Sandra L. Rappaport

Hanson Bridgett • San Francisco


Sandra Rappaport is as at home in a rough and tumble union arbitration as she is in a boardroom or a courtroom. She has handled employer-side union arbitrations for 20 years alongside a robust employer defense practice.


"I anticipate my very active traditional labor law practice -- representing my clients in labor arbitrations involving union grievances concerning employee discipline or alleged labor contract violations -- will become even more active with the resurgence of union activity in the new industries," she said. "I have a successful record of winning those cases and enjoy getting to know new arbitrators and new industries through that practice." 


She recently fought a nearly decade-long wage-and-hour class action on behalf of Leprino Foods, the world's largest mozzarella cheese manufacturer. 


"California employers frequently face these kinds of class actions, which are often specious, but the cases are typically resolved with settlements and rarely go to trial due to the cost and disruption that the litigation entails," Rappaport said. "In these cases, my client took a strong stand, so I defended them aggressively."


One of the key allegations in the lawsuit was that Leprino Foods' policies and practices essentially required hourly employees to remain on call even during their designated meal and rest breaks. This practice, according to the plaintiffs, deprived the workers of their rightful compensation and rest periods.


The plaintiffs in the case sought to recover wages and penalties for 1,540 class members over a seven-year period. The legal battle was extensive and complex, with both sides presenting their arguments and evidence before the court.


"In these cases, the plaintiffs sought several hundred million dollars for what they contended were non-compliant meal and rest break practices and other Labor Code violations," she explained. 


After a four-week trial, the jury needed barely an hour to side with Rappaport's client with a unanimous verdict. Vasquez v. Leprino Foods Co., 1:17-cv-00796, (E.D. Cal., filed June 14, 2017).