Ms. Packer Garey is an associate attorney in the firm's labor and employment practice group and a member of the firm's litigation practice area. Ms. Packer Garey represents both public and private sector clients in employment related lawsuits before state and federal courts at both the trial court and appellate levels. Ms. Packer Garey also represents employers with such matters as administrative agency and board appeals, arbitrations, and provides general advice and counsel.

Legal Experience

Ms. Packer Garey provides legal services to a broad constituency of public and private sector clients, including state and local governments, school districts, special districts, and private sector businesses. Ms. Packer Garey regularly advises clients in a variety of employment matters, including but not limited to:

• Personnel policies and employee handbooks
• Wage and hour issues
• Unemployment insurance
• Health and retirement benefits
• Wrongful termination
• Employment discrimination
• Workmen's compensation

Ms. Packer Garey has considerable experience representing public and private sector employers in labor and employment litigation at the trial and appellate courts, including the California Court of Appeals, California Supreme Court, and the federal appellate courts. She regularly represents clients at every stage of the appellate process, including record preparation and analysis of trial court proceedings, appellate mediation, research and drafting of appellate briefs, oral argument and filing of extraordinary writs.

Ms. Packer Garey regularly advises clients in electronic workplace issues, including the drafting and implementation of social media, computer use, employee privacy and telecommunication employee policies. Ms. Packer Garey provides trainings for both public and private sector employers on the unique issues presented by the electronic workplace, including electronic document and email retention, employee privacy issues, social media in the workplace and preparing for and responding to electronic discovery.

Practice Examples

• Assisted lead counsel David Tyra in representing Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the State of California in 38 separate actions filed by numerous public employee unions challenging Governor Schwarzenegger's executive orders furloughing California state employees. Ms. Packer Garey drafted briefs and prepared arguments in these matters at the trial court and appellate court levels, including drafting briefing at the California Supreme Court in Professional Engineers in California Government v. Schwarzenegger (2010) 50 Cal.4th 989, in which the California Supreme Court affirmed the Governor's authority to furlough state employees by executive order.
• Worked with David Tyra and Kristianne Seargeant to represent the State of California in two separate actions brought by California's prison guard unions at the California First District Court of Appeal, both of which resulted in published decisions.
• Provides advice and counsel to public and private employers on all aspects of the emerging electronic workplace, including the use of social media in the workplace, employee use of technology, and employee privacy. Ms. Packer Garey regularly develops policies and employee handbooks for public and private sector employers that cover the use of social media and email, telecommuting, and employee use of handheld devices. Ms. Packer Garey works with employers to handle electronic document retention and compliance with electronic discovery when necessary.

Professional Activities and Affiliations

Ms. Packer Garey's professional activities and affiliations include:

• 2012 Northern California Rising Star
• Chair, Executive Committee, Sacramento County Bar Association, Labor & Employment Section (Vice Chair, 2011/2012; Secretary, 2010/2011)
• Member, Sacramento County Bar Association, Appellate Section
• Member, California State Bar Association, Labor & Employment Section

Publications

• Co-Author, "Practical Take Aways for Public Employers from the Supreme Court's Decision in City of Ontario v. Quon," SCBA Labor & Employment Law Section Newsletter, Vol. 17, Issue 91, September 2010
• Author, "Drafting an Effective Computer and E-mail Use Policy," SCBA Labor & Employment Law Section Newsletter, Vol. 17, Issue 86, November 2009

Admitted to Practice

• All California State Courts
• United States District Court, Eastern, Northern, Central and Southern Districts of California
• United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

Academic Background

B.A. University of California, Berkeley, 2003

J.D. University of California, Hastings College of Law, 2007

• Witkin Awards, Constitutional Law I, Comparative Constitutional Law and Trial Advocacy I
• Executive Articles Editor, Hastings Women's Law Journal
• Director of Development, Hastings Public Interest Law Foundation , 2005-2007
• Student Advisory Board Member/Public Benefits Advocate, General Assistance Public Advocacy Project