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Jennifer B. Rubin

Member

[email protected]

+1.858.314.1550

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Jen draws on over 30 years of experience crafting legal solutions to employment challenges. Her clients include large and small businesses and executives. She advises technology, financial services, publishing, retail, professional services, and health care companies seeking regulatory, litigation, and compliance advice. Her bi-coastal employment practice includes counseling clients regarding wage and hour compliance and trial practice, with a focus on class actions, trade secrets and employment mobility disputes, internal workplace investigations, and disputes arising from the employment relationship (including as they relate to discrimination, harassment and retaliation, leave and accommodation, non-competes and other restrictive covenant issues, and other employment-related issues). While Jen is a zealous advocate in the courtroom, she relishes finding solutions for her clients as they navigate the manner in which the employment relationship impacts their business and personal lives. 

Jen recently served on the firm’s Policy Committee and Co-Chairs the firm’s ESG Practice Group, which leverages her experience advising organizations and corporate boards on DEI, social and governance issues. In addition to being recognized by Chambers USA, and having an AV Preeminent ranking from Martindale-Hubbell. In 2023, Corporate Counsel Business Journal named Jen to its list of 50 Women to Watch. 

Jen is committed to serving her community and currently acts as a faculty member and advisor to The Honor Foundation, a non-profit organization that assists Navy Seals and other armed services special operators transition from military service to the private sector. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Midway Museum, and is a Co-Chair of the San Diego 50/50 Women on Boards Leadership Committee.

In addition to her law practice and leadership roles, Jen regularly speaks and writes about employment trends and industry-related information. She has been interviewed by numerous national publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Bloomberg Law, Corporate Counsel, Law360, and American Banker.  

Experience

 

  • Obtained favorable arbitration award following hearing for executive for breach of employment contract and obtained legal fees from arbitrator and Delaware Chancery Court and sanctions against opposing party for raising frivolous defenses.
  • Advised public and private company boards with respect to executive transition issues.
  • Obtained terminating sanctions against plaintiff asserting discrimination claims against nationally known retailer from a California Superior Court due to plaintiff’s discovery misconduct.
  • Represented multinational corporation in unique multi-party case relating to trade secrets and California’s SLAPP statute, resulting in successful outcome for client.
  • Conducted multiple highly sensitive internal investigations relating to employee misconduct, alleged sexual harassment, and other compliance matters.
  • Drafted and negotiated complex equity, employment, and transaction arrangements for executives in connection with acquisitions, sales, and merger of selling and acquiring companies.
  • Defending a nationally known cannabis confection manufacturer in multiple class and PAGA cases in California Superior Court.
  • Negotiated significant reduction in proposed penalties against international technology company arising from contractor misclassification claims.
  • Guided an international media company in formulating and implementing pay transparency strategies; hosted monthly roundtable discussions aimed at troubleshooting and multi-jurisdictional compliance.
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viewpoints

California Answers (Some) Pay Transparency Questions

January 11, 2023 | Blog | By Jennifer Rubin, Kevin Kim

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From the Edge - In the Boardroom: Session 5 - Employment Law

November 16, 2022 | Podcast | By Melanie Ruthrauff Levy, Stephen Osborn, Jennifer Rubin

In our fifth session, which focuses on employment law, the team is joined by Jen Rubin, a bicoastal Member in our Employment, Labor & Benefits Practice and Chair of our ESG Practice, to discuss best practices related to hiring an executive (hint: consensus is key), managing the executive at the board level, and how to (amicably) negotiate to terminate an executive.
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Pay Range(r)s: A (Pocket) Field Guide to Pay Transparency

October 17, 2022 | Blog | By Paul Huston, Jennifer Rubin

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Will ‘Dobbs’ Advice Erode the Attorney-Client Privilege?

August 31, 2022 | Blog | By Jennifer Rubin, Greer Clem

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California Voters Will Decide PAGA’s Fate at the Ballot Box in 2024

August 10, 2022 | Blog | By Jennifer Rubin, Mike Flesuras

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What Public Comments on the SEC’s Proposed Climate-Related Rules Reveal—and the Impact They May Have on the Proposed Rules

July 20, 2022 | Blog | By Jacob Hupart, Megan Gates, William F. Weld, Doug Baumstein, Jennifer Rubin, Will G. McKitterick

This article provides a brief summary of the public comments submitted to the SEC regarding the Commission's proposed climate-related rules, and analyzes and summaries the key points the comments conveyed.
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Group Health Plans in the Crossfire: Facilitating Reproductive Choice in the Wake of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health

June 26, 2022 | Blog | By Jennifer Rubin, Michelle Capezza, Corbin Carter, Michael Arnold

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News & Press

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Law360 published an article co-authored by ESG Co-chair Jen Rubin and General Counsel at ResMed, Mike Rider, on tips for counsel attempting to navigate the complex ESG political landscape.
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Corporate Counsel Business Journal recently featured Member Jen Rubin in an interview following her notable inclusion on its “50 Women to Watch” list. The prestigious list celebrates women who exemplify outstanding leadership qualities, business acumen, and a commitment to mentoring in their communities.
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ESG Co-chair Jennifer Rubin, Member Paul Huston, and Associate Kevin Kim co-authored an article published in Law360 examining the twenty-year history of the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) and its impactful role as a road map for managing claims.
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ESG Co-chair Jen Rubin, and Associates Danielle Dillon and Evan Piercey co-authored an article in Law360 on the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit's rejection of a challenge to Nasdaq's diversity rule.
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ESG Practice Co-Chair and Employment Member Jen Rubin and Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer Narges Kakalia co-authored an article published by Corporate Counsel exploring the ways corporate counsel can focus and influence their companies' DEI efforts.
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SAN DIEGO – Mintz is pleased to congratulate Member Jen Rubin who has been named to the San Diego Business Journal Women of Influence in Law list. This prominent list honors the top women attorneys in the San Diego area who have made an impact on their clients, their profession, and their community.
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BOSTON – Mintz has earned top rankings in the 2023 edition of Legal 500 United States guide. The firm is recognized in 14 practice categories, and 59 individual attorneys are also recognized in the guide, some in more than one category.
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BOSTON –Mintz announced today that 39 of its practices and 81 of its attorneys earned recognition in the 2023 edition of Chambers USA, a guide to the country’s leading law firms.
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SAN DIEGO – Mintz is pleased to announce that four attorneys have been named San Diego Super Lawyers and three have been recognized as Rising Stars in the 2023 edition of the annual publication.
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Chair of Mintz’s ESG practice group, Jennifer B. Rubin and Associate Nicole Rivers co-authored an article published by Bloomberg Law about the National Labor Relations Board's McLaren Macomb decision and its proposed limits on non-disparagement and confidentiality. Jen and Nicole explain, "Employers should carefully consider who counts as a ‘supervisor’ when drafting non-disparagement and confidentiality clauses in separation agreements after the NLRB’s McLaren Macomb decision."
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Chair of Mintz’s ESG practice group, Jennifer B. Rubin discussed with HR Brew the controversy surrounding companies which are tying executive compensation to DE&I goals and what the legal implications are.
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SAN DIEGO - Mintz is pleased to announce that Member Jennifer B. Rubin has been named to the prestigious USS Midway Museum Board of Directors. The USS Midway opened as a museum in June 2004 and is the most popular naval warship museum in the United States.
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Member and Chair of Mintz’s ESG practice group, Jennifer B. Rubin spoke to The Wall Street Journal about Elon Musk's expectations for Twitter employees to "work long hours at high intensity" or to leave the company.
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Member and Chair of Mintz’s ESG practice group, Jennifer B. Rubin spoke to Law360 Pulse about New York City's pay transparency law which recently came into effect and requires employers to disclose a pay range in job advertisements.
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Member and Chair of Mintz’s ESG practice group, Jennifer B. Rubin was quoted in a Reuters article on New York City's pay disclosure law and how it will become the largest U.S. locale to require most private employers to disclose salary ranges in job advertisements.
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Mintz Member Jennifer Rubin authored an article published by Corporate Counsel exploring how a new generation of tech savvy, social justice-focused, and environmentally aware employee stakeholders are creating recruitment, retention, and other employment challenges. In the article, she wrote that corporate counsel can play a key role in managing and mitigating this human capital risk, not only in response to the growing environmental, social, and governance disclosure and regulation trends, but as part of the need to design future-proof legal frameworks for the workplace.
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In an article published by the American Banker, Mintz Member Jennifer Rubin offered insights into recent lawsuits challenging both board diversity rules recently adopted by the Nasdaq and the state of California.
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Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin authored a Law360 Expert Analysis article advocating the position that a Board of Directors may have an obligation from an ESG perspective to oversee workplace vaccination mandates in order to ensure the health and safety of its workforce.
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Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin authored a Lexis Nexis Practical Guidance® Practice Note providing guidance to employers about returning employees to the physical workplace as well as advice concerning the adjustment of the workforce to key COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemic workplace changes and challenges, including office safety, updating office policies, and workplace location, among others.
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Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin was quoted extensively in an article published by Law360’s Employment Authority examining the wage and hour issues that may arise with vaccine mandates or incentives, such as extra paid time off and bonuses.
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Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin was quoted in an article published by Law360’s Employment Authority that provided employers with tips on handling religious objections to COVID-19 vaccine mandates, including keeping vaccination discussions private, vaccine education, and more.
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Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin was quoted in an article published by EHS Today to discuss the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s new mask mandate, offering practical guidance regarding the changes, if any, employers might consider in response to the latest CDC guidance.
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Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin was quoted in an article published by the Society for Human Resource Management’s HR Magazine to discuss California’s relaxation of COVID-19 guidelines and how employers can comply with local rules and ordinances to regulate workplace safety.
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Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin was interviewed by KCBS Radio, providing guidance on how employers can navigate vaccine verification and considerations on how to implement vaccine policies in the workplace.
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Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin was quoted extensively in an article published by Law360’s Employment Authority detailing what employers should know about trying to manage partially vaccinated workforces following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s recent guidance suggesting that most fully vaccinated individuals may discontinue certain safety measures, such as masking and social distancing. Throughout the article, Ms. Rubin offered considerations for employers verifying vaccination status including utilizing trained professionals, planning for proof of vaccination in lieu of CDC cards, and mitigating the high risk of bullying created by dividing the workplace into two populations.
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Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin authored a Bloomberg Law Insights column that examined the legal implications of a pandemic-created nomadic workforce, which continues to create complexities for employers because of state and local wage-and-hour laws and other regulations. Ms. Rubin’s article explained how organizations can get a handle on where their employees are working and why they need to do so.
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Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin was quoted extensively in an article published by Law360’s Employment Authority that examined four wage and hour mistakes even smart employers make, especially in the midst of the coronavirus crisis, including not staying on top of employees’ remote work locations, job responsibilities, and more.
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Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin was selected to participate in Law360’s 2021 Employment Editorial Advisory Board, which is a designated group of attorneys that provide feedback on the publication’s employment law news coverage and insights on how best to shape future coverage.
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Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin authored a perspective column for the Daily Journal examining recent oral arguments before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Meland v. Padilla, one of two cases challenging Senate Bill 826, California’s groundbreaking gender parity law for public company boards.
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Mintz Members Brian P. Dunphy, Joanne S. Hawana, and Jennifer B. Rubin co-authored a Bloomberg Law insights column examining potential legal liabilities for employers implementing Covid-19 workplace vaccination programs, explaining that immunity under the federal Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act) is not absolute.
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Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin was quoted extensively in an article published by Law360’s Employment Authority that examined five missteps employers might take when dealing with their unvaccinated workforce, such as being too glib about medical needs, basing job decisions on vaccine status, and segregating specific groups of workers, among others.
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Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin was quoted in an article published by MarketWatch on expansive efforts to regulate big technology companies in California, specifically regarding the state’s new mandate on corporate board diversity.
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Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin authored an article published by Law360 that examined legal challenges employers face as they contemplate the impact of the coronavirus vaccine on the workforce, and how mandatory vaccination programs may create a workforce of immuno-haves, or those who have received the vaccination, and potentially expose employers to employment and consumer claims.
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In an article published by The Washington Post, Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin was quoted on the potential legal and political issues associated with employers mandating a COVID-19 vaccine once it’s approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin was quoted in an article published by Bloomberg Law on potential legal issues for employers that plan to impose a mandate that workers take the COVID-19 vaccine once it’s available.
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Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin authored an article published by Bloomberg Law that provides guidance for California-based public companies to comply with the state’s mandate on corporate board diversity.
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Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin authored a Bloomberg Law Insights column that provided legal considerations for employers that may implement a mandatory workplace vaccination program for the highly anticipated COVID-19 vaccine.
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Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin authored a Law360 expert analysis article that provided legal considerations for employers conducting employee surveys to help prepare for the return to the workplace.
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Mintz Members Jennifer B. Rubin and Melissa Frayer co-authored an article published by Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance that examined board responsibilities during the coronavirus pandemic and offered risk mitigation measures, such as designating a “Chief Covid Officer” to ensure corporate compliance with applicable health and welfare obligations and the resulting safety of employees and consumers.
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In an article published by Bloomberg Law, Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin was quoted on legal considerations for businesses implementing employee pay cuts due to COVID-19.
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Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin was quoted in an article published by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) highlighting how employers can prepare for their workforce’s return to the workplace now following the pandemic, including a potential chief COVID officer and acknowledgement of organization policies by employees prior to returning to the office.
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In an “Expert Spotlight” column published by Wolters Kluwer, Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin offered tips for employers and employees to navigate privacy, mental health, and litigation risks that can arise from work-from-home arrangements necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin authored an article published by the Daily Journal examining the impact of SB 826, California’s groundbreaking gender parity law for public company boards, which has now been in effect for its first full year.
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Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin was quoted in a recent article published by The Wall Street Journal on an increase in employee requests for accommodations for symptoms related to mental illnesses covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as an increase in charges filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging discrimination based on mental-health conditions.
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In an article published by Society for Human Resource Management, Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin provided tips for employers as they navigate uncertainty surrounding AB 51, a California bill that restricts the use of employment arbitration agreements, which is temporarily blocked from going into effect.
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Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin authored an article published by Corporate Counsel that identified some of the diverse personalities that compose a corporate board and provided guidance on how to leverage those disparate personalities to achieve consensus.
Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin authored an article published by Bloomberg Law Insights that outlines guidelines for hiring, lines of reporting, and noncompete terms of agreement in family-run companies and stresses the importance of documentation and process.
Mintz Member Jennifer B. Rubin authored an article published by Law360 that evaluated the impact of the #MeToo movement on the American workplace, as well as whether and how the movement has effectuated meaningful change, two years after its inception.
Mintz Member Jen Rubin explores how the perpetual search for a work-around to California’s prohibition on employee non-competes was stymied again when a California Superior Court refused to dismiss outright an intentional interference with contract claim based upon an allegedly illegal long-term employment contract.

Influential Women

February 27, 2019

Mintz Member Jen Rubin was selected among the 2019 San Diego Daily Transcript Influential Women. The article highlights Jen’s labor & employment practice and her community involvement – specifically serving as co-chair of the Lawyers Club of San Diego's Task Force on Sexual Harassment, her involvement on the steering committees of 2020 Women on Boards, and her role as a faculty member with The Honor Foundation.
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Jen Rubin authors this piece discussing California's new gender mandate law for female representation on public company boards - a first in the nation.
Member Jen Rubin authored this column discussing California Governor Brown’s signing into law the nation’s first gender diversity mandate for female representation on public company boards.
This column discusses where public companies should start in terms of conversations around the limits, guides and constraints on a CEO’s use of social media. Employment, Labor & Benefits Member Jen Rubin authored the piece.
Employment, Labor & Benefits Member Jen Rubin authored this column discussing what companies should do if they find their CEO accused of harassment. Jen notes that this should include the involvement of the board, perhaps a heightened degree of confidentiality, and the organization’s choice of investigator to represent the organization or conduct the investigation, or both.
Employment, Labor and Benefits Member Jen Rubin authored this column focusing on the importance of and need to have a thorough investigation process in harassment situations in the workplace.
The San Diego Business Journal editorial team conducted this Q&A with Member Jen Rubin discussing a California Supreme Court ruling on how businesses classify independent contractors. In the piece, Jen discusses the far-reaching implications.
Jen Rubin is a Member in the Mintz San Diego office focused on employment law. She authored an article, focusing on the legal implications of bullying bosses in light the recent allegations involving Harvey Weinstein and his alleged treatment of women.
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Jennifer Rubin, a Member of the San Diego office authored this piece about complaints made by employees alleging the violation of their constitutional freedoms by their employer.
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Jennifer Rubin, a Member in the in firm’s San Diego office, authored an article in Corporate Counsel that discusses the practice of employee microchipping and addresses some of the questions employers should consider before instituting the technology.
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Jennifer Rubin, a Member in the San Diego offices, authored this piece about two recently-issued appellate decisions impacting legally created class action-like lawsuits under the umbrella of the Private Attorneys’ General Act (PAGA) in California.
Jen Rubin, a Member in Mintz’s San Diego office, authored this piece about California’s new Ban the Box regulation. The piece notes that the regulation raises the bar employers must clear in order to inquire about past convictions when speaking with applicants and employees.
Jennifer Rubin and Cynthia Larose are among those interviewed in the second part of this series discussing the legality of employers’ monitoring data systems and employee digital activity, making sure that they comply with consent and other requirements when setting up programs.
Members Jennifer Rubin and Cynthia Larose are among those interviewed in this article discussing the legality of employers’ monitoring data systems and employee digital activity, making sure that they comply with consent and other requirements when setting up programs.
This column focuses on nine changes to the Labor Code under the state of California’s Fair Pay Act. Member Jen Rubin and attorney Audrey Nguyen, both San Diego-based Employment, Labor & Benefits attorneys, co-authored the article. 
Jennifer B. Rubin, a Member of the Employment, Labor and Benefits Practice at Mintz, has been named to the San Diego Daily Transcript’s 2017 list of Influential Women in San Diego. This honor recognizes “the most talented, innovative and hard-working women” in San Diego County.
Jennifer Rubin, an Employment, Labor & Benefits lawyer, is featured in this American Lawyer article on the efforts by large law firms to express their appreciation toward veterans by participating in pro bono programs providing legal services.
Jen Rubin, a Member in the Employment, Labor, and Benefits Section at Mintz, authored this piece about “acqui-hiring”, the process in which a business acquires another not for its products or services, but for its workforce.
Jen Rubin, an Employment, Labor, and Benefits Member, authored this piece about whether or not fraudulent resume credentials provide a basis for annulling an employment contract.
Member Jen Rubin is quoted in this SHRM article on the need to curb heated political discussions in the workplace, advising taking action “to avoid the implicit or explicit suggestion that voting choices or political leaning in one direction or another are expectations of continued employment.”
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Events & Speaking

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Panelist
Oct
10
2023
Speaker
Jun
15
2023
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Moderator
Nov
10
2022

CRISIS in the C-Suite – A Playbook for In-House Counsel

Mintz, 3580 Carmel Mountain Road, Suite 300 San Diego, CA 92130

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Speaker
Apr
6
2022

Telehealth Risk Management

Mintz

Online Event

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Moderator
Oct
27
2021

Legal ESG Summit

Legal ESG

Virtual Event

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Speaker
Panelist
Jun
23
2021

What’s New in ESG?

Corporate Director's Forum

Webinar Reference Image
Panelist
May
27
2021

Onboarding Diversity & Inclusion

ACC New York City

Webinar

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Speaker
Speaker
Panelist
Nov
21
2019

The National Convention on Board Diversity

2020 Women on Boards

San Diego, CA

Speaker
Apr
30
2019
Speaker
Speaker
Jan
10
2018

San Diego SHRM Law Day

San Diego Society for Human Resource Management

San Diego, CA

Panelist
Nov
17
2016

Annual Equality Survey Luncheon

Lawyers Club of San Diego: Lawyers Club Equality and Action Committee

The US Grant Hotel, 326 Broadway, San Diego, California 92101

Speaker
Feb
25
2016
Speaker
Jan
28
2016

Second Annual Employment Law Summit

The Princeton Club 14 West 43rd Street, New York, New York

Moderator
Dec
3
2015

2016 HRC Corporate Quality Index

Human Rights Campaign San Diego; Qualcomm

10155 Pacific Heights Blvd., Building AZ Multipurpose Room, San Diego, CA

Speaker
Aug
4
2015

Marriage Equality Seminar

Human Rights Campaign, the Tom Homann LGBT Law Association, and ThermoFisher

San Diego, CA

Speaker
Mar
26
2015
Speaker
Mar
18
2015

The 6th Annual San Diego Women in Leadership Symposium

California Diversity Council

7525 Torrey Santa Fe Road, San Diego, CA 92129

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Publications

Contributor, Lawsuits Unlikely to Derail Banks’ Board-Diversity EffortsAmerican Banker, (December 2021)

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Recognition & Awards

  • Chambers USA: Labor & Employment - California (2021-2023)

  • Corporate Counsel Business Journal: 50 Women to Watch (2023)

  • San Diego Super Lawyers: Employment Litigation - Defense (2023 - 2024)

  • BTI Consulting: Client Service All-Star (2022)

  • Legal 500 United States: Workplace and Employment Counseling (2022-2023)

  • San Diego Business Journal: Women of Influence in Law (2021, 2023)

  • Corporate Counsel Business Journal – 50 Women to Watch (2023)

  • National Law Review: Go-To Thought Leader (2020)

  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent

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