David B. Chidlaw

David B. Chidlaw is a partner in the firm's San Diego office where he specializes in labor and employment matters on behalf of management, employers and high net worth individuals.

Areas of Practice

David has broad experience counseling and defending employers on a wide variety of employment issues, including immigration. He has substantial experience representing employers in representative and class actions under Federal and California wage and hour law, including prevailing wage matters. He has defended employers in wrongful termination and employment discrimination litigation, including sexual harassment, race, age, national origin, gender, and disability discrimination. He also represents employers in unfair competition and trade secret litigation.

David has substantial administrative litigation and counseling experience before State and Federal Agencies, including the NLRB, Cal/OSHA, the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (the Labor Commissioner), the California Apprenticeship Council and Division of Apprenticeship Standards, the U.S. Department of Labor, BCIS, the California Department of Fair Employment & Housing, the OFCCP, and the EEOC.

David has advised both organized and merit shop employers for the length of his career. He has advised and represented employers in collective bargaining negotiations, organizing drives, decertification efforts and grievance arbitration matters. He regularly defends employers before the NLRB. He also provides guidance and training on union avoidance. David provides daily advice to management clients on a wide variety of labor issues including wage and hour, reductions in force, personnel policies and employee handbooks, affirmative action compliance, employment-based immigration, protection of proprietary information, and discipline and termination matters.

Honors

Best Lawyers in America, Best Lawyers, 2018-2020

San Diego Super Lawyer, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

Top San Diego Lawyers, 2013, 2014

Insights

Articles

• New Prevailing-Wage Risks For Calif. Public Works Projects, Law360, January 24, 2014

Labor and Employment Law Blog Posts

• A Solution in Search of a Problem: The California Legislature Imposes Duties for Employers When ICE Audits Your I-9s, December 5, 2017

Latin American Blog Posts

• A Surge In Populism: Dangers To Transnational Trade In The Americas And Reasons For Hope, August 18, 2016

Books

•Employer’s Guide To COVID-19 And Emerging Workplace Issues (Over 490 pages)
04.21.2020

Newsletters

•Enfoque Latino - Spring 2008
04.01.2008
•Enfoque Latino - Spring 2007
03.01.2007
•Enfoque Latino - Summer 2005
09.20.2005

Speaking Engagements

•Frequent speaker before employer and human resources groups on topics ranging from wage and hour to employment discrimination

Events

•Webinar With Your Labor Lawyer - San Diego
Spring 2020 Seminar Series, 04.30.2020

•Breakfast With Your Labor Lawyer - San Diego
Spring 2019 Seminar Series, 04.30.2019

•Labor & Employment Law Update & Happy Hour - San Diego
Fall 2018 Seminar Series, 10.11.2018

•Breakfast With Your Labor Lawyer - San Diego
Spring 2018 Seminar Series, 04.04.2018

•Breakfast With Your Labor Lawyer - San Diego
Spring 2017 Seminar Series, 04.26.2017

•Labor & Employment Law Update & Happy Hour - San Diego
Fall 2016 Seminar Series, 10.04.2016

•Breakfast With Your Labor Lawyer - San Diego
Spring 2016 Seminar Series, 04.21.2016

•Labor & Employment Law Update & Happy Hour - San Diego
Fall 2015 Seminar Series, 10.22.2015

•Breakfast With Your Labor Lawyer - San Diego
Spring 2015 Seminar Series, 05.14.2015

•Labor & Employment Legal Update & Happy Hour
Fall 2014 Seminar Series - San Diego, 10.28.2014

•Breakfast With Your Labor Lawyer - San Diego
Spring 2014 Seminar Series, 04.03.2014

•Labor and Employment Law Update and Happy Hour - San Diego
Fall 2013 Seminar Series, Hyatt Regency La Jolla, 09.17.2013

•Breakfast With Your Labor Lawyer - San Diego
Spring 2013 Seminar Series, Hyatt Regency La Jolla, 05.01.2013

•Labor and Employment Law Update & Happy Hour Fall 2012 - La Jolla
Hyatt Regency La Jolla, 09.19.2012

•Labor and Employment Law Update & Happy Hour Spring 2012 - San Diego
Hyatt Regency La Jolla, 04.26.2012

•Breakfast With Your Labor Lawyer - San Diego
Labor & Employment Law Update Fall 2011, Hyatt Regency La Jolla, 09.14.2011

•Labor & Employment Law Update & Happy Hour - San Diego
Hyatt Regency La Jolla, 03.24.2011

•Labor & Employment Law Update & Happy Hour - San Diego
Our New, Improved, and FREE Breakfast With Your Labor Lawyer (in the Evening!), Hyatt Regency La Jolla - San Diego, 09.16.2010

•Labor and Employment Law: Mid-Year Update 2009 - San Diego
Breakfast With Your Labor Lawyer, San Diego Marriott Mission Valley, 09.17.2009

•ACC San Diego Chapter JULY MCLE: Employment Law Trends and Predictions
Sheppard Mullin's Downtown San Diego Office, 07.23.2009

•New Labor & Employment Laws for 2009 - La Jolla
Breakfast With Your Labor Lawyer, Hyatt Regency La Jolla, 02.24.2009

•The Employee Free Choice Act: No Choice At All - San Francisco
Sheppard Mullin's San Francisco Office, 01.23.2009

•The Employee Free Choice Act: No Choice At All - San Diego Area
Hyatt Regency La Jolla, 01.08.2009

•Labor and Employment Law: Mid-Year Update 2008 - La Jolla
Breakfast With Your Labor Lawyer, Hyatt Regency La Jolla, 10.08.2008

•Breakfast With Your Labor Lawyer - La Jolla
Hyatt Regency La Jolla, 01.22.2008