Sarah K. Goldstein

Overview

Sarah Goldstein is a 28-year litigator with a proven trial record and employment law expertise. She provides employment defense counsel that balances strategic negotiation with constructive and pragmatic litigation oversight. A certified mediator trained at Pepperdine University’s prestigious Strauss Institute—recognized as one of the nation’s leading programs—Sarah applies her extensive advisory, litigation, and mediation training to achieve favorable outcomes that often conserve client resources and mitigate operational disruption. Known for her collaborative leadership, steadfast professionalism, and thorough preparation, Sarah’s legal team works with precision and clarity, ensuring each case is staffed efficiently, thoughtfully, and with each client’s distinct goals and risk tolerance threshold in mind.

Sarah represents employers faced with complex matters involving harassment, discrimination, whistleblower retaliation, wrongful termination, and wage and hour claims under federal and California law. Her approach to dispute resolution emphasizes early identification of case dynamics, innovative problem-solving, and world-class negotiation acumen when leading her team in developing tailored strategies that address vulnerabilities before they can escalate into costly litigation. She brings proven skill to identifying and coordinating the firm’s deep bench of specialty practice attorneys to deliver comprehensive legal defenses and forward-thinking resolution.

Sarah counsels organizations on compliance frameworks with a clear understanding of how workplace policies and documentation withstand litigation pressure. Additionally, Sarah represents employers faced with challenging administrative proceedings before the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, United States Department of Labor, and California Civil Rights Department.

Sarah’s diverse clientele includes employers involved in every phase of the employment lifecycle, ranging from multinational corporations and institutional organizations to startups, nonprofits, and privately held and family businesses. She is a frequent speaker and recognized voice in industry publications, a sampling of which includes Inside Counsel, Bloomberg News, the San Francisco Business Times, HRE Daily, Insurance Networking News, Rough Notes, the Daily Breeze, and the Los Angeles Daily Journal. Her holistic approach to leadership ensures clients benefit from continuity and strategic foresight throughout the administrative and litigation phases of a dispute.

Experience

• Trial counsel in a breach of employment contract action in San Diego Superior Court that achieved a defense verdict
• Counsel in a binding arbitration related to sexual harassment, racial harassment and discrimination, wrongful termination and retaliation case in which all of the claimant’s claims were denied
• Achieved a defense verdict on a FEHA cause of action in a wrongful termination and retaliation case in San Bernardino Superior Court
• Trial counsel in a wrongful termination, violation of public policy, and retaliation case at Santa Clara Superior Court, where the verdict achieved was less than the plaintiff’s lowest settlement demand
• Assisted on several additional trials, including a disability discrimination case in which a defense verdict was attained in Federal Court

Publications & Speeches

Publicatons

• Co-author, “Troubles with Recognizing Retaliation Under Stimulus Act,” Law360, November 2013
• Co-author, “Can All the King’s Men Put our Broken Legal System Together Again?” Daily Journal, August 2012
• Co-author, “Poking Around at Work: Limiting Exposure from Social Media Use,” PLUS Journal, November 2011
• Author, “Que Pasa with English Only,” The Job Description, Spring 2006

Presentations & Speeches

• Speaker, “The Times They Are a Changing: All the Great Reasons You Can Continue to Hate California” 2025
• Speaker, “Hot Topics in Employment Law,” 2024
• Speaker, “Everything You Need to Know About Religious Discrimination Cases Post Groff v. DeJoy,” CLM Fall Session, 2024
• Speaker, “New Standard for Religious Accommodations as Articulated by SCOTUS in Groff v. DeJoy,” ExecuSummit, 2023
• Speaker, “Defense Response to Taking the Bull by the Horns,” CLM Spring Sesson, 2023
• Speaker, “Recent Developments in BIPA, PAGA, ADA Title III, and The Great State of California,” 2022
• Speaker, “Employment Law Scenarios for a Post-COVID World,” 2021
• Speaker, “Updated Professional Liability Perspectives on Coronavirus,” PLUS, May 2020
• Speaker, “Professional Liability Perspectives on Coronavirus,” PLUS, March 2020
• Speaker, “The Changing Landscape of Employment Law During COVID-19,” 2020
• Opening Moderator, keynote speakers Dan Heath and Daniel Pink, 2019 PLUS Conference for Best Sellers, November 2019
• Presenter, "Defense Response to Running With the Bulls," September 2019
• Webinar Provider, “The Weinstein Effect- One Year Later,” PLUS, October 2018
• Speaker, “Implicit Bias and Sexual Harassment Training,” The San Luis Obispo Employers Advisory Council, September 2018
• Speaker, “Evaluating Plaintiff’s Emotional Distress Claim Doesn’t Have to Cause You Pain and Suffering,” Spring 2018
• Webinar Provider, “The Weinstein Effect- The Changing Landscape of Sexual Harassment,” PLUS, January 2018
• Speaker, “Good News in Employment Law and Cases to Watch in 2017,” April 2017
• Speaker, “Hot Topics in Employment Law,” May 2016
• Speaker, “Recent Expansion of the Joint Employer Doctrine,” May 2016

News

Civic

• Member, Board of Trustees of The Pegasus School in Huntington Beach, California
• Member, Jewish Center for Arts and Learning Committee at Temple Bat Yahm

Professional

• Member, California Bar Association
• Member, Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS)
  • PLUS Foundation Board of Directors, 2021 to Present
  • Board  of Trustees, 2014-2020
• Member, Orange County Bar Association
• Member, CLM

Community

Sarah received the Wiley W. Manuel Award for Pro Bono Legal Services in 1998. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees of The Pegasus School in Huntington Beach, California, and of the Jewish Center for Arts and Learning Committee at Temple Bat Yahm.

Sarah's Legal Team

Sarah leads a deeply experienced employment litigation team comprised of seasoned trial lawyers, summary judgment specialists, PAGA and wage and hour class action attorneys, and former in-house counsels. The team includes four partners, four senior Of Counsel attorneys, and a strong group of associates and support professionals who collaborate seamlessly to deliver strategic, results-driven representation across California.

Partners

• Stan Blyth brings 33 years of litigation experience and a well-earned reputation for trial excellence. He has argued cases at every level of the California court system, including the California Supreme Court, and recently secured defense verdicts in two employment law trials. Based near Fresno, Stan handles matters statewide.
• Alyson Decker, with more than 18 years of experience, is based between Los Angeles and Orange County with easy access to Riverside and San Bernardino. Her background includes Am Law 100 and nationally recognized boutique firms, as well as serving as Vice President of Legal Affairs for privately held HR and staffing companies. Alyson is known for resolving cases early when possible, while also stepping in as lead trial counsel on short notice. Her practice spans FEHA, wage and hour and PAGA matters, business disputes, high-profile cases, and association representation.
• Chris Nepacena, based in San Jose, has 10 years of experience handling class action wage and hour, PAGA, FEHA, and unfair business practices matters throughout California. He is a skilled litigator and an effective negotiator with a practical approach to resolution.

Of Counsel

• Claudia Mourad has 25 years of experience and is widely recognized for her mastery of summary judgment motions. One of her victories was named Top Defense Case of the Week by the Daily Journal. Clients value her innovative, solutions-oriented mindset.
• Tanganica Turner, with 10 years of experience, focuses on complex PAGA, wage and hour, and FEHA matters. Her background as both in-house and outside counsel allows her to align litigation strategy closely with business objectives.
• Alex Hawgood, recently elevated to Of Counsel, has been with the team since 2022 and has eight years of experience. Based in Long Beach, he is particularly effective with demanding clients and challenging opposing counsel and serves clients throughout Los Angeles, Orange County, and the Inland Empire.
• Wendi Boyden, currently barred in Connecticut and Massachusetts and awaiting California bar results, brings more than 15 years of experience, including roles as an EPL claims manager and in-house counsel. Based in Los Angeles, she is known for achieving favorable, low-cost resolutions.
• Oscar Jimenez has 27 years of experience handling complex civil litigation in state and federal courts across California. His background spans construction defect, professional liability, labor and employment, retail and hospitality, transportation, business disputes, and personal injury matters, and he now focuses his practice on employment law.
• Berta Blen has been practicing for 33 years, has tried employment cases with a lot of success, has been in-house counsel, and has operated her own firm. She has extensive PAGA and wage and hour experience. She is known for her meticulous attention to detail and prides herself on finding practical, real-world solutions to high-stakes legal issues.

Associates

• Kimya Liaghat has been in practice for 7 years and has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in employment disputes. This dual-sided background allows her to anticipate opposing arguments and develop practical strategies for resolving matters efficiently and favorably.
• Jier Dong, a third-year associate, plays a key role in supporting complex litigation and efficiently resolving lower-value cases.
• Monica Mishriki, also a third-year associate, previously represented hospitals and healthcare providers in high-exposure litigation, giving her valuable insight into complex organizational defenses.
• Amy Qi brings a strong international perspective and language skills. Her background includes legal studies and clerkships in Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, and South Korea as part of her JD/MBA program.
• Ethan Moos has almost been in practice for three years. He’s already worked on several wage and hour and PAGA cases and taken and defended depositions in FEHA cases. 

Together, this team combines depth, versatility, and collaboration to deliver exceptional results for clients across the full spectrum of employment and business litigation.