Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP has added five attorneys to the firm's Labor and Employment practice group: partners Ron Holland and Ellen Bronchetti, and associates Paul Cowie, Elia DeLuca and Jennifer Holly.  The group joins Sheppard Mullin's San Francisco office from Littler Mendelson's San Francisco office. 

"Ron is a one of the top traditional labor lawyers and brings with him an impressive national practice.  We continue to grow cornerstone practice groups like Labor and Employment and expand our capabilities to better serve clients.  Ron and Ellen are a terrific team, and we welcome them to the firm," said Guy Halgren, chairman of Sheppard Mullin.  

"We look forward to joining Sheppard Mullin, a top-notch full service national firm with a strong footprint in San Francisco and throughout California," Holland commented.  "I am impressed with the firm's marquee labor and employment practice, including the firm’s commitment to its continued growth.  I am thrilled to continue practicing with the team, including Ellen who I have practiced with for almost a decade."  

Holland's practice focuses on traditional labor and employment issues in a variety of industries, including trucking, airlines transportation, technology, entertainment, environmental, recycling and solid waste services.  Holland specializes in representing clients in union negotiations, organizing campaigns and unfair labor practice proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board.  

Holland also has extensive experience handling wage and hour class actions, employment discrimination and wrongful termination litigation.  He counsels employers to prevent employee-related problems before they become lawsuits by conducting manager and employee training, including ensuring clients' compliance with applicable state and federal labor laws. 

Ms. Bronchetti advises all types of employers, from start-ups to multi-national corporations on all aspects of the employer-employee relationship, including union avoidance, employee classification issues,  wage and hour disputes, discrimination complaints, employee terminations, including mass layoffs.  A significant focus of her practice is identifying and avoiding problems in the workplace before they arise, through compliance audits and development of workplace policies and procedures.

She has represented corporations and small business in union negotiations, organizing campaigns, elections and matters before the National Labor Relations Board and other related administrative agencies.  In addition to her traditional labor experience, she has significant experience defending employers of all sizes in wage and hour class actions and multi-plaintiff suits, including claims involving misclassification of employees (including independent contractors), missed meal and break periods, unlawful deductions from employee pay, and improper record keeping.   In addition, while Ms. Bronchetti has experience litigating cases involving claims arising under state and federal discrimination laws, especially cases arising under the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Holland received a J.D. from Fordham University in 1990 and a B.S. from Cornell University, School of Industrial and Labor Relations in 1987.  Bronchetti received a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law in 2003 and a B.A. from Boston College in 2000.  Cowie received a Bachelor of Laws from Northumbria University in 2001.  DeLuca received a J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law in 2006 and a B.S. from Santa Clara University in 2002.  Holly received a J.D. from University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 2008 and a B.A. from Santa Clara University in 2002.  

Holland and Bronchetti are the latest of nineteen partners to join Sheppard Mullin in 2010.  In August, partners Tom Kaufman, Mike Gallion and Gregg Fisch joined the firm's Los Angeles/Century City office from Seyfarth Shaw, as part of an eight attorney Labor and Employment team.  Other partners joining the Labor and Employment practice group this year include Jim Hays (New York) from Mintz Levin and Rick Kopenhefer (Los Angeles/Century City) from McDermott Will & Emery.  

Sheppard Mullin has 92 attorneys based in its San Francisco office and its Labor and Employment practice group includes 80 attorneys firmwide.