Overview

Attorney Kimberly Carter intuitively understands the challenges and pressures of overseeing a diverse and talented workforce.

This perspective informs Kim’s robust defense and practical counsel on the full spectrum of employment law matters when combined with her aggressive and creative advocacy, extensive trial experience, and understanding of both the law and personal dynamics involved in employment relationships. 

Kim’s employment work focuses on identifying and remediating vulnerabilities in her clients’ employment policies and procedures and obtaining efficient and favorable resolutions of employment disputes, claims, and litigation.

Employers across industries regularly call on Kim to formulate, prepare, and update their company-wide contracts and systems, including reviewing their executive agreements; diversity, equity, and inclusion program rollouts; and confidentiality, non-disclosure, and severance agreements. She regularly counsels clients on employment-related issues ranging from disability accommodations and protected leaves of absence to personnel policies, employee handbooks, and employee discipline and termination. Kim also conducts multistate wage and hour audits to ensure her clients comply with federal, state, and municipal laws.

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A seasoned litigator, Kim represents employers, including Fortune 500 companies, in high-stakes single-plaintiff litigation, complex class actions, and PAGA representative actions. She has extensive experience defending employers against claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, wage and hour violations, and other employment-related torts and liabilities under the FLSA, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the ADA, the FMLA, and other state and federal employment laws.

Kim recognizes the financial and reputational costs and disruption involved in employment disputes. She develops solutions that keep those burdens to a minimum while safeguarding her clients’ immediate and long-term interests. This includes creative approaches designed to defuse potential claims before they devolve into litigation or government investigations and enforcement actions.

When formal disputes do arise, Kim tailors her strategy to align with her client’s legal and operational goals and the facts and circumstances of each case, whether that means an expeditious negotiated resolution or a focused, strategic, zealous approach in the courtroom.

Clients value her depth of experience litigating disputes in federal and state courts, in arbitration, and before various administrative bodies, including the California Civil Rights Department, Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board, and Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, as well as the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

For chambers of commerce, business organizations, industry consortiums, and other clients, Kim regularly conducts webinars and live presentations on various topics, including recent developments in employment law, the implementation of policies and procedures, and employee training.

Before joining Epstein Becker Green, Kim was the managing partner of a national law firm’s Los Angeles office. Previously, she was Of Counsel for Employment Law & Litigation to a national labor and employment law firm.

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Focus Areas

Experience

  • Successfully defended a large international industrial materials company against claims of national origin discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination.
  • Assisted an international industrial materials company in drafting employee and HR handbooks, with particular attention to policies and procedures regarding the classification of exempt and non-exempt employees, prohibiting unlawful harassment, FMLA policies, and disciplinary procedure policies.
  • Successfully defended a major hardware and furniture manufacturer against claims of disability discrimination and wrongful termination.
  • Prepared domestic and international wage and hour law surveys for a major luxury brand and retailer.
  • Successfully defended a major logistics and transportation services company in a large class action lawsuit alleging numerous wage and hour violations.
  • Counseled a large digital entertainment company on various employment-related issues in order to minimize its exposure to employment litigation.
  • Successfully defended a major food supplier against California Labor Code Section 132a claims brought by former employees before the Worker’s Compensation Appeals Board.

Recognition

  • The Legal 500 United States, Labor & Employment & Labor – Defense (2021 to 2023)

Credentials

Education

  • University of Southern California Gould School of Law (J.D., 2001)
  • University of Southern California Leventhal School of Accounting (M.B.T., 2001)
  • University of Pennsylvania (B.A., 1998)

Bar Admissions

Court Admissions

Professional & Community Involvement

  • Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce Education Fund & Foundation:
    • Chair (2022 to Present)
    • Board Member (2007 to Present)
    • Treasurer (2016 to 2022)
    • President (2015)
    • Program Committee Chair (2012 to 2015)
    • Vice President (2014)
  • National Bar Association (2022 to Present)

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