Keith Alan Watts

Keith Watts is a partner in the Orange County office of Musick, Peeler & Garrett LLP. Keith practices exclusively labor and employment law and has handled a wide variety of matters, including sexual harassment, age discrimination, disability and wrongful termination claims. Mr. Watts' employment law practice focuses heavily on the "prevention side" of employment claims and positioning problem employment situations for the best possible defense, including complicated reductions-in-force terminations. He regularly advises employers regarding effective methods to avoid employment-related claims, including the use of effective employment contracts and severance agreements, implementation of up-to-date company policies and procedures, providing manager training on “best practices,” and giving day-to-day, practical advice on pressing employment issues, such as wage-hour compliance and the management and termination of “problem employees.”

His practice has also involved advising employers on strategies for remaining union-free, as well as successfully representing employers in union organizing campaigns, collective bargaining negotiations and state court strike injunction litigation.  Mr. Watts also represents employers in agency proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board, including union representation and unfair labor practice cases.

Mr. Watts also has extensive experience defending employers before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement and various other federal and state agencies. He is also a frequent guest lecturer on labor and employment issues for businesses, employers, and Human Resources groups around the country. Over the years, he has conducted scores of workshops and seminars and spoken to numerous national conventions as well as state and local meetings.

Mr. Watts represents or works with employers in a wide ranging, diverse group of industries, including automobile dealerships, advertising agencies, security and alarm companies, computer technology companies, equipment and food manufacturers, non-profit organizations, physicians, retailers and wholesalers, interstate transportation and wind energy companies. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Watts worked as an actor in New York and Los Angeles.

• State University of New York at Buffalo, B.A., cum laude, 1993
• Rutgers-Newark School of Law, J.D., 1997

• State Bar of California
• State Bar of Georgia
• State Bar of New Jersey

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