lklibanow@lindaklibanow.com
(626) 204-4000
About Linda S. Klibanow

For nearly 40 years, Ms. Klibanow has focused her practice in the field of labor and employment law.  At different times in her career she has represented both management and labor, both defense and plaintiff, and for 20 years has served as a labor and employment “neutral” – as an arbitrator, hearing officer, discovery referee, mediator and neutral factfinder. From her experience both as an advocate and also as a neutral she is expert in all of the practice areas referenced below and also is available to serve in international dispute resolution matters, including commercial contracts, and also as civil discovery referee.

In March 2015, Ms. Klibanow completed requirements and received a Masters of Arts in International Affairs from Tufts Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.  This has prepared her to better apply her expertise in mediation and arbitration to international disputes in various forums.

Education
  • Harvard College (B.A., cum laude, 1972), Phi Beta Kappa
  • Yale University (J.D., 1975)
  • Tufts University, Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy (Masters, International Affairs, 2015)
Professional License
  • Admitted to the Bar, California, 1977
Honors and Awards
  • Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers AV-rated for 20 years
  • Member, California & National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals
  • Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb)
  • Association for Conflict Resolution – Advanced Practitioner Arbitrator of the Workplace Section (2016)
Professional Associations and Membership
  • Member, California & National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals
  • State Bar of California – Former Member Committee on Alternative Dispute Resolution, former chair National/International Subcommittee
  • Labor and Employment Relations Association (LERA)
  • American Arbitration Association (AAA) Employment Arbitrator and Mediator Panels
  • American Arbitration Association (AAA) Labor Arbitrator Panel
  • NAM (National Arbitration and Mediation) Arbitration Panel
  • Alternative Resolution Centers (ARC) Employment Arbitrator and Mediator Panels
  • IVAMS Employment Arbitrator & Mediator Panels
  • Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service (FMCS) Roster of Labor Arbitrators
  • California State Mediation & Conciliation Service (CSMCS) (Roster of Arbitrators)
  • State of California, Department of Fair Employment and Housing Mediator Panel
  • U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Mediator
  • Riverside Superior Court Mediator Panel
  • Court of Appeal – 2nd Appellate District Mediator Panel
  • Los Angeles County Bar Association (Member, Labor and Employment Law Section; Former Member, Executive Committee)
  • American Bar Association (Member, Dispute Resolution Section; Labor and Employment Law Sections; subcommittees on ADR and International Labor and Employment Law; Advisory Panel)
  • California Employment Lawyers Association
  • Los Angeles County Civil Service Commission Hearing Officer
  • City of Los Angeles Civil Service Commission Hearing Examiner
  • City of Santa Monica Civil Service Hearing Examiner
  • City of Santa Monica Hearing Officer (Labor Relations and Employee Discipline Panel)
  • Mediators Beyond Borders (Founding Member)
  • Mediate.com Certification
Practice Areas of Expertise

Labor and Employment, including

  • Sex, Race, Color, National Origin, Religion, Sexual Orientation, Disability, Medical Condition, and Age Discrimination and related Harassment
  • Family and Medical Leave
  • Whistleblower Retaliation
  • Wrongful Termination
  • Violation of USERRA
  • Wage/Hour
  • Employee Discipline
  • Employee Privacy
  • Employment Breach of Contract
  • Employment Civil Rights
  • Labor Relations
  • Collective Bargaining
  • Reduction in Force
  • Retaliatory Discharge
  • Unfair Labor Practices
  • Union – Management Relations
  • Workplace Violence

Commercial Contracts
CISG and other international commercial disputes
Discovery Referee

Published Work
  • Author, “PAGA saga persists in state and federal courts” Los Angeles Daily Journal – (June 17, 2015)
  • Author, “Post Concepcion Case Developments in the Employment Sector – A Cautionary Tale,” CAALA Advocate (January 2013)
  • Author, “The Enforceability of Mandatory Pre-Dispute Employment-Arbitration Agreements in California Post AT&T Mobility,” CAALA Advocate (September 2012)
  • Assistant Editor and Author, “The Developing Labor Law,” American Bar Association/BNA (1st-3rd eds.)
  • Author, “Advising California Employers,” California Continuing Education of the Bar (2nd ed. 1996-1997)
  • Contributing Editor, “California Practice Handbook, Employment Discrimination,” Los Angeles County Bar Association, Mathew Bender California Practice Handbook Series (1993)

 

Alternative Dispute Resolution Training
  • American Bar Association – 18th Annual Section of Dispute Resolution – Involve.Evolve.Resolve! April 2016
  • AAA – AAA/ICDR/Mediation.org Panel Conference – February 2016
  • Hastings College of the Law – Resolving Disputes with Companies from Asia: What is the Best Approach – January 2016
  • Chartered Institute of Arbitrators- N. American Branch: International Commercial Arbitration Training – July 2015
  • State Bar of California – Cross Border Litigation & Arbitration Developments & Strategies – September 2014
  • Los Angeles County Bar Association – 3rd Annual International Arbitration Conference – May 2014
  • Los Angeles County Bar Association – Labor and Employment Law Section Annual Retreat – May 2014
  • Los Angeles County Bar Association – What Lawyers and Arbitrators Need to Know About Commercial Arbitration – January 2014
  • Los Angeles County Bar Association – 2nd Annual International Arbitration Conference – May 2013
  • ABA Dispute Resolution Section – Whistleblowing & Retaliation: New Claims & Expanding Risk 2013
  • Los Angeles County Bar Association – Separate & Unequal, Arbitration and Private Justice 2012
  • AAA –AAA and ICDR Neutral Conference 2012
  • LA County Bar Association – Workplace Arbitration Agreements after Concepcion and Horton 2012
  • National Academy of Arbitrators –Annual Meeting 2011
  • ABA Dispute Resolution Section – Solving the Puzzle of Just Cause in Labor Arbitration 2011
  • ABA Dispute Resolution Section – The Future of Mandatory Arbitration 2011
  • FMCS Institute Labor Arbitrator Training 2010
  • Los Angeles County Bar Association – Mediation Confidentiality: Issues and Current Cases 2010
  • AAA – Section of Dispute Resolution 12th Annual Spring Conference 2010
  • AAA – Electronic Discovery in Arbitration: What You Need to Know! 2009
  • AAA – Current Issues in Employment Arbitration: The Arbitration Fairness Act of 2009 Legislation &   Recent Court Decisions 2009
  • ABA Dispute Resolution Section 4th Annual Arbitration Training Institute 2009
  • Southern California Mediation Association – The New Frontier-Science of the Mind 2008
  • AAA Arbitration Roadmap – The Standard for Efficient and Cost Effective Arbitration 2008
  • California Employment Lawyers Association – Arbitration Skills-Making Lemonade Out of Lemons 2008
  • ABA Dispute Resolution Section 10th Annual Conference – Sound Perspectives on ADR 2008
  • Southern California Mediation Association – The Masterful Employment Law Mediator 2007
  • Los Angeles County Bar Association – Making the Transition from Advocate to Mediator 2007
  • Southern California Mediation Association – The Art and Science of Mediation 2006
  • California Employment Lawyers Association – Winning at Mediation 2006
  • EEOC-Mediation Training 2006
  • Southern California Mediation Association – Breaking Down Barriers in Employment Mediation 2006
  • AAA – Dealing with Delay Tactics in Arbitration 2006
  • Los Angeles County Bar Association-Arbitration in Employment Cases & Employment Mediation 2006
  • American Bar Association Section of Labor & Employment Law – Perspectives on ADR 2006
  • Pepperdine University School of Law- Religion & Ethics Conference-Lawyers, Faith & Peacemaking 2006
  • AAA – Chairing an Arbitration Panel – Managing Procedures, Process & Dynamics 2005
  • EEOC – Mediation Training 2005
  • DFEH – Mediation Training 2005
  • Southern California Mediation Association – Absolute Mediator 2005
  • Southern California Mediation Association – Cutting Edge of Mediation 2004
  • Southern California Mediation Association- Mediating Employment/Workplace Disputes 2004
  • AAA Arbitration Awards-Safeguarding, Deciding & Writing Awards 2004
  • AAA – Employment Arbitrator II Training, Advanced Case Management 2002
  • AAA – Arbitrator Update 2001
  • LA Superior Court, ADR-Cross Cultural Dispute Resolution 2001
  • AAA – Employment Arbitrator Training 2000
  • Pepperdine University Straus Institute of Dispute Resolution-Mediating the Litigated Case 2000
  • Pepperdine University Straus Institute of Dispute Resolution-The Art of Facilitating Settlement 2000
  • EEOC – Mediation Training 1998
  • University of California at Los Angeles Extension-Mediation Training Program 1997
  • Angeles County Bar Association, Dispute Resolution Services-Civil and Workplace Mediation 1996
  • California State Bar Association-Training Attorneys to Become Mediators 1996
  • American Bar Association, Alternative Dispute Resolution 1994