JoLynn Scharrer is a shareholder at Hunt Ortmann who, for 35 years, specializes in the fields of labor and employment, insurance counseling and litigation, business counseling and litigation, and construction matters. Ms. Scharrer leads the Firm’s Employment Law Group and Insurance practice.
Ms. Scharrer’s practice includes the representation of clients in all aspects of labor and employment. Her expertise includes advising employers on employee and workplace issues and best practices, drafting employment package documents, employment and independent contractor contracts, handling separation issues, providing state mandated sexual harassment prevention, California Privacy Rights Act training, workplace investigations and other trainings, addressing issues relating to NLRB disputes, DIR disputes, and workplace arbitrations. Ms. Scharrer actively litigates wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims based upon gender, age, race, disability, and other protected classes. She also defends wage and hour litigation, PAGA claims and class action lawsuits. Her transactional practice includes drafting employment package documents: employment contracts, independent contractor agreements, employee handbooks, company policies, arbitration agreements, separation agreements, CCPA/CPRA policies and notices, and other documents. She has developed an active practice in advising employers regarding the ever-changing landscape and regulations concerning COVID-19 in the workplace.
Ms. Scharrer maintains an active practice counseling clients in all facets of insurance, including the handling of general liability, employment, environmental, construction, cyber liability, and business and complex tort claims. She also represents clients in all aspects of claim monitoring, handling underwriting issues, contribution matters between insurers, attorney fee disputes, agency, and broker issues, and handling insurer bad faith lawsuits. Ms. Scharrer has also handled mold, real estate, landlord-tenant, and product liability insurance claims. Ms. Scharrer has trial experience in these areas, as well as extensive experience in all forms of alternative dispute resolution including arbitration and mediation. Her experience ranges from resolving non-litigated small claims to overseeing the handling and litigation of claims valued more than a hundred million dollars.
Ms. Scharrer also counsels small and growing businesses in commercial and contract matters. She has developed corporate documents, business partner contracts, and noncompete, nondisclosure and intellectual property protections. She handles litigation representing businesses in contract disputes. Ms. Scharrer addresses all concerns for the small and growing business, including marketing and e-commerce.
She has been named as a Southern California Super Lawyer, a Los Angeles Business Journal Woman Attorney of Influence, and a top labor and employment attorney in Pasadena for the past several years. Ms. Scharrer also serves as a settlement officer for the Los Angeles Superior Court in employment litigations through the Resolve Law program and is available to conduct private mediations in employment and insurance matters. She is also a member of the President’s Advisory Committee on Women in Legal Profession for the Los Angeles County Bar Association.
Ms. Scharrer is keenly sensitive to the economic demands of litigation. She is an effective, assertive and conscientious advocate for her clients and strives to find the most efficient resolution to all conflicts, including advising clients regarding early mediation, alternative dispute resolution, and trial when necessary.