Jonathan Light

LightGabler LLP

Jonathan Light Business Law

LightGabler LLP

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Firm Summary

With over thirty years of experience, Jon offers employment counsel and training programs to companies of all sizes to reduce liability and protect against lawsuits. Jon has shared his expertise with clients through:

• Periodic employment law updates and free roundtable discussions for small groups
• Sex harassment avoidance training for managers and staff
• Management strategies for hiring, layoffs, reviews, discipline and terminations
• Strategies for protection of proprietary information and trade secrets

Jon enjoys a stellar and long-standing reputation as a skilled trial attorney. His employment case notes as sole or lead trial attorney include a variety of successful matters:

• Two-week jury trial in Santa Barbara on behalf of a large national title company accused of discrimination and wrongful termination. 11-1 verdict in favor of client.
• Three-week jury trial in Ventura on behalf of an international aerospace manufacturer and its management employee who were sued for sex harassment.
• Prevailed in a wrongful termination and slander jury trial on behalf of a Ventura County physician.
• Used effective motion practice to demolish a $4M lawsuit against a publicly-traded employer by an employee claiming breach of contract in Orange County.
• A San Diego County trial resulted in a complete defense verdict in a race and sex discrimination action filed against a Los Angeles-based national corporation.
• Two successful jury trials in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties on behalf of a large international retailer, in which plaintiffs sought damages for wrongful termination and sex harassment.
• Four months in trial as lead counsel culminating in a successful settlement for a farming family that was a focal point of the Oxnard Dunes Toxic Waste Litigation, the largest civil case in Ventura County history.

Jon has proven successful in a variety of litigation matters outside the employment arena as well:

• A successful will contest on behalf of the sister of the decedent, who purportedly executed a deathbed will in favor of his estranged wife. Despite an attorney and a doctor claiming that the decedent was competent, we succeeded in invalidating the deathbed will and recovering over $350,000 in real and personal property for the sister.
• Successful verdict on a seven-week jury trial on real estate fraud and misrepresentation claims against a large national real estate broker and its agents.
• Trial court judgment in favor of a publicly-traded real estate investment trust in a shopping center breach of contract claim filed in Los Angeles.

With the highest “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell, Jonathan Fraser Light serves more than 500 national, regional and local employers in the private and public sector on day-to-day and litigation-related employment matters involving:

• Wrongful termination
• Wage and hour issues
• Class action litigation defense
• Reviews, discipline, probation and termination
• Exempt v. non-exempt status
• Reductions in force/layoffs
• Harassment and discrimination investigations
• Personnel handbooks and related documents
• Substance abuse issues
• Temporary and leased employee matters
• Management and non-exempt employee training
• Protection of proprietary information and trade secrets
• Arbitration agreements and severance agreements

Community

Beyond frequently lecturing to business groups and civic organizations on employment issues, Jon serves the community where he lives and works as a member of the Ventura County Campaign Finance Ethics Commission, and a current or former board member of the Ventura County Bar Association (Past President), Volunteer Legal Services Association, Ventura County Taxpayers Association, the Ventura County Boy Scout Council (Past President), the Footworks Youth Ballet, and the Ventura County Medical Resource Foundation (Past Chair).

He is the author of two editions of the nationally acclaimed and award-winning book, The Cultural Encyclopedia of Baseball. He is a frequent and sought-after speaker on the history of baseball. Jon has been the Production Manager for the Footworks Youth Ballet, has coached girls’ softball in Camarillo, leads the Camarillo Academic Olympics SuperQuiz, and coaches the Newbury Park High School mock trial team. He is also a member of the National Eagle Scout Association.

Education

Jon is a graduate of the UCLA School of Law, where he was a member of the Law Review. He graduated magna cum laude in history from UCLA.

Personal

Jon Light lives in Camarillo with his wife of 35 years, Angela, a retired public school teacher and former college admissions consultant. They are enjoying their empty nest now that their twin daughters have graduated from college at Yale and Georgetown and now live and work abroad.