George Frederick Allen

I had an individual employment contract with a large private sector company. The contract said that if I was terminated "for cause" then I would not be entitled to the severance package to which I would otherwise be entitled. The contract was very specific about what constituted "just cause." ...I was terminated after more than 20 years employment and, in my view, the company did not meet the mutually agreed to "just cause" standards specified in my employment agreement. In fact, my employer refused to give me a reason for my termination. Apparently it was a "just because" termination. It was a clear breach of my contract. My contract called for binding arbitration if I felt my rights under the contract had been violated. I needed a lawyer and did not know any labor lawyers in the Sacramento area. After due diligence research and a face-to-face interview, I asked Mr. Allen to take my case and he agreed to do so. His style and values that came from his website were a major influencing factor. The interview sealed the deal. I must reveal at this point that I am not now, nor ever have been, a lawyer. However, I have represented clients in more than two dozen arbitrations over the previous 26 years. All this means is that I knew just enough to be a danger to myself and probably a pain in the...elbow...to an attorney. Mr. Allen must have sensed this and in our first protracted meeting he took great care to explain all the various aspects of the applicable laws in my case, the arbitration standards, and his suggested plan for depositions and formal proceedings. He gave me great confidence in his abilities and his knowledge of the law. At that point, I put myself entirely in his hands and followed his guidance. Nevertheless, he continually kept me informed about the current status of the case, explained upcoming options and asked my opinion on which option or direction to take. He also cc'd me on all emails between my former employer and himself. Mr. Allen is an excellent and prompt communicator, and that includes replying to any emails I sent to him. I left every decision up to his professional judgment and he batted 1.000. Based on my experience, George was brilliant during the deposition phase. He was well prepared, knew the points of information he wanted to draw out for the record and, most importantly, knew when to quit. No excess. No fishing. No fluff. He knew not to ask the dreaded "one question too many." Finally, at the pre-arbitration session with the two parties and the arbitrator himself, Mr. Allen was masterful. Our arbitrator was one of the most renowned labor arbitrators in the state and is highly respected by all. Mr. Allen, working with the arbitrator, skillfully guided me and my former employer to an agreement on all matters to be arbitrated and it was an agreement with which I was especially pleased. No arbitration hearing and decision would be necessary. George has tremendous knowledge, he thoroughly prepares, he is a superb communicator, he is an excellent strategist, and has a nonpareil skill set and seamless people skills. A major bonus you get with Mr. Allen is his voice, and I am not being trivial or flip. He has an exceedingly mellifluous, calming voice as befits the radio announcer he once was. It calms distraught clients, takes the wind out of cranky opposing counsel, and impresses the neutral. One final note. Mr. Allen and his administrative assistant are extremely meticulous in their record keeping and very professional. Mr. Allen makes no attempt to either run up the hours or to pad the bill. In fact, I believe he minimized them to his own detriment. My case took place over a 1½ year time span, ending this past April, and Mr. Allen was thoroughly diligent, cheerful, and effective throughout. I recommend Mr. Allen without reservation.