Dianne Baquet Smith is a partner in the Labor and Employment Practice Group in the firm's Los Angeles office. Prior to joining the firm in 1991, Ms. Smith was senior labor and employment counsel with Sears, Roebuck and Co.'s Regional Law Department, where she litigated cases and provided legal services and advice to facilities in 14 western states.

Areas of Practice

Ms. Smith has extensive experience representing management in litigation of wrongful discharge, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour, breach of contract, breach of public policy, ERISA, and other types of employment cases, through trial. She has handled traditional labor issues (grievance arbitrations, union representation proceedings, unfair labor practices, strikes, contract negotiations, lockouts, handbilling, picketing, etc.). She has trained and advised clients on personnel matters, employment practices, compliance, loss prevention, operating, and other subjects, facilitating preventative and necessary responsive action. She has handled a broad range of administrative matters regarding business practices, including wage and hour claims, employment discrimination charges with state and federal agencies in California, Oregon and Washington, and proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board, OSHA, and the California Department of Industrial Relations.

As a trial attorney with the National Labor Relations Board from 1980 through 1982, Ms. Smith investigated and tried unfair labor practice cases and handled representation matters and injunction proceedings.