Practice
Areas: Labor and Employment
Experience
Mr. Sakai practices in the areas of
employment and labor law, representing primarily public sector
and nonprofit employers. His practice focuses on traditional
labor relations, including unit determinations and modifications,
representation and decertification elections, collective bargaining,
interest arbitrations, contract grievances and rights arbitration,
and unfair labor practice charges.
Sakai handles
complex negotiations and collective bargaining issues, including
multi-party negotiations, interest arbitrations, and collective-bargaining-related
litigation for a variety of clients throughout northern California.
Related
Experience
He began
his career at the California Department of Personnel Administration,
which represents the State Employer in all aspects of labor
relations affecting employees of the State of California. At
DPA, Sakai maintained a general labor and employment litigation
practice, handling State Personnel Board disciplinary hearings,
California Public Employment Relations Board ("PERB")
unfair practice charges, and grievance arbitrations throughout
the state while providing negotiations support to the department's
labor negotiators. Sakai also advised various state departments
on labor relations and personnel matters and handled State and
Federal Court litigation, including civil writs, Fair Labor
Standards Act litigation and an amicus brief to the State supreme
court.
In 1996,
Sakai accepted a Governor's appointment as a Legal Advisor to
a member of the PERB, the quasi-judicial administrative agency
responsible for administering California's public-sector bargaining
statutes. As a legal advisor, Sakai drafted legal memoranda
and decisions for his member, and worked with other Board members
and legal advisors to interpret and develop California's public
sector labor relations laws and assisted the Board in deciding
requests for Injunctive Relief. Sakai also assisted the General
Counsel's office in investigating unfair practice charges and
represented the agency in appellate litigation. Sakai remains
one of the youngest legal advisors in the board's thirty year
history.
During his
tenure with PERB, Mr. Sakai taught "Labor and Employment
Law and Legislation" for the University Extension program
at the University of California at Davis.
Education
Pomona College
(B.A. 1991)
University of California, Davis Law School (J.D, 1994.)
Bar Admissions
California
Speaking
Engagements and Publications
Currently serves on the Editorial Board of Bender's California
Labor & Employment Bulletin.
