McManis Faulkner was ranked number two of twenty five Silicon Valley "Employment Law Firms" , published in the August 29, 2014 issue of the Silicon Valley Business Journal. As the head of the firm’s management focused employment practice, Sharon Kirsch also participated in the following Silicon Valley Business Journal Q&A that addressed regulatory changes, areas of growth and colleges that are looked at for new hires.
Silicon Valley Business Journal Q&A
Have there been any changes in employment law regulation in the last 12 months that have impacted your practice?
The first was amendment to Labor Code section 11.2.5 (concerning whistleblowers) and the second is from a position taken by the NLRB that many comments made by employees on social media are protected as concerted activity.
In your practice, what areas of employment have seen the biggest growth in the last 12 months?
The biggest area has been employer concerns about whistleblowers after Labor Code 1102.5 was amended. Whistleblower protections are now extended to employees who report alleged violations of federal or state statutes to their employers. Formerly, only whistleblowers who reported such violations externally were protected. Second, there has been growing concerns by employers regarding social media policies and managing problem employees who post inflammatory information on the Internet.
What law schools do you look to for new hires?
Harvard Law School, Santa Clara Law (Santa Clara University), U.C. Berkeley School of Law.