Jennifer E. Douglas

Partner, SPHR

  • Biography

    Jennifer E. Douglas is head of the firm’s labor and employment department. She has been a lawyer for 25 years with extensive experience in all manner of employment issues including wage and hour, discrimination, reasonable accommodation, leaves of absence, and implementing state and federal regulations. She often analyzes legal risks associated with hiring, disciplining and firing in order to counsel clients with these employment decisions. Although counseling is the key to DP&F’s employment practice, Jennifer is a trained and experienced litigator who protects her clients’ interests when litigation becomes necessary.

    As an employment lawyer Jennifer recognizes the importance human resources plays in every business. Because of this she obtained her certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources from the HR Certification Institute. This in depth understanding of human resources enhances her ability to counsel her clients in all areas of employment law.

    Jennifer is a world traveler and native Californian. She enjoys all that Sonoma County has to offer and resides in Santa Rosa with her two children.

  • Education
    • J.D., cum laude, University of San Francisco School of Law (1994)
    • Trinity College, Dublin Ireland, law school exchange (1992)
    • B.S., Business Administration, California State University, Chico (1989)
  • Presentations
    • Keynote Speaker, 2019 Sonoma County EAC Annual Employment and Labor Law Update, October 16, 2019
    • Instructor, “Employment Law” Executive MBA Program Sonoma State University, August 9, 2019
    • Contributor, “Employer Drug Testing” by Bill Meagher, Northbay Biz, July 2019, Access article here.
    • Presenter, Employee Wage Claims “Berman Hearings”, Sonoma County Bar Association, April 29, 2019
    • Co-Presenter, “Attorney Hotline”, AgSafe Activate19 Annual Conference, February 27, 2019
    • Instructor, “FLC Regulations,” AgSafe Agricultural Laws and Regulations for Growers and Farm Labor Contractors (ALRGFLC), February 26,2019
    • Instructor, “Employment Law” Executive MBA Program Sonoma State University, February 20, 2019
    • Keynote Speaker, 2018 Sonoma County EAC Annual Employment and Labor Law Update, October 16, 2018
    • Co-Presenter, “Legalization of Cannabis and the Workplace; The ‘Wild West’s New Frontier'” PASCO, September 13, 2018
    • Instructor, “Employment Law” Executive MBA Program Sonoma State University, July 27, 2018
    • Presenter, “Annual Human Resources Legal Update” ACTIVATE18 – AgSafe Annual Conference, Monterey, February 28, 2018
    • Presenter, “FLC Regulations,” AgSafe Agricultural Laws and Regulations for Growers and Farm Labor Contractors (ALRGFLC), Monterey,  February 27, 2018
    • Instructor, “Employment Law”. Execute MBA Program, Sonoma State University, February 9, 2018
    • Presenter, “Employment and Labor Law Workshop”. Sonoma County Growers Alliance, Santa Rosa, February 7, 2018
    • Keynote Speaker, 2017 Sonoma County EAC Annual Employment and Labor Law Update, December 13, 2017
    • Presenter, “Top 5 Ways to Minimize Legal Risk When Hiring”, Wine Women’s Winery Executive GM Forum, September 13, 2017
    • Presenter, “FLC Regulations,” AgSafe Agricultural Laws and Regulations for Growers and Farm Labor Contractors (ALRGFLC),  Napa, July 11, 2017
    • Presenter, “FLC Regulations,” AgSafe Agricultural Laws and Regulations for Growers and Farm Labor Contractors (ALRGFLC), Santa Maria,  June 13, 2017
    • PASCO Labor Law Update, May 18, 2017
    • Presenter, “FLC Regulations,” AgSafe Agricultural Laws and Regulations for Growers and Farm Labor Contractors (ALRGFLC), Oxnard,  March 22, 2017
    • Presenter, “FLC Regulations / AB1513: One Year In What Happened?” Agsafe Agricultural Laws and Regulations for Growers and Farm Labor Contractors (ALRGFLC), Monterey, March 2017
    • Presenter, “FLC Regulations,” AgSafe Agricultural Laws and Regulations for Growers and Farm Labor Contractors (ALRGFLC), Monterey, February 2017  
    • PASCO Labor Law Update, February 16, 2017
    • Presenter, “FLC Regulations,” AgSafe Agricultural Laws and Regulations for Growers and Farm Labor Contractors (ALRGFLC), Santa Rosa,  November 2, 2016
    • Keynote Speaker, 2016 Sonoma county EAC Annual Employment and Labor Law Update, October 12, 2016
    • Webinar Presenter: “Navigating Through Safe Harbor Compliance,” AgSafe, October 4, 2016
    • Presenter, “FLC Regulations,” AgSafe Agricultural Laws and Regulations for Growers and Farm Labor Contractors (ALRGFLC), Holtville, September 7, 2016
    • Presenter, “FLC Regulations,” AgSafe Agricultural Laws and Regulations for Growers and Farm Labor Contractors (ALRGFLC), American Canyon, July 13, 2016
    • Presenter, “FLC Regulations,” AgSafe Agricultural Laws and Regulations for Growers and Farm Labor Contractors (ALRGFLC), Modesto, June 15, 2016
    • Presenter, “FLC Regulations,” AgSafe Agricultural Laws and Regulations for Growers and Farm Labor Contractors (ALRGFLC), Monterey, February 23, 2016
    • PASCO Labor Law Update, February 18, 2016
    • Presenter, “AB 1513 Training,” Agricultural Management Institute, January 14, 2016
    • Presenter, “Navigating the New Paid Sick Leave,” Fall 2015
    • Keynote Speaker, 2015 Sonoma County EAC Annual Employment and Labor Law Update, October 14, 2015
    • PASCO Labor Law Update, September 17, 2015
    • Presenter, “Employee Handbook Workshop,” Malloy Imrie & Vasconi Insurance Services, LLC, April 22, 2015
    • Presenter, “New Heat Illness Regulation, New Sick Leave Mandate, New Responsibility and Liability for Hiring Contractors: Are you Ready for 2015,” Farm Employers Labor Service, April 6, 2015
    • Presenter, “Mandatory Paid Leave: Understanding & Complying With California’s Groundbreaking Sick Leave Law,” PASCO, February 19, 2015
    • Keynote Speaker, 2014 Sonoma County EAC Annual Employment and Labor Law Update, October 1, 2014
    • PASCO Labor Law Update, January 16, 2014
    • PASCO Labor Law Update, November 21, 2013
    • Sonoma County EAC – 2013 Annual Employment & Labor Law Update, 
      October 2, 2013
    • PASCO Labor Law Update, September 26, 2013
    • PASCO Labor Law Update, August 22, 2013
    • PASCO Labor Law Update, June 27, 2013
    • PASCO Labor Law Update, April 25, 2013
    • PASCO, “Preventing FMLA Nightmares,” February 28, 2013
    • 2012 Sonoma County EAC Annual Employment & Labor Law Update, October 3, 2012
    • PASCO Labor Law Update, September 20, 2012
    • PASCO Labor Law Update, August 9, 2012
    • Sonoma County EAC – 2011 Annual Employment & Labor Law Update – Speaker October 5, 2011
  • Associations
    • Legal Aid of Sonoma County, Board Member
    • Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
    • The Professional Association of Sonoma County (PASCO)
    • Sonoma County Bar Association
    • Napa County Bar Association
    • Sonoma County Women in Law
    • AgSafe
    • Women for WineSense
  • Publications and Posts
    Array