Teresa Ghali

Bar Admissions

California

Teresa Ghali

Of Counsel

Teresa W. Ghali is counsel in the San Francisco office of GBG. Teresa is an experienced litigator with well over a decade of experience defending companies in a wide array of complex litigation in California federal and state courts. Teresa’s practice focuses on advising and defending California employers against wage and hour class actions and single plaintiff claims, as well as administrative proceedings before the EEOC, DLSE, and DFEH. Teresa is an experienced trial and appellate attorney, and she has successfully defeated class certification in wage and hour actions, obtained summary judgment in single plaintiff discrimination/wrongful termination actions, and obtained numerous successes before state and federal appellate courts.

Before joining GBG, Teresa was a partner at a boutique employment firm defending large and mid-size employers with California workforces. Teresa spent the first seven years of her career at a large international law firm, Akin Gump, defending companies in commercial litigation and insurance matters, and in 2010, Teresa spent two months as a volunteer Deputy District Attorney in Marin County, where she prosecuted five jury trials and a bench trial to verdict.

Education

  • University of California, Berkeley School of Law, J.D., 2007
  • University of California Berkeley, B.As. in English and Spanish, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa
Key Practice & Industry Experience

Key Practice Experience

  • Wage and hour class action/PAGA defense on behalf of mid-sized and large employers with California workforces
  • State and federal discrimination and retaliation defense, including disability, gender, and race discrimination
  • Administrative proceedings before state and federal agencies
  • Appellate advocacy before state and federal appellate courts
  • Advise employers on state and federal wage and hour, EEO, and other compliance issues

Key Industries

  • Technology companies
  • Healthcare providers
  • Retail
Representative Matters

Representative Litigation

  • Obtained summary judgment in single plaintiff disability case on behalf of large internet service provider; grant of summary judgment affirmed by Ninth Circuit on appeal
  • Obtained published appellate decision affirming disqualification of class counsel in wage and hour class action for large technology company
  • Successfully defeated class certification in wage and hour class action on behalf of large technology company
  • Successfully settled numerous wage and hour class/PAGA actions on behalf of healthcare and banking clients
Professional & Civic

Publications & Presentations

  • Webinar, “So Many New Sexual Harassment Laws: Let Us Help You Get Them Straight,” February 26, 2019 (Presentation to HR and legal professionals)
  • Employment law Updates, March 2016 (Presentation to San Mateo County Bar Association, Employment Law Section)
  • “Company Layoff Didn’t Constitute Age Discrimination,” February 8, 2016, California Employment Law Letter
  • “Court Outlines Do’s and Don’ts for Ensuring Enforceable Arbitration Agreement,” April 13, 2015, California Employment Law Letter

Community Involvement

  • Pro bono advocacy on behalf of local worker collective (2018)
Recognitions & Honors

Recognitions & Honors

  • Northern California Super Lawyers, Rising Star, 2010-2017
  • Recognition of Service as Volunteer D.A., Marin County Board of Supervisors (2010)