After confirming there is no conflict of interest with any existing or former client, Bowles Law offers initial, confidential consultations without charge to get acquainted and help an inquiring employer understand the nature of our services.  15 minutes is the usual duration.  Addressing an inquiring party’s particular legal problem beyond such preliminaries is time charged at the firm’s current rates.

Bowles Law is dedicated to advising business management on employment-related matters, whether to defend actual or threatened litigation or to resolve personnel conflicts or workplace policy issues.  Advice to an employee is rare, for instance help in understanding a severance package.

Bowles Law’s experience and skill on workplace matters are exemplary.  Client attestations reflect our effectiveness. See:
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Tim Bowles has been in practice since December, 1977, with a wide background in litigation in courts nationwide and a specialty in employment law defense since 1995. Among other recognitions, Mr. Bowles holds Martindale-Hubbell’s highest possible “A/V” rating as a skilled, experienced and ethical practitioner. See: https://tbowleslaw.com/timothy-bowles/   

Cindy Bamforth has been a member of the California bar since 1996.  She too brings decades of employment law practice to the firm, focusing particularly on employee dispute resolution as well as workplace policy and compliance issues.  See: https://tbowleslaw.com/cynthia-s-bamforth/ 

Helena Kobrin brings similar long experience and expertise as “of counsel” (independently associated) with the firm.  Admitted to the Florida bar in 1978 and California in 1991, Ms. Kobrin addresses the full spectrum of our management-side employment law services as well as her intellectual property specialties of copyright and trademark. See: https://tbowleslaw.com/helena-k-kobrin/

As a management-side employment law firm, Bowles Law works on an hourly fees basis, on terms specified by our written representation agreements.  Our rates are in keeping with our experience and regionally consistent with comparable law firms and practitioners, specifics on request.  See: https://tbowleslaw.com/contact-us/ 

Yes. Employment litigation defense is well over half of our practice, with decades of experience in successfully handling cases alleging violations of federal and California workplace discrimination laws, including sex, disability, race, national origin, age and religion among many others. See: Religious Discrimination is No Vacation, May 16, 2025/ Digital Diligence-AI Hiring Tools Must Avoid Discrimination, May 15.2025.

Yes. Unfortunately, mass litigation against employers has become commonplace for supposed violations of California’s Labor Code on wages, overtime, meal and rest periods, paid leave, paystubs and many other workplace matters.  We have successfully guided employers through the often confusing and nearly always high-stakes challenges of such cases.  See: A Super-Sized McDonald’s Overtime Class Action Ruling, May 1, 2017/ PAGA Monster Declawed-Major Relief for Responsible Employers, June 28, 2024

Yes. We frequently help management sort out a failing worker relationship by any number of resolving measures, including guidance to terminate with as little chance of legal repercussion as possible. See: Employee Terminations, April 20, 2018/ When a Door Shuts…Make Sure It’s Fully Closed, May 25, 2018.

Yes, Bowles Law regularly represents or guides clients through such proceedings.  Our assistance includes determination of a business’s strengths and possible weaknesses in response to such claims with ensuing guidance on options and approach to the proceeding.

Yes. For many years, Bowles Law has advised interstate and local haulers on critical matters such as driver piece pay, meal and rest requirements, timekeeping and overtime exemption.  This includes experience in sorting out the potential complexities of conflicting federal and state labor laws unique to transportation industries.  Our help in resolving such matters has prevented many trucking clients from closing their doors in the face of the seemingly crushing costs and consequences of legal challenges. See: Emergency Braking Required, May 7, 2021.

Yes. Bowles Law often advises on the critical distinctions between employee and independent contractor status. The process is especially important in California where the courts and legislature have imposed some of the most restrictive standards for independent contractor classification in the nation. See: Freelance Workers Protections-SB 988: New Rules for Independent Contractor Status, November 20, 2024/ Add Them To The Pile-Yet More Federal Criteria for Independent Contractors, April 5, 2024.

Yes. We have particular experience and skill assisting owners and managers in this important service sector, including on matters of compensation and other workplace policy and practice, government audits, and personnel dispute resolution.

Yes, we regularly assist management in such vital work.  In California particularly, workplace laws are in a state of near-constant change and expansion.  Thus, a company’s employee handbook/policy manual may well be out-of-date or incomplete within a year or less of its initial publication.  See: Road Map, The HR Highway-Workplace Policy Handbook & Forms for 2025, May 9, 2025.

Yes. Bowles Law encourages clients to take preventive actions to lower the prospect of successful government or employee challenges to the maximum extent possible. This is particularly important on the prospect of class action and PAGA litigation seeking potential millions for alleged mass violations of state and federal workplace laws.  We regularly review client wage, overtime, timekeeping, paystub protocols and other practices for possible improvement.  

An employer may be particularly motivated to take such action in the wake of an expensive defense against a former employee’s legal challenge.  Best management practice is to discourage and build protections against such claims before they occur by regularly reviewing and modifying company practices where warranted by changing law. See: Paystub Pergatory-The PAGA Perils of Not Paying Attention, March 14, 2025/Sweat The Details-Friendly Workplace Practices Audits Before PAGA Comes Calling, January 24, 2025