Our People

Arlin Kachalia

Associate, San Francisco

415.512.3000
akachalia@lcwlegal.com

Arlin Kachalia, an associate in the San Francisco office of Liebert Cassidy Whitmore, is experienced in various aspects of litigation before state and federal courts, from handling trial, law and motion, mediation, settlement and appeal matters.  She has extensive deposition and written discovery experience and considerable litigation expertise in handling discrimination,  harassment, and retaliation causes of action, for both local agency and education clients.  Arlin represents the firm's clients in all aspects of employment law including responding to EEOC/DFEH charges, advising on employee discipline, drafting disciplinary notices and reprimands, reviewing policies, advising on family and medical leave, and conducting interactive process meetings.  Arlin has also advised clients on matters pertaining to the Ralph M. Brown Act, Public Records Act, and conflicts of interest.

Arlin has worked on a number of education law matters and provides advice and counsel to school and community college districts regarding the Education Code and in such areas as employee discipline and other personnel matters.  She has handled numerous labor matters, including grievances and unfair practice charges.

She has also authored Chapter 1 (Hiring) of the California Public Sector Employment Law book, State Bar of California/LexisNexis (2011).

Arlin received her Juris Doctorate at the Emory University School of Law in Atlanta and was admitted to the California Bar in 1997.  She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Economy from the University of California, Berkeley.

Representative Matters

Appellate

  • Coats v. San Mateo County Harbor District, et al (2010) - Employment discrimination lawsuit in the California Court of Appeal.  The plaintiff claimed that the District's investigation into his misconduct and resulting discipline was discrimination on the basis of his disability. The Court of Appeal agreed with our arguments that the District's investigation and disciplinary appeal procedures were protected activity under the Anti-SLAPP statute (CCP section 425.16) and ordered the plaintiff to pay the City's attorneys' fees in the Court of Appeal and Superior Court.

Litigation

  • LAUSD v. Commission on Professional Competence (Matthew In Ho Kim) (2009) - Represented LAUSD in this favorable decision to overturn the decision of the Commission on Professional Competence. The Trial Court emphatically upheld the right of the District to terminate him, and the Court of Appeal agreed, but the CPC defied both courts and ordered him reinstated again. The Trial Court ruled in the District's favor a second time, and also ordered the CPC to proceed with the dismissal despite the fact that Kim has appealed again. This resulted in Kim finally coming off the District payroll despite the CPC's prior refusals to comply with the Court's orders.
  • Henderson v. Victor Valley Community College District Board of Trustees (2007) - Multiple cause of action case. At least one cause of action was dismissed at the demurrer stage. The District won a motion for summary adjudication of additional causes of action and the District won a court trial on the rescission cause of action. The remaining cause of action for defamation was settled by the individual plaintiff.

Awards

Selected for inclusion in Southern California Rising Star, 2007

Publications

Education

  • JD, Emory University School of Law, Atlanta, Georgia
  • BA, University of California, Berkeley
To Contact Liebert Cassidy Whitmore:
Los Angeles 310.981.2000 | Fresno 559.256.7800 | San Francisco 415.512.3000 | info@lcwlegal.com
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