Janice L. Sperow

Partner

During law school, Ms. Sperow received numerous awards for high scholastic achievement, including a Milton Green scholarship, Order of the Coif, Thurston Society and American Jurisprudence awards. She also externed for Chief Judge J. Clifford Wallace of the United States Courts of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit, where she assisted in researching and drafting opinions.

After graduating from law school, Ms. Sperow served as a judicial law clerk for Judge Richard J. Cardamone of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit where she analyzed legal questions and drafted opinions. She then joined the San Francisco office of Morrison & Foerster, a prominent international law firm, where she specialized in private-sector complex commercial litigation in a variety of areas, including employment discrimination, sexual harassment and Title VII law. She also worked extensively on real estate issues, including lease agreements, eminent domain issues, landlord/tenant matters, purchase of property, and CERCLA land use issues. As a senior litigator at Morrison & Foerster, Ms. Sperow defended the largest Title VII class action in history, involving 1,093 claimants and an estimated $2 billion exposure, to successful global resolution. She also employed alternative dispute resolution techniques on behalf of her Morrison & Foerster clients, handling dozens of arbitrations, mediations, and neutral case resolutions.

Since joining Ruiz & Sperow, LLP, Ms. Sperow has continued to specialize in employment and labor law litigation by representing clients in numerous civil rights and wrongful termination cases. Ms. Sperow's work has included defending employment terminations, sexual harassment cases, board policy advice, desegregation advice and counseling, EEOC responses and race and gender discrimination issues, OCR matters, PERB hearings, grievances and arbitrations, public and private litigation, school safety, contract drafting and negotiations, public construction work, training and workshops, and workplace violence.

In January 1998, Ms. Sperow opened the firm's Southern California office in San Diego.

Ms. Sperow continues to serve as an Arbitrator and Chief Arbitrator for FINRA (formerly NASD), and has served as Chief Arbitrator for the Bar Association of San Francisco and a Hearing Officer for municipal railway public transportation disputes. She also served as President of the National Association of Women Lawyers, representing all women attorneys in the United States, for the 1997-1998 term, and remains an active NAWL Board of Governors member.

PRACTICE AREAS

State and Federal Court Litigation

Employment Law

Education Law

EDUCATION

University of California, Berkeley, B.A., magna cum laude with high honors

University of California, Hastings College of the Law, J.D., summa cum laude

MEMBERSHIPS

California State Bar

National Women's Lawyer Association

Professor of Legal Research and Writing at University of San Diego Law School

Greater San Diego Chamber of Commerce

Greater San Diego Chamber of Commerce's Business Education Roundtable and Legislative Initiatives Subcommittee

San Diego Bar Association

The Lawyers' Club of San Diego (San Diego's Women's Bar),

San Diego Chapter of the League of Women Voters

San Diego Chapter of the National Political Women's Caucus.