Pankit provides advice and counseling to employers of all sizes, ranging from Fortune 100 companies to startups, on a full-spectrum of labor and employment issues, among them structuring of restrictive covenants, advising on employment compliance strategies, evaluating independent contractor and exempt status relationships, preparing executive employment agreements and protecting intellectual property. He has also assisted companies with nationwide wage and hour and misclassification audits, as well as highly sensitive workplace harassment investigations.

Pankit is experienced in handling employment matters across numerous industries, including automotive, construction, consulting, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, retail, security, technology, telecommunications and transportation.

Pankit represents employers at trial, administrative hearings and during investigations by various state and federal agencies, including the US Department of Labor, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing and the California Department of Industrial Relations – Division of Labor Standards Enforcement.

Pankit frequently lectures at annual meetings on employment law issues around the country.

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• Lead counsel in a non-compete and non-solicit action for a technology company; prevailed after preliminary injunction was successfully granted
• Provide advice and counsel to major multinational companies for implementation of policies for companywide trade secrets and restrictive covenant compliance; file temporary restraining orders and motions for preliminary injunction to protect and/or enforce trade secrets
• Represented nationwide transportation company in a wage and hour class action; achieved successful dismissal of meal and rest break claims after motion for judgment on the pleadings granted based on preemption pursuant to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration guidance
• Represented large nationwide transportation company and subsidiaries in multiple wage and hour class action cases in California, Washington and Oregon
• Represented major construction company in a nationwide FLSA collective action in Tennessee; resulted in a favorable settlement of all claims
• Represented major airline company in a high profile whistleblower and breach of contract case brought by a former captain
• Represented nationwide retail company in federal court against claims for retaliation, harassment, discrimination, failure to accommodate and wrongful termination; case successfully settled on eve of trial
• Represented staffing and recruiting firm associated with federal contracts in two U.S. Department of Labor wage and hour audits
• Represented trucking company in single plaintiff disability discrimination case; case dismissed after court granted motion to compel arbitration
• Represented Oklahoma-based oil drilling company in complex wage and hour class action; case successfully settled
• Provided labor and employment advice to companies operating in the gig economy on a variety of issues, including independent contractor arrangements, temporary employees and compliance

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