Jack Hughes

Jack Hughes joined Liebert Cassidy Whitmore as an associate attorney in 1996. Since then he has worked in all aspects of the firm’s labor and employment law practice.

Jack has been involved in public-sector employment law trial and appellate court litigation on behalf of a number of cities, with several published decisions to his credit including Robison v. City of Manteca 78 Cal.App.4th 452, 92 Cal.Rptr.2d 748, City of Palo Alto v. Service Employees International Union 77 Cal.App.4th 327, 91 Cal.Rptr.2d 500, and Smith v. City of Napa 120 Cal.App.4th 194, 14 Cal.Rptr.3d 908.  Jack has also participated in numerous arbitrations, civil service commission hearings, law-and-motion court hearing, proceedings before Administrative Law Judges, mediations, fact-findings and other administrative hearings regarding MOU interpretation grievances, employee disciplinary appeals, labor negotiation impasses, contested CalPERS disability retirements, unfair bargaining practices charges and other contested administrative matters.

Jack has served as labor negotiator for city, county and special district clients, and has represented charter cities in labor negotiation impasse interest arbitration proceedings. He has successfully negotiated Memoranda of Understanding involving police officers, sheriff deputies, correctional officers, probation officers, firefighters, rangers, public safety management staff, dispatcher, evidence technicians, attorneys (civil and criminal), management and supervisory staff, public health nurses, clerical employees and other white-collar professions, department heads, maintenance employees and other blue-collar professions, childcare workers, in-home support service employees and most other public sector classifications utilized by agencies subject to the MMBA.  Jack also serves as a behind-the-scenes advisor for agencies conducting in-house negotiations regarding bargaining strategy, compliance with the MMBA good-faith bargaining requirement, closed session preparations, best-practices updates to existing MOU language, utilization of compensation study data, interpretation and application of cost-of-living data, medical insurance options, negotiation ground rules compliance with union information requests and impasse procedures.

Jack is also one of the experienced presenters in the firm’s renowned management and supervisory training programs. Jack has conducted hundreds of training seminars for municipal, county, special district and Federal agencies. Jack specializes in training on protected status discrimination/harassment/retaliation, supervisor skills, labor relations/negotiations, leave laws, disability laws, workplace violence, free speech, disciplinary procedures, grievance procedures and effective performance evaluations among others.

Jack actively participates in the Firm’s advice and counsel practice. He advises clients on a wide range of issues including but not limited to leave laws, employee attendance (or lack thereof), disability accommodation issues, disability and service retirements, disciplinary investigations and prosecutions, MOU interpretation issues and grievances, recent employment law legislation and court rulings, union security issues, protected status harassment, discrimination and retaliation matters, abusive conduct in the workplace, disputed performance evaluations and merit pay assessments, wage and hour law issues, Public Records Act requests, hiring and promotional process disputes, settlement of disputes including separation of both for-cause and at-will employees, freedom of speech issues arising both at and related to public service employment, preparation and amendment of at-will employment contracts, updates to personnel rules, policies, procedures and labor relations rules (Employer-Employee Relations Rules under the MMBA), both best-practices and legal compliance audits of current MOUs and updates to job descriptions.

Jack is a problem solver and enjoys working with clients to find solutions – both well-proven and creative – to enable clients to comply with applicable law and keep the client’s focus on public service.