Andy represents transportation clients in a variety of litigation.
Throughout his career Andy has represented clients in complex commercial litigation and employment defense matters. However, his primary focus is in the transportation and logistics industries. The clients he serves include major freight carriers and brokers (3PLs), as well as one of the country’s largest household goods movers. Andy regularly advises clients on contracts, including broker carrier agreements, bills of lading, indemnity, and other risk transfer language. He’s also begun to work with the novel legal issues presented by autonomous vehicles or driverless cars.
Much of Andy’s transportation and logistics practice centers on the Carmack Amendment (49 U.S.C. § 14706). He has achieved many favorable outcomes at the Motion to Dismiss stage, as courts have recognized that state law claims, such as negligence, breach of contract, emotional distress, theft, conversion, fraud, violation of state consumer protection or fraud statutes, and others, are preempted by the Carmack Amendment and/or the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act (“FAAAA”) (49 U.S.C. § 14501(c)(1)).
In addition, Andy continues to handle complex commercial litigation and employment defense matters, both within and outside of the transportation and logistics space. He regularly defends and prosecutes claims involving breach of contract, indemnity, consumer protection/fraud violations, conversion, theft, and misappropriation of trade secrets.
In his employment practice, Andy represents clients in all aspects of litigation and agency proceedings involving claims alleging discrimination based on sex, race, national origin, religion, disability, and others, as well as retaliation, failure to accommodate, violation of wage and hour laws, and breach of contract under both state and federal law. Andy defends clients in single-plaintiff, multi-plaintiff, and class and collective actions. He has represented employers in wage and hour collective actions, including California PAGA actions, which involve claims of employee misclassification, failure to pay overtime, failure to provide meal and rest breaks, pay stub violations, violation of paid sick leave laws, and other alleged violations of California, Arizona, and federal law.
A gifted public speaker from an early age, Andy discovered a passion for oral advocacy as a law student. He’s extensively experienced in the courtroom, at trial, and in administrative and arbitration hearings—and even if a case is likely to settle, Andy is always prepared for trial.
Alongside his oral skills, Andy is also known for his interest in getting to know clients’ businesses so that he can best help achieve their goals, as well as for his clear communication style. He prioritizes keeping clients informed and offering straightforward assessments of their litigation matters.