California Supreme Court]
- Hicks v. Kaufman and Broad Home Corp. (2001) 89 Cal.App.4th 908(reversing the denial of certification of a class of home buyers for construction defects)
- Hicks v. Superior Court (2004) 115 Cal.App.4th 77 (challenging implied construction warranty disclaimers)[review granted and decision depublished by the California Supreme Court; petition dismissed after settlement]
- Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. v. La Conchita Ranch Co. (1998) 68 Cal.App.4th 856 (defending challenge to attorney disqualification)
- Save Our NTC, Inc. v. City of San Diego (2003) 105 Cal.App.4th 285 (challenging private development of former naval training center).
He also contributed to the briefing of Aguilar v. Atlantic Richfield, et al. (2001) 25 Cal.4th 826 (summary judgment of antitrust claim of certified class of 20 million California drivers).
Continuing Education Presentations
Employment Practice Workshop for Mediators
JAMS Institute, San Francisco, March 2008
Pre-Certification Communications with Class Members
Consumer Attorneys of California Annual Convention, November 2007
Wage and Hour Class Actions: View From the Plaintiff's Bar
American Conference Institute, October 2007
Spotting the Class Action Plaintiff
San Diego County Bar Association, September 2007
Wage and Hour Litigation Conference:
Preparing for and Excelling in Mediations
Bridgeport Seminars, June 2007
Getting To and Through a Class Action Trial:
Class Action Trial Plans
California Employment Lawyers Association, May 2007
Wage and Hour Appellate Issues
Bridgeport Seminars, January 2007
A Behind the Scenes Look at Rest and Meal Period Issues:
Proposed DLSE Regulations, LC226.7 Cases on Appeal
San Diego County Bar Association, April 2005
Developments in Rest and Meal Period Class Actions
Orange County Bar Association, March 2005
Career Satisfaction, Renewal and Resilience for Lawyers and Judges
Ash Grove Group
Breakout group facilitator
October 2003
Class Action Procedure
CK-Seminars, November 2002, December 2002, January 2003
Enjoying the Practice of Law
Legal ReVision Seminars, April 2001
Career Satisfaction and Fulfillment for Lawyers
Legal ReVision Seminars, November 1999
Amicus Curiae briefs and depublication letters include:
- Home Depot Overtime Cases (amicus letter supporting petition for review)
- Murphy v. Kenneth Cole Productions, Inc.
- Banda v. Bagdasarian (Court of Appeal amicus curiae brief)
- Banda v. Bagdasarian (Amicus curiae letter supporting petition for review)
- National Steel and Supply Co. v. Superior Court (Court of Appeal amicus curiae brief)
- National Steel and Supply Co. v. Superior Court (Amicus curiae letter supporting petition for review)
- Orco Block v. Superior Court
- Alvarez v. May Department Stores
- Sony Electronics, Inc. v. Superior Court
- Gattuso v. Harte-Hanks Shoppers, Inc.
- Dunbar v. Albertsons, Inc.
- Westside Concrete Co., Inc. v. Department of Indus. Relations.
Articles Written
- Consumer Attorneys of California: Forum - January/February 2008
Pre-Certification Communication With Putative Class Members - California Litigation: The Journal of the Litigation Section, State Bar of California, 2008
Pre-Certification Communication With Putative Class Members - Los Angeles Daily Journal:
California Court of Appeal decision in Parris v. Superior Court - May 2003
California's Private Attorney General Law - October 2003
California Court of Appeal decision in Bell v. Farmers Ins. Exch - Feb 2004
Supreme Court decision re: Sav-On and Overtime Class Suits - June 2004 - Wage and hour issues - Gavel Magazine - Oct 2004
Professional Affiliations
- State Bar of California
- State Bar of Colorado
- California Employment Lawyers Association
- Consumer Attorneys of California
- San Diego County Bar Association
Michael is also a certified professional coach (Coaches Training Institute, 2002), coaching lawyers on career satisfaction. He is an occasional composer of classical music, available for download on iTunes or for purchase at cdbaby.