Steven M. Chanley

I am a shareholder at Employer Advocates Group (EAG) law firm, operating in both San Luis Obispo and Orange Counties. My work primarily involves defending and advising businesses on various aspects of Employment Law. This includes handling cases related to wage-hour disputes, employee misclassification, employment discrimination, sexual harassment, trade secret misappropriation, and wrongful termination litigation defense. Additionally, I provide guidance on Employment Law compliance and personnel issues.

I hold an "AV" rating from the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, which is the highest rating an attorney can receive, reflecting my legal ability and adherence to professional ethics, reliability, and diligence.

Before establishing EAG in 2002, I practiced Employment Law in San Francisco at Littler and in Palo Alto at Morrison & Foerster. I was also a partner at the San Luis Obispo firm of Sinsheimer, Schiebelhut, Baggett & Tangeman.

I grew up in San Luis Obispo County and attended Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo for my undergraduate studies. I earned my law degree from the University of California Law School in San Francisco. I am a member of the State Bar of California and have the authority to practice in all federal courts in California, as well as federal district courts in Texas.

University of California College of the Law, San Francisco

J.D.

1989

California State University - California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

B.A. (1985) | English

1985

Honors: cum laude

Attorney/Founder

Employer Advocates Group

2002 - Current

Attorney/Partner

Sinsheimer, Schiebelhut, Baggett & Tangeman

1995 - 2002

San Luis Obispo, CA

Attorney

Morrison & Foerster LLP

1990 - 1995

Palo Alto, California

Attorney

Littler Mendelson P.C.

1989 - 1990

San Francisco, California

Board Agent/Extern

National Labor Relations Board, Region 20

1989 - 1989

San Francisco, CA

Summer Accociate

Littler Mendelson P.C.

1988 - 1988

San Francisco, CA

Summer Associate

Cotchett & Illston

1987 - 1987

Burlingame, CA

Paralegal

Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro

1984 - 1985

San Francisco, CA

Rethinking The 'No Comment Rule' Rule in At-Will Discharges

San Luis Obispo County Bar Bulletin

2011

Quest For Order in "Pigeon Feathers": Updike's Use of Christian Mythology

Thompson Publishing

2008

Employment Law Update 2013, Dibuduo & Defendis Insurance

2013

Form I-9 Compliance, Santa Maria Human Resources Assn.

2013

Avoiding Top 10 Problematic Employment Practices, Nat'l Assn. of Women Business Owners, Cental Coast

2018

9.9 Rating

AVVO

2024

AV Rating

Martindale-Hubbell

2024

Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers

Martindale-Hubbell

2003

AV Rating

Martindale-Hubbell

1996

American Jurisprudence Award

Labor Law II

1988

State Bar of California  # 142079

Member

1989 - Current

California

State Bar of California

ID Number: 142079

Since 1989

U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit

Since 2020

U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

Since 1990

U.S. District Court, Central District of California

Since 1996

U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California

Since 2004

U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Oklahoma

Since 2020

U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas

Since 2020

U.S. District Court, Northern District of California

Since 1990

U.S. District Court, Southern District of California

Since 2004

• Credit Cards Accepted

Q. My current atty does not return calls should I look for a new one I was carjacked at work and fired a week later

October 29, 2024

A: Selecting an attorney is an important decision, as whomever you engage will hold your legal interests, either as a person or a business, in their hands. It is critical to hire an attorney who is not only competent and trustworthy, but also one who will listen to you to determine the best way of achieving your legal needs. Being responsive and available are also baseline requirements for any attorney worth hiring.

No client should ever stay with an attorney they do not trust or do not believe is meeting their needs.

I note that most plaintiffs’ attorneys who work on a contingency fee basis will include in their engagement agreement terms that related to what will happen if you choose to switch attorneys while a matter is still pending. You should read and be familiar with those provisions.

If you wish to withdraw from the engagement of your current counsel and believe that they are hindering your right to use an attorney of your own choosing, or are otherwise acting in an unfair manner, you should contact the State Bar. The State Bar is, above all, a consumer protection organization that is entrusted with protecting the rights of attorneys’ clients.

You may contact your county’s local Bar Association for a referral to an attorney whose practice concentrates on your area of need.

I wish you the best of luck. ... Read More

Q. Does it matter if I signed a employment contract can I still be fired without cause?

October 12, 2024

A: The answer to that will turn on the terms of your employment agreement. If your agreement is expressly at-will or expressly terminable only for good cause, those terms will govern.

However, if your agreement is silent on whether your employment is at-will or terminable for cause only will depend on the contemplated length of the employment under the contract.

If the contract is for no particular length of time, it is presumed by law to provide for at-will employment, pursuant to Labor Code section 2922. That presumption may, however, be rebutted with evidence that the parties intended that good cause exist before the employer may terminate the contract. That generally entails a very high standard of proof.

If the employment agreement, however, is for a specified time (e.g., for a two-year period), it may be terminated by the employer prior to the expiration of that term if one of three circumstances exist: (a) if the employee has engaged in any willful breach of duty in the course of his employment; (b) if the employee has engaged in habitual neglect of his duty; or (3) if the employee suffers from a continued incapacity to perform his employment duties. (Labor Code section 2924.)

I hope this answers your question. ... Read More

Q. Employer fired me after i filled a lawsuit against them.

September 1, 2024

A: Your best option is to contact your nearest County Bar Association and ask for a referral to a competent employment law plaintiffs' attorney. Your situation will require that an attorney meet with you to gather and analyze all of the relevant facts and documentary evidence available before being able to provide competent and meaningful advice.

Good luck to you.