Introduction

Michelle was admitted to the California Bar in June, 1979. She is a full time mediator following a 30-year litigation career, handling business, insurance, personal injury, and all aspects of employment including ADA employment/access cases, FMLA/CFRA, ERISA, prevailing wage, labor code issues, PAGA, wage and hour class actions, and more. She received an "AV" rating and "Premier" status from Martindale-Hubbell Directory of Lawyers. Michelle is a member of ABOTA, a fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, and a Distinguished Fellow of the International Academy of Mediators (IAM). She is a past President of the Orange County Bar Association (OCBA), past Chair of the California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA), and past Chair and lawyer representative (two terms) of the Central District Delegation to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference. She is a frequent author and speaker on employment, litigation and ADR issues. Michelle has also received many honors including “Top Gun Trial Lawyer of the Year”, Orange County Trial Lawyers, in both Employment and Business Litigation. She has also been recognized as one of The Daily Journal "Top 100 Most Influential Lawyers in California", "Top Female Litigators", “Top Labor and Employment Lawyers”, as well as one of “California’s Top 50 Neutrals”. She has been named as one of California’s “Super Lawyers,” 2004-2019, and was inducted into the Western State University College of Law Hall of Fame.

Specialties

• Business/Commercial
  • A.D.A Act
  • Contractual
• Employment
  • Breach of Contract
  • Discrimination
  • EWT and Discrimination
  • Hostile Environment
  • PAGA
  • Sexual Harassment
  • Wage and Hour
  • Wage and Hour Class Action
  • Whistleblower Wrongful Term
  • Wrongful Termination
• Real Estate
  • Neighbor Dispute
  • Property Damage
• Tort
  • PI Auto
  • PI Sexual Molestation
  • Premises Liability

Hobbies & Interests

Ms. Reinglass enjoys running, hiking, weightlifting, skiing, theater, reading, traveling and watching movies in her spare time.

Website

http://www.reinglassadr.com

Testimonials

[She was] fantastic at the mediation! I was impressed by [her] skills and [her] ability to help us resolve both claims. I thought [she was] direct but fair. I believe both sides are happy with the resolution. I truly enjoyed the experience.
- Attorney on an Employment Wrongful Termination Matter

Our experience with [her] as the mediator was superb and my client was very satisfied with this mediation and the result therefrom. We felt very positive about your guidance into the settlement of our case.
- Attorney on an Employment Sexual Harassment Dispute

We thought [she was] terrific and went above and beyond in staying so late to allow us to reach the settlement.
- Attorney on an Employment Wrongful Termination Matter

I appreciated her tireless efforts in settling this matter. I do not think we could have settled without her help. It took about six weeks but she did not let down in her efforts at pushing this matter to its conclusion.
- Attorney on an Employment Hostile Environment Dispute

Michelle was great at making my client at ease which helped open the door to understanding the downside of our case. She was also tenacious in getting a settlement and when her mediator’s proposal failed she dived into the problem and saved the settlement.
- Attorney on an Employment Wrongful Termination Dispute

Ms. Reinglass was particularly helpful by calculating damages and presenting to opponent. I believe that helped close the deal.
- Attorney on an Employment/Discrimination/Wage & Hour Dispute

Michelle always builds great rapport with the clients and takes the time to fully hear them.
- Attorney on a Personal Injury Sexual Assault Dispute

My clients and I thought she did an absolutely terrific job. She came highly recommended and I know why.
- Attorney on an Employment Disability Discrimination Dispute

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Legal Career

• Full Time Mediator (2010-Present)
• Full Time Arbitrator (2010-2015)
• Trial Attorney, Law Offices of Michelle A. Reinglass, Specialized in all areas of Employment, Civil, and Business litigation (1979-2010)
• Part Time Mediator and Arbitrator (2001-2010)
• Instructor, Professional Responsibility, Western State College of Law (1991)

Education & Professional Affiliations

• J.D., Western State University College of Law (1979)
• B.S.L , Western State University (1978)
• Distinguished Fellow, International Academy of Mediators (2013-Present)
• Fellow, College of Labor & Employment Lawyers, (2006-Present)
• Board Member, California Employment Lawyers Association (1998-2009, Chair 2005-07)
• Member, American Board of Trial Advocates, Orange County Chapter (1997-Present)
• Member, Orange County Bar Association (1979-Present); Member of Board (1983-94), President (1993)
• Member, Orange County Trial Lawyers (1987-Present)
• Member, Federal Bar Association, Orange County Chapter (member for over 20 years)
• Member, former board member, Association of Business Trial Lawyers, Orange County Chapter (member for over 20 years)
• Member, State Bar of California
• Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association
• Member, Southern California Mediation Association
• Committee Member, Judicial Council's Committee on Access and Fairness
• Committee Member, Federal Court Civil Justice Reform Act Advisory Committee
• Committee Member and Chair, Federal Court Magistrate Judge Evaluation Committee
• Past President, California Association of Large Local Bar (CALB) and Chair of Bench Bar Coalition
• Past Lawyer Representative (2 terms) and Chair (1994-1995), 9th Circuit Judicial Conference, C.D. Cal.

Achievements & Awards

• Ms. Reinglass was named by Los Angeles Magazine as one of California's "Super Lawyers", 2013-2015, in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution.
• Michelle has received many honors and much recognition including admission to ABOTA, and in 2006 was inducted as a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers.
• She was inducted into the Western State University College of Law, Hall of Fame in 1993.
• She received the Anti-Defamation League "ADL" Jurisprudence Award, 1997
• She has been named Business Trial Lawyer of the Year, Orange County Trial Lawyers Association, October 1995, "Lawyer of the Year", Orange County Women Lawyers, 1996, and "Employment Trial Lawyer of the Year", Orange County Trial Lawyers, 2004.
• She received the "Women of Achievement" Award from the American Association of University Women ("AAUW"), 2005
• She was recognized by The Daily Journal as one of the "Top 100 Most Influential Lawyers in California" in 2001, one of the "Top Female Litigators" in 2002-2005 and 2009, one of the "Top Labor and Employment Lawyers", 2009-2010, as well as one of California's Top 50 Neutrals, 2012-2013.
• Ms. Reinglass has for several consecutive years made it to the list of The Best Lawyers in America©, including being named by Best Lawyers as the Southern California Employment Law - Individuals “Lawyer of the Year”, in 2012, 2016, and 2018.
• She has been named as one of Southern California's "Super Lawyers", 2004-2019, including top 100 lawyers in Southern California, top 50 Women Lawyers and top 50 from Orange County.

Legal Experience

• All types of disputes related to Employment Law, including but not limited to Sexual, Racial and other forms of Harassment, Discrimination and Retaliation, Wage and Hour, Wrongful Termination, ERISA, Prevailing Wage
• Class Actions
• Breach of Contract
• Housing Discrimination
• Civil Rights
• UNRUH Act
• Serious injury matters with high emotional content
• Real Estate and Business Commercial Disputes, including non-compete and unfair business practices.
• Business/Contractual

Representative Case Information

• Business/Commercial
• Employment
• Real Estate
• Tort