Resumé

University of California, Berkeley School of Law, Lecturer, 2022 - present

Stevens Arbitration, Oakland, CA- Arbitrator-Mediator 2021-present Arbitrate, mediate consumer disputes, fee disputes and labor and employment cases.  

Lafayette & Kumagai, Oakland, CA-Associate  2018-2021 Represent Fortune 500 companies and public entities in employment litigation matters, including but not limited to disability, race and sex discrimination, race and sexual harassment and wrongful termination.  Respond to complaints filed with EEOC, DFEH and California Labor Commission-Division of Labor Standards and Enforcement 

County of Santa Clara;  Deputy County Counsel    2005-2018 Advise Board of Supervisors and County departments on labor and Employment matters; represent County in administrative and court hearings and general civil litigation matters; represent County before the Public Employees Relations Board; conduct and supervise workplace investigations; develop and conduct County-wide labor and employment related trainings including sexual harassment prevention and peace officer bill of rights; represent County in labor grievance and discipline arbitrations; represent County and provide advice to Department Heads during labor meet and confer meetings; respond to and develop training for County departments on the California Public Records Act; provide general government advice to various County departments. 

The Stevens Law Firm, Oakland, CA-Owner  2003-2005 Represented public entities, business and commercial clients in civil rights defense, labor and employment and business torts. Conduct workplace investigations. 

Golden Gate School of Law/San Francisco School of Law- Adjunct Professor  2000-2013 Taught Civil Practice Intern Clinic and Civil Procedure 

Oakland Civil Service Commission-Chair/Member  2000-2008 Presided over and member civil service commission responsible for enforcing civil Service rules including but not limited to hearing matters brought by Oakland City and Port of  Oakland Oakland employees regarding discipline, approval of the exemption of positions from the competitive service; approval of classification specifications and performing appellate duties. 

Grillo & Stevens LLP, Oakland, CA – Partner  1999-2003 Represented public entities, business and commercial clients in civil rights defense, labor and employment and business torts and general civil litigation. 

Alameda County Superior Court, Judge Pro Tem  1999-2012 Served as Judge Pro Tem for traffic and small claims matters for Alameda County Courts 

Law Offices of Cheryl A. Stevens, San Francisco, CA – Owner  1994-1999 Represented public entities, business and commercial clients in general civil litigation, civil rights defense and business torts. 

McGee, Lafayette, Willis & Greene, San Francisco, CA – Associate   1991-1994 Represented business and commercial clients in general civil litigation, civil rights defense and business torts 

Bingham McCutchen (McCutchen Brown Doyle & Enersen), San Francisco, CA  1989-1991 Represented business and commercial clients in general civil litigation, civil rights defense and business torts. 

United States Court of Appeal for the Sixth Circuit, Detroit, MI  1988-1989 Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Damon J. Keith

Howard University School of Law, Washington, D.C.  

1988 

Juris Doctorate-cum laude, Editor-in-Chief, Howard Law Journal 

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI  

1982-1984 

Completed course work towards Masters in Japanese Studies. 

Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT  

1978-1982 

Bachelor of Arts  

BAR ADMISSIONS 

California (1990) United States District Courts-Northern and Eastern Districts of California (1990) United States Court of Appeal, Ninth Circuit (1990); District of Columbia (1991); United States Supreme Court (2000) 

MEMBERSHIPS 

California State Bar Labor and Employment Section 

Bar Association of San Francisco, ADR and Labor & Employment

American Bar Association, ADR and Labor & Employment

Alameda County Bar Association 

INDUSTRIES 

Public sector, education, higher education, cities and counties, law enforcement 

PANELS 

Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service (FMCS)

California State Mediation & Conciliation Service (SMCS)

California Faculty Association

Bar Association of San Francisco Fee Dispute 

American Arbitration Association Consumer Panel 

Los Angeles Employee Relations Board 

PUBLICATIONS 

Co-author, Chapter 14: The Government Claims Act and Overview of Liability and Immunity Issues for Public Entities and Public Employees, in California Public Sector Employment Law, ed. Bruce Barsook et al., (New York, NY: Matthew Bender, 2017) 

Co-author, She Defined the Common Good, 7 Hastings Women’s L.R. 201 (1996) 

PUBLISHED OPINIONS 

Santa Clara County Correctional Peace Officers’ Assn., Inc. v. County of Santa Clara, 169 Cal.Rptr.3d 228 (2014) 

Panagotacos v. Bank of America, 60 CA 4th 851 (1998)

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS 

Legislative Updates State Bar of California, Labor & Employment Section, 2012