Steven M. Chanley

I was introduced to Steve by a counsel at Morrison & Forrester. Over the past few years, Steve has been representing me in an employment dispute involving equity compensation. Steve’s understanding of the nuances of the law is truly exceptional. His dedication to advocate and fight for your rights a...nd the attention to detail is noteworthy. Moreover he is very honest, forthright and very persistent. He will keep things rolling and coming up with new ideas to tackle problems despite the pressure. I can always count on him. Highly recommended!

We have a small business in San Luis Obispo with about 8 to 10 employees at any given time. Upon the recommendation of another attorney, we retained Steve to represent us when an employee claimed we had discriminated against them. I appreciated that Steve was aggressive in his strategy without incur...ring excessive hours. I feel that he always explains the options available to us at each step and respects our direction. Steve was sensitive to the small size and limited resources of our company, but I have never felt that I got less than his best service because of our company size. In fact, Steve has responded very quickly when we have had minor employee issues. Steve’s counsel is spiced with just a bit of wit and humor, which helped us get through emotionally charged issues. In my previous career, I had to work with several major law firms and internal corporate counsels. I find Steve’s professionalism and service to be on par with any of the attorneys I have worked with.

I have worked with Steve for about ten years on employee litigation and personnel practices matters. I recommend him highly. On the litigation front we have been involved with cases in which the matters have been withdrawn, settled and gone through trial and judgement. I found Steve to be knowledg...eable about the law, thoughtful and creative about case management strategy and tactics, and having a keen insight into dealing with both federal and state labor agencies. He has advised us on our personnel practices. His advice enabled us improve the quality and fairness of our staff administration and positioned us well in cases in which our employer/employee relationship became adversarial. Steve is thoughtful, calm and persuasive. These are valuable traits when dealing with issues of fairness, the letter and spirit of the law and the “settle” vs. litigate decision.

My team and I have turned to Steve Chanley's expertise for nearly 7 years for our various employment law needs. I consider him a vital partner in our organization's due diligence process in all areas of employment law, whether it is for consultation regarding labor law practices or representation for... pending/potential litigation. Steve has always been exceptionally knowledgeable, strategic, and provides realistic advice. Whenever another organization seeks a referral for employment law services, I always refer Steve's services without any hesitation. He is truly among the best in his field.

We hired Steve to negotiate and resolve a contract/labor dispute with a portfolio company. Steve was very responsive, listened well, and provided sound, practical counsel. His ability to de-escalate situations with the opposing party was one of the most valuable aspects of his help. This was a sit...uation that involved several legal parties. Steve was able to work well with both our legal teams and the other company's legal teams. The contracts Steve wrote were concise, efficient, and foresightful. We would not hesitate to hire Steve again if such a need arose for us.