Corrie J. Klekowski

Partner

Corrie Klekowski is a passionate and creative litigator.  She specializes in dispositive motion work—eliminating claims against her clients early in litigation.  Corrie represents employers through all litigation stages and has particular experience representing public entities, non-profits, and health care employers.  Corrie also has a growing practice handling student issues for educational clients.  She enjoys finding solutions in challenging and unique legal predicaments.  Corrie also loves helping her clients by providing advice and counseling on employment issues, including employee discipline, terminations, and leaves of absence.

Corrie’s great sense of humor and animated story telling make her an engaging public speaker.  She presents thoughtful and captivating harassment prevention trainings to supervisors and managers.  She also trains human resource professionals on a wide spectrum of other employment issues including leave laws, investigations, and best management practices.

Corrie was recognized by her peers and selected to Super Lawyers in 2020, and was also named a Rising Star in 2016-2017 by San Diego Super Lawyers magazine.

 

Education

  • University of San Diego School of Law, J.D., 2007, cum laude
  • University of California, San Diego, B.A. Literature/Writing, 2003

Professional Experience

  • Paul, Plevin, Sullivan & Connaughton LLP, Partner, March 2018 - Present; Associate, May 2011 – February 2018
  • Wirtz Hellenkamp, LLP, Associate 2007 – 2011; Law Clerk and Summer Associate 2004 – 2007

Admissions

  • All California state courts
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • All United States District Courts in California

Professional Activities

  • Member at Large, San Diego County Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section, 2018
  • Member, State Bar of California, Labor and Employment Law Section
  • Lawyers Club of San Diego—Co-Chair, Judicial Elections Endorsements Committee 2020;  Co-Chair

Publications

  • ADA Burden-of-Proof Answers From 9th Circ., Law360, June 2018
  • Title IX Enforcement in the #Me Too Era, Law360, April 2018
  • Whistleblower Retaliation Claims and the Shrinking Judicial Exhaustion Defense, Matthew Bender’s California Labor & Employment Bulletin, February 2013

Speaking Engagements

  • Working Together to Prevent Workplace Harassment, various clients, ongoing
  • Habits of Frequently Sued Managers, various clients, ongoing
  • Leaves and Accommodations, various client, ongoing
  • "Catfish in the Rye" - Managing Student and Employee Use of Social Media, California Charter School Conference, March 2018
  • Top 10 Labor and Employment Mistakes, CALPELRA Annual Conference, December 2017
  • Outwit, Outlast, Outplay: Tips on Surviving the Disability Accommodation Process, CALPELRA Annual Conference, December 2017
  • Making Termination Decisions Stick, CALPELRA Annual Conference, December 2017
  • "Catfish in the Rye" - Managing Student and Employee Use of Social Media, California Council of School Attorneys Annual Workshop, November 2017
  • Top Seven Employment Mistakes, UC San Diego Health Leadership Academy, October 2017
  • Employment Law Update, PPSC Annual Employment Law Seminar, October 2017
  • "Catfish in the Rye" - Managing Student and Employee Use of Social Media, California Charter School Conference, April 2017
  • Top 10 Labor and Employment Mistakes, CALPELRA Annual Conference, November 2016
  • Social Media and Employee Conduct, PPSC Annual Employment Law Seminar, October 2015
  • Workplace Investigations, CALPELRA Annual Conference, October 2015
  • Top 10 Labor and Employment Mistakes, CALPELRA Annual Conference, October 2015
  • January 29, 2020: New Developments in Labor and Employment Law

Representative Matters

  • Counsel for defendants in Creason v. Singh, 650 Fed.Appx.462 (2016), affirming grant of motion to dismiss claims against employer. (United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.)
  • Counsel for Children’s Specialists of San Diego in DeCambre v. Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego, 235 Cal.App.4th 1 (2015) affirming grant of anti-SLAPP motion dismissing physician-plaintiff’s termination based claims against medical group employer. (San Diego Superior Court; Fourth Appellate District, Division One)
  • Counsel for the Regents of the University of California in Do v. The Regents of the University of California, 216 Cal.App.4th 1474 (2013), upholding the denial of a mandamus petition, holding that the decision of the University of California to terminate plaintiff’s employment is subject to substantial evidence, not independent judgment, standard of review. (San Diego Superior Court; Fourth Appellate District, Division One)
  • Obtained employee’s voluntary dismissal of all claims against church under ministerial exception doctrine. (San Diego Superior Court)
  • Obtained employee’s voluntary dismissal of all claims against religious denomination. (San Diego Superior Court)
  • Dismissal at pleadings stage of claims against public employer and multiple individual defendants.  (U.S. District Court, Southern District of California)
  • Dismissal under the anti-SLAPP statute of discrimination and breach of contract claims for healthcare employer based on protected physician peer review. (San Diego Superior Court)
  • Obtained employee’s voluntary dismissal of claims against public employer in discrimination and retaliation lawsuit after moving for summary judgment on behalf of employer. (U.S. District Court, Southern District of California)
  • $104,000 fee award to employer following successful anti-SLAPP motion. (San Diego Superior Court)
  • Dismissal at pleadings stage, through supervisory writ to Louisiana Court of Appeal, in contract claim against public entity providing physician review services to Louisiana physician.  (Louisiana Court of Appeal)
  • Dismissal at pleadings stage of discrimination and whistleblower retaliation claims against public employer.  (San Diego Superior Court)
  • Dismissal at pleadings stage of whistleblower retaliation claims against public employer based on failure to exhaust internal remedies.  (Orange County Superior Court)
  • Non-suit after opening statement in race discrimination lawsuit; second chair. (Orange County Superior Court)
  • Judgment at pleadings stage for employer on discrimination and wrongful termination claims. (San Diego Superior Court)
  • Dismissal at pleadings stage of attorney’s claims against law firm employer.  (U.S. District Court, Northern District of California)
  • Dismissal under the anti-SLAPP statute for private employer in defamation lawsuit. (Riverside Superior Court)
  • Obtained employee’s voluntary dismissal of claims against public employer after moving for dismissal based on Eleventh Amendment Immunity and other legal defenses.  (U.S. District Court, Southern District of California)
  • Successful resolution of physician discrimination lawsuit, following representation in peer-review proceeding. (San Diego Superior Court)
  • Successful resolution at trial of accommodation and disability discrimination lawsuit; second chair. (Orange County Superior Court)