Kevin P. Cleveland

Overview

Kevin Cleveland represents and defends employers across California who are faced with complex employment litigation and ongoing compliance initiatives. His distinctive blend of significant litigation experience and practical human resources leadership equips him to anticipate challenges employers face and find practical solutions which protect his clients’ bottom line. Serving clients from small businesses to large corporations, Kevin focuses on delivering strategic, tailored legal solutions that best serve employers’ interests while supporting the operational efficiency of their company.

Kevin’s litigation experience includes resolving massive wage and hour class action matters, dozens of Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) claims, and hundreds of individual disputes involving wrongful termination, harassment, and discrimination. His practice also includes advocating for his clients in hearings and investigations before federal and state labor agencies. This background enables him to assess cases swiftly and recommend alternatives to protracted litigation when appropriate. Notably, the majority of Kevin’s new clients are referrals from current satisfied clients who appreciate his ability to consistently achieve the right result.

Drawing on his prior HR leadership overseeing thousands of employees nationwide and his litigation background, Kevin spends most of his days advising employers on compliance, policy development, employee leave administration, employee relations, labor relations, workplace investigations, and management training initiatives. His practical insight ensures legal guidance that aligns with each client’s often distinct business and industry. Kevin also represents select clients in general liability and auto matters, including personal injury and contract disputes, providing comprehensive advocacy beyond employment law when needed.

Experience

• Represented one of the largest employers in California in a class action wage and hour lawsuit which included one million work weeks
• Won a case representing the agricultural industry in a fight against the U.S. government to timely process H2A visas
• Won nine motions for summary judgment in an eight-month period for three different clients
• As a plaintiff’s attorney, settled over $4M of cases in a single month as a second-year attorney

Speeches

• Speaker, “Protecting Your Business Before Problems Start,” San Luis Obispo business incubator, July 2026
• Speaker, “The Cost of Corporate Compliance in the Modern Workplace,” Multiple groups and locations, July 2026
• Speaker, “Beyond the Hourly Wage: Understanding California’s Regular Rate of Pay,” Bizhaven, November 2025
• Speaker, “Managing from Hire to Fire and Everything In Between,” Multiple Locations and Organizations, 2000-2026
• Speaker, “CA Employment Law: How to Protect Yourself in Unsafe Times,” North Bay Worker’s Comp Association, April 2026
• Speaker, “CA Employment Law: End of Year Review,” Multiple Locations and Organizations, 2020-2025
• Speaker, “Handling Employee Leaves,” Sacramento Regional Builder’s Exchange, September 2022
• Speaker, “Setting Yourself Up for Successful Settlement,” Sacramento Regional Builder’s Exchange, May 2022
• Speaker, “Workplace Investigations,” Sacramento Regional Builder’s Exchange, February 2022
• Speaker, “Respectful Workplace/Harassment and Discrimination in the Workplace,” multiple sites across United States, January 2018, 2020-2026
• Speaker, “There and Back Again: Remote Work in a Pandemic,” video seminar, The Employers’ Council, August 2020
• Speaker, “Gossip in the Workplace,” site based trainings across United States, June 2018, February 2019, January 2020
• Speaker, “Strategies for Effective Management & Supervision,” Growers Shipper Association, AgSafe FLC Program, Fresno California, October 2017
• Speaker, “Wage & Hour Requirements,” Growers Shipper Association & AgSafe Farm Labor Contractor Program, Fresno California, October 2017
• Speaker, “Establishing Safe Harbor for the New AB 1513 Piece-Rate Law,” Western Growers Association Town Hall in Oxnard, CA and Western Growers Association Town Hall in Santa Maria, CA, September 29, 2016

News

Professional

• Member, Labor & Employment Law Section, California Bar Association, 2012 to Present

Community

Kevin provides reduced rate legal services to multiple non-profit organizations and serves as an occasional guest lecturer for various universities and organizations.