Attorneys & Labor Consultants

Kimberly Alvino, Associate (Family Law & Social Security Disability)

Kimberly A. Alvino is an Associate in the Family Law and Social Security Department of Mastagni, Holstedt, Amick, Miller, Johnsen, & Uhrhammer. Kimberly graduated with honors from Bucknell University and the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law. While in law school, she clerked in a family law firm and participated in the Domestic Violence Clinic at the Erie County District Attorney's Office. Kimberly participated in the University of Buffalo National Trial Team and was the assistant managing editor of Buffalo's Criminal Law Review.

Larry Aulich, Labor Consultant (Labor & Employment Law)

Larry is a veteran of the Contra Costa County law enforcement community, where he served with distinction for 31 years in a variety of public safety capacities ranging from Field Training Officer; Contract City Officer; Patrol & Detention Sergeant; Administrative Sergeant; Jail and O.E.S. Watch Commander. Larry is a highly-qualified and motivated professional with a superior command of administrative and operational procedures.

Larry completed studies from Los Medranos Police Academy, Diablo Valley College and the POST Supervisory Leadership Institute. Larry has POST certifications in Advanced, Supervisory & Management training; POST SLI Auditor; Background Investigator and accredited certification as a manager at the Martinez Detention Center.

Larry is a past president and vice-president of the Contra Costa County DSA Board of Directors. He was a member of the DSA bargaining team and assisted with the development of the Labor/Management Committee as a "preemptive bargaining tool" dedicated to resolving outstanding issues between the respective parties.

William M. Briggs, Associate (Civil Litigation)

William Briggs is an associate in the Personal Injury Department of Mastagni, Holstedt, Amick, Miller, Johnsen & Uhrhammer. Bill represents plaintiffs in personal injury civil actions, as he has done since 1976. He is admitted to the U. S. District Courts for the Eastern, Northern, and Central Districts of California and to the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal.

Bill received his B.A.degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1966 and his J.D. law degree from the University of Chicago Law School in 1969. He was admitted to practice in California in 1970. He is a former president of the Board of Directors of Legal Services of Northern California. He is rated A-V in Martindale-Hubbell.

Kevin L. Bryant, Associate (Workers' Compensation)

Kevin Bryant is an associate in the Workers' Compensation Department at Mastagni, Holstedt, Amick, Miller, Johnsen & Uhrhammer. He represents applicants in all aspects of workers' compensation litigation, including trial and appellate matters, Labor Code section 132a penalties, and "serious and wilful misconduct" penalties against employers.

Kevin is a graduate of Sonoma State University and received his law degree from the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law. He previously represented automobile and recreational vehicle dealers in civil and administrative matters.

James B. Carr, Associate (Civil Litigation, Labor Law)

James B. Carr is an associate in the Civil Litigation and Labor Law Departments. James has been in practice since 1972. He has civil litigation experience in state and federal courts, representing both plaintiffs and defendants, and has administrative law experience relating to administrative hearings and appeals before local, state, and federal agencies.

James has been involved in the prosecution and defense of complex personal injury cases, wrongful termination and other employment law matters, special education cases, discrimination claims under Title VII, ADA, IDEA, and FEHA, complex commercial business and real estate disputes, and government contracts. He has litigation experience in civil rights and other constitutional claims.

James also is an experienced appellate attorney who has argued in the California District Courts of Appeal, before the California Supreme Court and in the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Significant cases include Joey Wells v. One2One Learning Foundation (2006) 39 Cal. 4th 1164; Martha Reeves v. Rocklin Unified School District (2003) 109 Cal. App. 4th 652; Larry Caldwell v. Roseville Joint Union High School District (2005-EDCA) 2005 LEXIS 24923*; and Jacob Beentjes v. Placer County Air Pollution Control District (9th Circuit, 2005) 397 F. 3rd 775.

James graduated summa cum laude from California State University, Chico, with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Business Administration. He received his law degree from the University of California, Davis School of Law, King Hall, in 1972.

Brian A. Dixon, Senior Associate (Workers' Compensation)

Brian Dixon is a senior associate attorney in the Workers' Compensation Department at Mastagni, Holstedt, Amick, Miller, Johnsen & Uhrhammer. He represents public safety employees and other injured workers in hearings and trials before Workers' Compensation Appeals Boards throughout California.

Brian received his undergraduate degree from the University of California at Berkeley and his law degree from the Lincoln School of Law in Sacramento. He has practiced with the firm since 1990.

Nathan E. Elmer, Associate (Workers' Compensation)

Nathan E. Elmer is an Associate in the Workers' Compensation Department at Mastagni, Holstedt, Amick, Miller, Johnsen & Uhrhammer. He represents northern California clients in hearings before various Workers' Compensation Appeals Boards. Nathan previously practiced federal taxation law.

Nathan graduated from California State University, Sacramento with a bachelor's degree in history and obtained his law degree from Brigham Young University. While in law school, Nathan clerked with the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office and the Utah County Public Defender's Office.

Robert J. Jarvis, Labor Consultant (Labor & Employment Law)

Bob Jarvis is a retired Captain from the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department and is the firm's supervising negotiator. He served over 20 years on the Board of the Sonoma County Deputy Sheriffs' Association, including four terms as President. He was president of the Northern Chapter of PORAC for 15 years and served two terms as a member of the PORAC Board of Directors.

After he retired from Sonoma County, Bob became the Training and Labor Division manager at PORAC, where he improved .the quality of training while reducing training costs for PORAC and its members. He developed seminars on 3% @50 retirement, binding arbitration, and media relations.

Bob Jarvis joined the firm in 2001. He has consistently brought to the bargaining table experience, competence and commitment, while generating substantive results in matters ranging from contract negotiations, legal representation and consultation regarding association management issues.

Lauri Jewell, Senior Associate (Family Law & Social Security Disability)

Lauri Jewell has rejoined Mastagni, Holstedt, Amick, Miller, Johnsen, & Uhrhammer as the Senior Associate in the Family Law and Social Security Department. Lauri graduated from California State University, Sacramento with a bachelor’s degree in Government and obtained her law degree from Lincoln Law School of Sacramento, where she received the outstanding academic achievement award.

Lauri has taught foster and kinship education classes in Sacramento and Yolo counties, where she presented information on foster care, guardianship and adoption processes, mediation procedures, and procedures in Dependency, Family and Probate courts. She has served on the advisory committee for the Foster and Kinship Education Program in Yolo County, emphasizing the needs of the Kinship caregivers.

Lauri is a member of the Sacramento and Yolo County Bar Associations and the State Bar of California Association with a Family Law Section membership. Lauri is licensed to practice in the State of California and in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.

Greg Kiefer, Labor Consultant (Labor & Employment Law)

Greg is a retired Butte County deputy sheriff. He was a Field Training Officer; Lead Homicide and Narcotics Investigator; Patrol Officer; Hostage Negotiator; and Bailiff.

Greg is a graduate of the Butte College Law Enforcement Academy and has completed courses through the California Department of Justice; the Federal Bureau of Investigations; the Sacramento Region Criminal Justice Training Center; POST, and the California Association of Hostage Negotiators (San Jose State University).

Greg was a board member, vice-president, and president of the Butte County Deputy Sheriffs' Association for seven of his 14 years of public service. He developed the Butte County DSA Political Action Committee and represented the DSA at the bargaining table, where he achieved enhanced benefits for the DSA membership.

Jonathan W.A. Liff, Senior Associate (Workers' Compensation)

Jonathan Liff is a senior associate in the Workers' Compensation Department of Mastagni, Holstedt, Amick, Miller, Johnsen & Uhrhammer. He represents applicants in all aspects of workers' compensation litigation, including trial and appellate matters, Labor Code § 132a penalties, and "serious and wilful misconduct" penalties against employers.

Jonathan authors a semi-monthly article on current workers' compensation issues for the Sacramento Fire Fighters Local 522 publication, The Beacon, and has been published in the Journal of Contemporary Legal Issues.

Jonathan is a graduate of the University of California at Los Angeles, and received his law degree from the University of San Diego School of Law.

Anthony K. McClaren, Associate (Labor & Employment Law)

Anthony K. McClaren is an Associate with the Workers' Compensation department of Mastagni, Holstedt, Amick, Miller, Johnsen & Uhrhammer, which he joined in 2007. Anthony previously practiced labor and employment litigation, as well as business litigation and business entity formation and consulting.

Anthony graduated from Eastern New Mexico University and obtained his Juris Doctorate from University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. While at McGeorge, Anthony clerked with the California Department of Veterans Affairs. He was also a member of the McGeorge Rugby Club, and remains active in coordinating alumni fundraising events for the club.

Anthony is an active member of the State Bar of California and is licensed to practice before all state courts of California, as well as the Federal Eastern District of California. He is an active member of the American Bar Association, as well as the Sacramento County Bar Association, where he is a member of the Labor and Employment Law Section.

David E. Mastagni, Senior Associate (Labor & Employment Law)

David E. Mastagni is a senior associate with the Labor Department of Mastagni, Holstedt, Amick, Miller, Johnsen & Uhrhammer. David specializes in labor and employment law representation, including trial and appellate litigation in California state and federal court.

David is an experienced appellate attorney and PORAC Legal Defense Fund panel attorney who has argued cases before the California Courts of Appeal, the California Supreme Court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. David is a recognized authority and frequent lecturer on the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights as well as on critical incident investigations, labor relations issues, and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

David has successfully litigated several collective actions to enforce the Fair Labor Standards Act, including a challenge to an unpaid ride-along program in which he recovered $900,000.00 in unpaid overtime wages for 86 deputies. David is admitted in all federal district courts in California and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Significant Cases: City of Los Angeles v. Superior Court (Brandon) (2002) 29 Cal.4th 1; Sacramento Police Officers Assn. v. City of Sacramento (2004) 16 Cal.Rptr.3d 329; Sacramento Police Officers Assn. v. Venegas (2002) 101 Cal.App.4th 916; Mortensen v. County of Sacramento 368 F.3d 1082 (2004 9th Cir.); Farnsworth v. Sacramento Civil Service Board, et al. (Third District Court of Appeal).

David graduated cum laude from the University of California at Davis, and obtained his law degree from the University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law. While at Boalt Hall, he received an American Jurisprudence Bancroft-Whitney Award, and was a member of the California Law Review and an associate editor of the Berkeley Journal of Labor and Employment Law.

Kathleen Mastagni, Associate (Labor & Employment Law)

Kathleen Mastagni is an associate attorney in the Labor Department, where she represents clients in unfair labor practice litigation before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB); and in employment law cases involving wrongful termination, sexual harassment and other complex litigation.

Kathleen graduated from the University of California at Davis with a B.A. in Classical Civilizations and minors in English and Latin. She obtained her law degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo where she emphasized labor and employment law.

Phillip R.A. Mastagni, Associate (Civil Litigation)

Phillip Mastagni is an associate in the Civil Litigation Department of Mastagni, Holstedt, Amick, Miller, Johnsen and Uhrhammer. He has experience in trial preparation, law and motion litigation, and civil discovery.

Phillip graduated Cum Laude from the Georgetown University Law Center, where he emphasized international law, election law, and labor and employment law. Phillip holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, with High Honors, from the University of California at Berkeley, and was the recipient of an Education Abroad Scholarship to the Georgia-Augusta Universitaet in Goettingen, Germany.

Matthew C. Ming, Associate (Labor & Employment Law)

Mathew C. Ming is an associate attorney in the Labor Department. Matt has trial and civil litigation experience and has practiced before state and federal trial courts. He is associate counsel for several law enforcement associations and public sector unions statewide.

Matt was a Division II All-American in wrestling and graduated from Humboldt State University. He obtained his law degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. While at McGeorge, Matt was a recipient of the Presidential Scholarship and was on the Dean’s List all three years. He was awarded the Order of the Coif and membership in the Traynor Honor Society. Matt was a staff member of The Transnational Lawyer; was awarded the Witkin Award in Labor & Employment Law and Professional Responsibility and the Excellence in the Study of Labor and Employment Law Award from the American Bar Association. Matt graduated with honors in the top ten percent of his class.

Andrew S. Nahl, Associate (Workers' Compensation)

Andrew Nahl is an associate in the Workers' Compensation Department of Mastagni, Holstedt, Amick, Miller, Johnsen & Uhrhammer. He represents applicants in all aspects of workers' compensation litigation, including trial and appellate matters, Labor Code § 132a penalties, and "serious and wilful misconduct" penalties against employers.

Andrew is a graduate of the University of California Los Angeles, and obtained his law degree at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of law.

Richard J. Romanski, Senior Labor Counsel (Labor & Employment Law)

Richard J. (Dick) Romanski is the Senior Labor Counsel in the Labor Department of Mastagni, Holstedt, Amick, Miller, Johnsen and Uhrhammer. He is Chief Counsel Emeritus for the California Association of Highway Patrolmen (CAHP). He acts as corporate counsel to the firm's largest client associations and is a senior consultant to our law enforcement clients on union organization and management issues, contract disputes, and various legal questions. Dick also leads long-range planning seminars for our association clients.

In over 30 years as a law enforcement attorney, Dick has represented more than 1,700 peace officers in disciplinary matters of every level of complexity and severity. He provides training at classes sponsored by the Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC), and is an instructor at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

A former FBI Agent, Dick conducted criminal investigations and served as a Counter Intelligence Officer. He studied Arabic at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California.

A member of the State Bars of California, Connecticut and Virginia, Dick graduated from Fairfield University and The University of Virginia Law School. He has written extensively on law enforcement related topics, and is a longtime member of both the California Peace Officers Association (CPOA) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP).

David H. Swim, D.P.A., Labor Consultant (Labor & Employment Law)

Dr. Swim is a retired Captain from the Stockton Police Department. He spent 17 years in field operations as an officer, sergeant and lieutenant and was SPD's first SWAT Commander, a duty for which he received the Meritorious Service Award. As a Captain, he managed the Telecommunications and Support Services Division.

David served as the president of the SPOA for five years and president of the Police Management Association for five years. He served as chief contract negotiator for one or the other bargaining unit for 18 of his 22 years with SPD. He also served on the PORAC Board of Directors and Political Action Committee. He is a recognized expert statewide in "3% @ 50" retirement and healthcare benefit plans.

A graduate of the FBI National Academy in 1992, David completed his doctorate at USC in 1997. His doctoral dissertation developed a "Reliable and Valid Instrument to Measure Police Officer Trust in the Police Internal Affairs." In 1997, David received a full-time appointment as a professor of Criminal Justice at CSU, Sacramento, where he teaches courses in police administration, critical issues, and leadership, and a graduate course in the history of criminal justice.

David Topaz, Labor Consultant (Labor & Employment Law)

David is a veteran of the Sacramento Police Department, where he was a field training officer for six years and an acting sergeant for four years. He was an instructor at the Sacramento Police Academy and was recognized by the SPD as an expert in traffic, DUI, and 11550 enforcement. In 2000 he received a Lifesaving Award for his efforts to revive a stabbing victim. He holds POST Basic/Intermediate/Advanced Certificates and is now a Level I Reserve Police Officer at SPD.

David has an Executive Certificate in Negotiation from the University of Notre Dame and a Master's degree in Public Administration from the University of San Francisco. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Oregon State University.

David was the President of the Sacramento Police Officers' Association for four years and on the Board for six. He was a member of the SPOA negotiating team since 1999 and negotiated two full contracts, including the only on-time contract in SPOA history. The contract resulted in more than $73 million in new benefits for his members. David also negotiated a major health care re-opener and more than 25 side letters of understanding. He represented the SPOA in the association's first two binding arbitration proceedings and in numerous unfair labor practice lawsuits as well as several sworn and non-sworn employee grievances.

David also has prior experience as a management analyst in the Office of the Chief of Police and the Office of Operations at the Sacramento Police Department, as a staff assistant/field representative for a member of Congress, and as a campaign manager for state legislators.

John P. Tribuiano III, Associate (Civil Litigation)

John Tribuiano is an associate in the firm's Personal Injury Department. His practice focuses on all aspects of civil litigation with an emphasis on representing injured victims in claims and suits arising out of motor vehicle accidents, "slip and fall" accidents, and product liability.

John is admitted in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, and is a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America and Consumer Attorneys of California. He was a judicial clerk to Superior Court Judge Gary Ransom.

John is a graduate of Bethel College, Kansas, and the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. He received the Outstanding Student Achievement Award while at McGeorge School of Law, and was on the McGeorge Law Review (2002-2003) and the Dean's Honor List (2000-2004). His published articles include "The Continued Expansion of the DNA Database: California's Response to September 11," 34 McGeorge L. Rev. 405 (2003). John was a member of the McGeorge Mock Trial Team and was awarded membership in the Roger J. Traynor Honor Society.

Steven W. Welty, Senior Associate (Labor & Employment Law)

Steve Welty is a former Yuba City police officer who specializes in labor and employment law representation and disability retirement litigation. He is lead counsel for several law enforcement associations statewide, including the California Peace Officers Association Legal Services Program, the Santa Barbara Probation Peace Officers Association, the deputy sheriffs associations of Yuba, Sutter, Butte, and Plumas counties, and several other police, sheriff, and probation associations statewide.

Steven is an experienced litigator in peace officer discipline matters. He has represented hundreds of public safety clients in administrative investigations, disciplinary actions and appeals on behalf of Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3 (Public Safety Division), the PORAC Legal Defense Fund, and various state and local labor associations. He has tried cases before the State Personnel Board, in superior courts throughout California, and before local agency civil service commissions, panels and boards.

Steven has extensive experience in work-related disability retirement litigation under the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) and the County 37 Act retirement system. He has successfully represented injured public safety officers at all stages of the disability retirement process.

Steven lectures for PORAC, the California Correctional Peace Officers Association (CCPOA), and many other law enforcement organizations throughout California on the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights Act (POBR), critical incidents, and peace officer discipline. He is a contributor to the PORAC News, the California Peace Officers Association newsletter, and other client publications.

Steven was Police Officer of the Year for Yuba City in 1990 and was President of the Yuba Police Officers Association from 1991 to 1992.

Steven graduated from California State University at Sacramento and University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law. He was awarded membership in the Roger F. Traynor Honor Society for academic excellence in the study of law.

Stuart C. Woo, Senior Associate (Workers' Compensation)

Stuart Woo is a senior associate attorney in the Workers' Compensation Department at Mastagni, Holstedt, Amick, Miller, Johnsen & Uhrhammer. He represents northern California and Bay Area clients in hearings and trials before various Workers' Compensation Appeals Boards throughout the region.

For eight years, Stuart was a deputy trial counsel in the Office of the Chief Trial Counsel for the State Bar of California, where he prosecuted attorney ethics and discipline matters before the State Bar Court. He supervises the continuing legal education courses the firm provides to its attorneys.

Stuart obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of California at Berkeley and his juris doctorate from the Golden Gate University School of Law in San Francisco. He is a member of the Diversity Hiring and Retention Committee of the Sacramento County Bar Association and is an Assistant Scoutmaster with the local Boy Scouts of America.

Will M. Yamada, Associate (Labor & Employment Law)

Will Yamada is an associate attorney in the Labor Department, where he represents clients in Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) litigation; unfair labor practice litigation before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB); and in employment law cases involving wrongful termination, sexual harassment, wage loss, and other complex litigation. Will also represents clients in appellate matters before the California and federal courts.

Will has over ten years' experience in the labor field as an NLRB case manager, a labor representative for a nationwide private sector labor union, and a clerk in the Legal Department of the California Teachers Association. Will also served as a Community Service Officer for the University of California at Los Angeles.

Will received his undergraduate degree in political science from the University of California at Los Angeles, and his law degree from the University of California Hastings College of the Law. While at Hastings, Will competed on a National Moot Court team and was recognized for his oral argument skills in the annual David E. Snodgrass Moot Court Competition.