Wilke, Fleury, Hoffelt, Gould & Birney, LLP : Sacramento, California : Healthcare Law Firm

Kelli M. Kennaday
Partner
kkennaday@wilkefleury.com

400 Capitol Mall

Twenty-second Floor

Sacramento

CA 95814

T: 916.441.2430

F: 916.442.6664

PRACTICE AREAS

Education

University of California, Davis - J.D. (1991)
University of California, San Diego - B.A. (1988)

BIOGRAPHY

Kelli M. Kennaday is a partner and chairs the Labor and Employment practice. Ms. Kennaday litigates employment disputes before all California state and federal courts and administrative agencies, including claims for discrimination, harassment, retaliation, unfair competition, and violations of the ADA, FMLA, and Labor Code. Ms. Kennaday also litigates wage and hour claims, including class actions. Ms. Kennaday advises employers on best practices relating to hiring, discipline, terminations, employee handbooks, contracts and training. Ms. Kennaday also publishes a quarterly newsletter for her clients on recent developments in California and federal employment law and is a frequent lecturer on employment law topics for professional and trade associations, bar associations and CLE providers.

LEGAL EMPLOYMENT

          Wilke, Fleury, Hoffelt, Gould & Birney, LLP
             400 Capitol Mall, 22nd Floor
          Sacramento, California 95814
          1991 to the present
          Partner and Chair, Labor and Employment Law Section, 1997-present
          Executive Committee, 2008-present

EDUCATION

            University of California, Davis School of Law
            Juris Doctorate 1991
            National Order of Barristers
            Roger J. Traynor Moot Court Competition State Semi-Finalist
            American Jurisprudence Award Recipient, Constitutional Law

            University of California, San Diego
            Bachelor of Arts, Biochemistry/Cell Biology 1988
            Bachelor of Arts, Sociology 1988
            Regents' Scholar
            Provost Honors List

SEMINARS/PRESENTATIONS

Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, 2008

            Metro Chamber Executive Briefing:
            Wage and Hour – Current and Future Efforts to
            Modernize the State’s Wage and Hour Laws

Sacramento Valley Paralegal Association, 2007

Update on New Developments in Employment Law

Ulrich, Nash & Gump, Inc., 2005

Recent Developments in Sexual Harassment

Ulrich, Nash & Gump, Inc., 2005

Recent Developments in Wage and Hour Law

California Society of Dermatology Annual Meeting, 2005

Employment Law: What Physicians Need to Know

Council on Education in Management, 2004

            California Personnel Law Update 2004
            Protecting Your Organization from Mounting
            Workplace Harassment, Retaliation and Whistleblower Claims

California Society of Dermatology Annual Meeting, 2002

Employment Law Primer for the Medical Practitioner

PROFESSIONAL AND CIVIC ACTIVITIES

Sacramento Area Regional Technology Alliance, 2008-present

Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, 2008-present

Wonder, Inc Mentor, 2006-2007

State Bar of California

Labor and Employment Law Section, 1999-present

Sacramento County Barristers' Club

Past-President, 1997

President, 1996

Vice-President, 1995

Board Member, 1994

Sacramento County Bar Association

Bar Council, 1996-1997

Sacramento Ballet Board of Trustees

Board member and Officer, 1994-1997

Chair, Fund Development Committee, 1995-1997

American Inns of Court, 1991-1993

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

Wage and Hour Class Action

Successfully defended international high-tech consulting firm in a wage and hour class action alleging mis-classification of software programmers, failure to pay overtime and violation of final pay rules. The trial court decertified the class and the decision was upheld by the Second District Court of Appeal.
Federal Civil Rights Case

Successfully defended individual accused of violating the plaintiff’s civil rights under 42 U.S.C. section 1983. Obtained summary judgment in the federal Eastern District Court on 10 separate claims.
Whistleblower Retaliation Case

Successfully defended at trial a major accounting firm accused of retaliating against a whistleblower. Awarded significant costs against the plaintiff following trial based upon a Section 998 offer.
Sexual Harassment Case

Prevailed on 29 out of 32 motions in limine during the trial of a sexual harassment case against a national managed health care company, resulting in a favorable settlement during trial.
Race Discrimination Case

Succeeded in having claim transferred to bankruptcy estate after discovering the plaintiff had concealed the claim from the bankruptcy trustee. The trustee agreed to a de minimis settlement. The plaintiff received nothing.

PUBLICATIONS

Employment