Theodora R. Lee
Shareholder
Offices
Walnut Creek
Treat Towers1255 Treat Boulevard, Suite 600Walnut Creek, CA 94597
O +1 (925) 932-2468
F +1 (925) 946-9809
San Francisco
101 Second StreetSuite 1000San Francisco, CA 94105
O +1 (415) 433-1940
F +1 (415) 399-8490
Professional & Community Affiliations
Elected Member
American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
2019
Advisor, Executive Committee
Labor and Employment Law Section
California Lawyers Association
Member
Alameda County Bar Association
Member
American Bar Association
Member
Bar Association of San Francisco
Member, Board of Directors
YMCA - San Francisco
Former Member, Board of Directors
Bay Area Legal Aid
Former Member, Board of Directors
United Negro College Fund, Northern California
Former Member, Board of Directors
Leadership California
Former Member, Executive Committee
Labor and Employment Law Section
State Bar of California
Former President
Bay Area Black United Fund
Former President
Alameda County Community Food Bank
Former President
Barristers Section
Alameda County Bar Association
Member
National Bar Association
Fellow
American Bar Foundation
Life Member
California Association of Black Lawyers
Life Member
Black Women Lawyers Association of Northern California
Member
Contra Costa County Bar Association
Member
National Employment Law Council
Member
California Minority Counsel Program
Arbitrator and Mediator
American Arbitration Association
Member
Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International
Member
Trial Law Institute
Member
Diversity Law Institute
Barrister
Order of Veritas
Recognition
Awarded, AV® Peer Review Rating
Martindale-Hubbell
Named, The Best Lawyers in America®
2021-2025
Named, Super Lawyer
Northern California
Super Lawyers
2004-2006, 2011-2020
Named, America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators
America's Top 100
2020-2021
Named, Leading Law Firm Rainmakers
Minority Corporate Counsel Association
2010
Senior Fellow
Litigation Counsel of America
News, Analysis & Press
Best practice, potential pitfalls for diversity, equity and inclusion programs
Daily Journal
November 4, 2022
Reverse Discrimination
Black In-House Counsel 2022 Annual Report
September 27, 2022
Drinkers are supporting black-owned wine businesses right now. Will it last?
San Francisco Chronicle
June 4, 2020
Littler's Theodora Lee Elected to American Board of Trial Advocates
October 18, 2019
Sexual Harassment Training in Vogue for Companies After Scandals
San Francisco Chronicle
November 28, 2017
The Transformation of the Workplace Through Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, and Automation
Littler Report
August 4, 2016
Four Steps to Maximizing the Effectiveness of Your Mediation
Legal by the Bay, News from the Bar Association of San Francisco and the Justice and Diversity Center
December 26, 2014
The Legal and Effective Business Use of Social Media in the Workplace
California Business Law Practitioner
January 14, 2013
Lawyers Debate DOL Wage and Hour Tactics, Suggest Some Areas for Clarification, Change
BNA Daily Labor Report
November 5, 2012
Preserving A Record For Appeal While Keeping The Jury On Your Side
The Practical Litigator
July 11, 2007
Theo Lee Weaves Through Complex Benefits Laws of Paid Sick Days
Park Rapids Enterprise
December 12, 2006
Theodora Lee Participates in an In-Depth Roundtable on the Recent Rulings in California Employment Law Cases
California Employment Law Magazine
December 30, 2005
Know Thy Hires: Amendments to State Laws Require Employers to Review Their Policies
San Francisco Daily Journal
May 28, 2002
Speaking Engagements
Wealth Management
Elevating Black Excellence West Summit Panel
October 28, 2023
The Art of the Pitch
National Bar Association, 2023 L&E Section Annual Conference
October 26, 2023
The Proliferation of Anti-Directives - What Does the Future Hold?
NELC Regional Panel-Silicon Valley, CA
October 12, 2023
Employment Law Update
Littler Executive Employer Conference, Phoenix, AZ
May 11, 2023
Employment Law Update
Littler Executive Employer Conference, Phoenix, AZ
May 11, 2023
NELC Legal Update: Notable United States Supreme Court Decisions Affecting Employers
NELC
May 2, 2023
Employment Law Developments
Western Bankers Association Annual Bank Counsel Seminar, Las Vegas, NV
November 14, 2022
Focusing on the “E” in IE&D: Addressing Some of 2022’s Inclusion Tensions
2022 California Virtual Regional Employer Conference
November 2, 2022
The New Business Models: More Remote Work Brings More Significant Physical and Cybersecurity Issues
National Bar Association 2022 Labor and Employment Section Annual Conference
October 28, 2022
Employer's Pandemic Dilemma - Looking Forward
Elevating Black Excellence West Summit Panel
October 21, 2022
2022 Employment Law Update
Littler Executive Employer Conference
May 5, 2022
2021 California Virtual Regional Employer Conference
Sacramento, CA
October 28, 2021
Employers' Pandemic Dilemma - Looking Forward
Elevating Black Excellence West Summit, Black In House Counsel Network
October 21, 2021
Trying Race Discrimination Cases
Racial Equity Series, sponsored by the ACBA Labor and Employment Section, ACBA, CHBA, and CABL
August 5, 2021
Gender Discrimination in the 2020s Workplace
Employment Discrimination Law & Litigation 2021, PLI Webinar
June 14, 2021
How to Succeed at Corporate Connections
CMCP 2020 Virtual Conference
September 22, 2020
Misclassification of Workers as Independent Contractors Rather Than Employees: The ABC Test and Its Exceptions
CLE Webinar
July 8, 2020
Protecting Our Future: Are You Ready?
National Bar Association, Atlanta, GA
March 20, 2020
Power of Networking: Benefits of the Positive Approach
2020 Bay Area Women Lawyers Retreat
March 1, 2020
The Trump National Labor Relations Board’s Impact on Labor Arbitration
American Bar Association, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
January 26, 2020
It's NOT as Easy as A-B-C! Practical Tips for Doing Business in California Post AB 5
October 1, 2019
Staying Alive After AB5 - Can California Businesses Still ‘Depend’ on Independent Contractors?
August 8, 2019
High-Level Mediation Strategies
NELC Academy, San Diego, CA
April 25, 2019
2019 Puerto Rico Conference
San Juan, PR
April 12, 2019
Considerations in Handling Workplace Discrimination and Harassment Complaints: A Step-by-Step Approach
NBA Mid-Year Conference, Dallas, TX
March 8, 2019
Bay Area Breakfast Briefing Series - San Francisco
January 30, 2019
Bay Area Breakfast Briefing Series - Lafayette
January 24, 2019
Predictable Scheduling, Access To Hours, and Fair Workweek Legislation
NELC 2018 Conference, New Orleans, LA
April 19, 2018
Defending and Preparing Witnesses for Depositions
NELC Academy Planning Committee, New Orleans, LA
April 19, 2018
Diversity and Inclusion: From Rhetoric to Reality
LSBA 11th Annual Conclave on Diversity in the Legal Profession, New Orleans, LA
March 9, 2018
Enough is (NOT) Enough: Yes, We Can Close the Pay Gap!
13th Annual Black Enterprise Women of Power Summit, Orlando, FL
March 8, 2018
Moderator, General Counsel Panel
NELC San Francisco Regional Conference, San Francisco, CA
March 2, 2018
Spotting and Addressing Discrimination and Bias in the Tech Sector
PLI Tech Sector Employment Law Hot Topics for the California Lawyer, Menlo Park, CA
January 25, 2018
Silicon Valley: Driving Growth And Opportunity for the Black Lawyer
National Bar Assocation, Menlo Park, CA
January 19, 2018
Equal Pay Laws and Pay Equity Audits
National Bar Association Labor & Employment Section Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA
October 27, 2017
Lessons Learned from Trials: Strategies for Avoiding, Assessing, and Handling Employment Claims
NACUA Annual Conference, Chicago, IL
June 26, 2017
2017 Employment Law Update
The 2017 Executive Employer® Conference, Phoenix, AZ
May 11, 2017
Working With and Managing the Whistleblower
National Employment Law Council Annual Conference, Denver, CO
April 27, 2017
2017 Littler Global Puerto Rico Conference
San Juan, PR
April 7, 2017
2017 Bay Area Breakfast Briefing - Walnut Creek
Walnut Creek, CA
January 20, 2017
The Big Switch
Watermark Entrepreneur Conference 2016, Mountain View, CA
October 6, 2016
Leave Law Summit
Contra Costa County Bar Association, Concord, CA
October 4, 2016
Getting to Yes: Advanced Tips on Effective Settling/Mediating Your Cases
2016 State Bar Annual Conference, San Diego, CA
September 29, 2016
Getting Yes: Advanced Tips on Effective Settling/Mediating Your Labor and Employment Cases
89th Annual Meeting of the State Bar of California, San Diego, CA
September 29, 2016
Independent Contractor or Employee: Misclassification Can Be Costly
Webinar, Continuing Education of the Bar, California Program
August 18, 2016
What Do You Mean It's Not Privileged?
Walnut Creek, CA
August 11, 2016
What Do You Mean It's Not Privileged?
San Francisco, CA
August 9, 2016
2016 Employment Law Update
The 2016 Executive Employer® Conference, Scottsdale, AZ
May 5, 2016
E-Discovery in Litigation: How are PDAs, FitBits and Big Data Affecting Litigation?
National Employment Law Counsel, Orlando, FL
April 20, 2016
The ABC’s of LGBT
Minority Corporate Counsel Association, San Diego, CA
October 6, 2015
The Blueprint Program
Minority Corporate Counsel Association, San Diego, CA
October 5, 2015
Employment Litigation Evidentiary Problems
National Employment Law Council, Chicago, IL
April 22, 2015
Mock Trial of a Disability Case
Trial Demonstration Seminar, Labor & Employment Law Section – The State Bar of California, Los Angeles, CA
November 18, 2014
Defending and Managing the Latest Off-the-Clock Claims Involving the Continuous Work Day, Use of Smartphones/Mobile Devices Outside of Scheduled Hours, Working Remotely, and Alternative Working Arrangements
Los Angeles, CA
September 30, 2014
Ethical Minefields and eDiscovery: A Perfect Match
San Diego, CA
September 11, 2014
Ethical Minefields and eDiscovery: A Perfect Match
Boston, MA
August 8, 2014
Who’s the Boss of You? The Latest Developments on Independent Contractor vs. Employee and Joint Employer Issues
Los Angeles, CA
July 30, 2014
They’re Not Our Employees. Really! Legal Compliance in the Age of the Contingent Workforce
Professional Casualty Services, Inc., Monterey Park, CA
March 20, 2014
The Affordable Care Act: Implementing Obamacare
Los Angeles, CA
March 12, 2014
What’s it Worth? Valuing Employment Cases for Mediation and Trial
San Francisco, CA
September 20, 2013
Give 'em L! LGBT Ladies Salon & Talk-Show: Supreme Court Edition
San Francisco, CA
September 12, 2013
Labor and Employment
Acquiring or Selling the Privately Held Company 2013 - Practising Law Institute (PLI), San Francisco, CA
April 30, 2013
Damages in EEO Cases: Strategic Use of Expert Witnesses & Motion Practice
46th Annual Pacific Coast Labor & Employment Law Conference, Seattle, WA
April 26, 2013
Ethical Minefields and eDiscovery: A Perfect Match
18th Annual Conference - National Employment Law Council, Houston, TX
April 25, 2013
Goodbye is Forever—or Is It? Planning for Departure, Getting Clear Title to Your Social Media Assets and Other Ways of Protecting Your Confidential Information
2013 Social Media Summit: The New Reality
Littler Mendelson, San Francisco, CA
April 10, 2013
What’s Missing From the DOL Regulations: A Litigator’s Wish List
6th Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference - American Bar Association (ABA)
November 1, 2012
Current Issues in Trade Secret Litigation
Los Angeles, CA
June 14, 2012
The Paperless Future is Here: Implementing an Electronic Payment of Wages Program, the New Wage Theft Prevention Act and Lessons for California Employers from the Brinker Decision
HR West 2012
April 25, 2012
Top 5 Traps to Avoid in Preparing and Examining Expert Witnesses
Washington, DC
April 19, 2012
Recent Developments in Wage and Hour Law
5th Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference, Section of Labor & Employment Law - American Bar Association, Seattle, WA
November 4, 2011
RIFs -The Advanced Course: How to Do It Right and Why Ricci May Affect Internal Reviews and Impact Layoffs
29th Annual Meeting, Labor and Employment Law Section - State Bar of California, Anaheim, CA
October 14, 2011
Wage and Hour Litigation: Focus on the Hotbed of California
September 21, 2011
Social Media Grows Up: The Legal and Effective Business Use of Social Media
84th Annual Meeting - State Bar of California, Long Beach, CA
September 15, 2011
The Great Digital Communication Migration: The Legal Impact of Social Media, Smartphones and Testing
27th HR West Annual Conference - NCHRA, Oakland, CA
April 11, 2011
Litigating Wage and Hour Class Actions
Labor and Employment Law Section - State Bar of California, San Francisco, CA
November 16, 2010
Pay-Up! What do FLSA Violations Really Cost
Annual Conference, Section of Labor and Employment Law - American Bar Association, Chicago, IL
November 5, 2010
Unscrambling the Alphabet Soup of Employee Leave Laws: FMLA/CFRA/ADA/WC
83rd Annual Meeting - State Bar of California, Monterey, CA
September 26, 2010
2010 Employment Law Update
85th Annual Convention, Labor and Employment Law Section - National Bar Association, San Diego, CA
August 11, 2010
Punching Employers’ Clocks: Top Ten Ways Payroll and Timekeeping Systems are Being Used to Create Class Actions
26th HR West Annual Conference - NCHRA, San Francisco, CA
April 26, 2010
Supreme Court Review—The Justice Sotomayor Factor
3rd Annual Labor and Employment Law CLE Conference - National Bar Association, Atlanta, GA
March 26, 2010
Taking a Faculty Academic Misconduct Case to a Jury Trial
2010 Spring Workshop - National Association of College and University Attorneys, San Diego, CA
March 18, 2010
Education
- J.D., University of Texas School of Law, 1987
- B.A., Spelman College, 1984
Courts
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit
- California Supreme Court
- Texas Supreme Court
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
- U.S. District Court, District of Arizona
- U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court, District of Columbia