JOAN C. DONNELLAN joined the firm in 2007 as counsel to both the Employment and Business Practice Groups.

Areas of Specialization: Employment and Business law including all facets of commercial and corporate litigation and transaction practice.

Ms. Donnellan has successfully advised and represented small and large business concerns in diverse industries over the last 30 years concentrating in the following areas:

• Employment Litigation. Defending employers in state and federal courts for all types of employment claims including wage and hour compliance, wrongful termination, invasion of privacy, defamation, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, among others.
  
  

• Employment Advice. General advice and documentation supporting human resources administration including hiring, retention and termination of employees. Negotiation and structuring of executive compensation agreements and severance agreements. Review and documentation of employment policies and procedures and training in all areas of employment management and compliance.
  
  
• Business. Negotiation and documentation of complex business transactions including the sale of an entire business or specific business assets such as equipment, intellectual property or real estate. Formation of legal entities such as corporations and limited liability companies.
  
  
• Confidentiality and Trade Secret Agreements. Negotiating and drafting customized confidentiality and trade secret agreements for use by employers or by business competitors to ensure protection of trade secrets and intellectual property.
  
  
• Commercial Finance. Review, negotiation and documentation of commercial loans including asset based, real estate and personal property secured loans. Review and documentation of real estate and commercial leases.
  
  
• Insurance. Evaluating commercial insurance coverage insuring risks such as employment, property, liability, advertising injury, and environmental including risks incurred in connection with business acquisitions.
  
  
• Environmental. Advising employer's of environmental compliance required in connection with business operations and advising businesses of environmental risks associated with the acquisition of a business or business assets including real property.
  

Education:

Whittier College, magna cum laude - '74 - B.A.
Pepperdine University - '77 - J.D., '89 - MBA