Brandon D. Saxon

Brandon Saxon serves as Assistant Managing Partner of the firm's San Diego office, where he is the Chair of the office’s Employment practice group. Brandon is also the Assistant Chair of the firm’s National Employment Group.

Brandon’s practice focuses on a wide range of civil litigation matters including the defense of companies and employers in employment and commercial related actions. He has litigated a number of matters to successful resolution in both state and federal courts, and has experience in a variety of heavily regulated practice areas. He also provides advice and counsel in assisting companies and organization with developing and instituting policies and procedures to avoid litigation.

In 2021, the San Diego Business Journal recognized Mr. Saxon as a winner of the San Diego's "Leaders in Law" Award.  Brandon frequently speaks, presents, and publishes articles in an effort to advise companies on recent trends in law, best practices, and litigation avoidance.  From 2008-2010, The San Diego Daily Transcript honored Brandon as among the top young attorneys in San Diego, calling him a "rising talent in San Diego County's courtrooms."  He has also been featured in the annual “Best Lawyers” list and has been selected as a Southern California Super Lawyer.

Admissions

• California
• United States District Court, Central, Eastern, Northern and Southern Districts of California

Memberships

• San Diego Bar Association

Community Involvement

• Coach, Torrey Pines High School Mock Trial Team
• Surfrider Foundation, Legal Issues Team

Presentations

• Significant Changes and Developments in Employment Litigation in 2024, GRSM Legal Education Conference, New York, NY, May 2024
• Significant Changes and Developments in Employment Litigation in 2024, GRSM Legal Education Conference, Hartford, CT, May 2024
• Speaker, Navigating Complex Employment Law: Best Practices for Hiring and Firing in the Current Litigation-Forward Environment, GRSM Legal Education Conference, San Francisco, CA, September 2023
• Speaker, AI FYI: Cutting Edge Technological Issues Impacting Employers, GRSM Legal Education Conference, San Francisco, CA, September 2023
• Speaker, Navigating Complex Employment Law: Best Practices for Hiring and Firing in the Current Litigation-Forward Environment, Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani Legal Education Conference, Los Angeles, CA, June 2023
• Speaker, Significant Changes and Developments in Employment Litigation for 2023, GRSM Legal Education Conference, New York, NY, May 2023
• Speaker, Significant Changes and Developments in Employment Litigation for 2023, GRSM Legal Education Conference, Hartford, CT, May 2023
• Speaker, Employee Handbooks and Policies in the 21st Century, National Business Institute, Mini Law School for HR Professionals, October 7, 2020
• Speaker, Employee Workplace Behavior and Privacy - Current Developments, National Business Institute, Mini Law School for HR Professionals, October 7, 2020
• Speaker, Social Media Policies: Avoiding Overreach While Ensuring Proper Usage, National Business Institute Seminar, Santa Ana, CA, November 12, 2019
• Speaker, Wage and Hour Law: The Latest FLSA Guidance and Best Practices, National Business Institute Seminar, Santa Ana, CA, November 12, 2019
• Speaker, Imperative Information That Every Employee Handbook Should Contain,  National Business Institute Seminar, San Diego, CA, November 4, 2019
• Speaker, FMLA and Other Leave Issues, National Business Institute Seminar, San Diego, CA, November 4, 2019
• Speaker, Class Actions: The Latest Threats and Defenses, GRSM Legal Education Conference, Los Angeles, June 2019
• Speaker, Claims vs. Coverage: What Insurers and Their Counsel Need to Know, Bad Faith Traps, and a Review of Ethical Issues, GRSM Legal Education Conference, New York, May 2019
• Speaker, Claims vs. Coverage: What Insurers and Their Counsel Need to Know, Bad Faith Traps, and a Review of Ethical Issues, GRSM Legal Education Conference, Hartford, CT, May 2019
• Speaker, Glancing Back but Staying Ahead of the Curve in 2019, MyHRHelp Webinar Series, San Diego, January 11, 2019
• Speaker, Sexual Harassment Awareness Training, MyHRHelp Webinar Series, San Diego, November 6, 2018
• Speaker, “Employment Law and the Hospitality Industry” – Presented to the Association of Hospitality Professionals, Irvine, California, July 18, 2018
• Speaker, Class Action Litigation Employers - Brace Yourselves, GRSM Legal Education Seminar, Los Angeles, California, June 28, 2018
• Speaker, Employment Law: 2018 Comprehensive Guide, National Business Institute Seminar, San Diego, California, June 6, 2018
• Speaker, Insurance and Settlements, Ethical Considerations, GRSM Legal Education Seminar, Hartford, Connecticut, May 2, 2018
• Speaker, Getting Out of the Weeds: The Legalization of Marijuana, GRSMi Legal Education Seminar, New York, New York, May 4, 2018
• Speaker, Insurance and Settlements, Ethical Considerations, GRSM Legal Education Seminar, New York, New York, May 4, 2018
• Speaker, What’s New in 2018? Review and Preview of Hot Topics in Employment Law, MyHRHelp Employment Webinar Series, January 16, 2018
• Speaker, Class Action Litigation, Employers – Brace Yourselves, Los Angeles Legal Education Conference, June 29, 2017
• Speaker, Social Media: An Ethical Obstacle Course, Hartford Legal Education Conference, May 4, 2017
• Speaker, Social Media: An Ethical Obstacle Course, New York Legal Education Conference, May 2, 2017
• Speaker, Minimizing Social Media and Other Risks of the Holiday Party, GRSM National Employment Law Webinar Series, November 2017
• Speaker, Human Resource Law A-Z, National Business Institute, October 25, 2016
• Speaker, Class Action Litigation, Employers - Brace Yourselves, GRSM Employment Law Conference, June 29, 2016
• Speaker, Taking and Defending Depositions, GRSM, June 21, 2016
• Speaker, Employment Law: 2015 Comprehensive Guide, National Business Institute, San Diego, California, October 28, 2015
• Speaker, Sexual Harassment Awareness Training, California AB 1825 Compliant, MyHRHelp Webinar Series, August 2015
• Speaker, Punching the Clock: The Latest Trends in Wage & Hour Laws, GRSM National Employment Law Webinar Series, May 2014
• Speaker, Sexual Harassment Awareness Training, Online Seminar, February 2014
• Speaker, Wading Through Wage & Hour in California, Online Seminar, September 2013
• Speaker, How to Conduct a Workplace Investigation, Online Seminar, June 2013
• California Wage & Hour Essentials, Lorman Seminar, February 2013

Presentations

• Featured, Mitigating Employment Practices Liability Risks, Journal of Accountancy, March 30, 2023
• Featured, A Time for Choosing, New Employment Arbitration Laws, Best Lawyers 2023 Employment Law Issue, March 24, 2023
• Featured, The Ninth Circuit Gives a Big Win to California Employers Who Condition Employment on Mandatory Arbitration Agreements, GRSM Employment Law Update, February 2023
• Featured, California’s New Pay Transparency Law, GRSM Employment Law Update, December 2022
• Featured, California’s Contraceptive Equity Act and the Impact on Employers, GRSM Employment Law Update, November 2022
• Featured, New Recreational Cannabis Use Protections for Employees Under FEHA, GRSM Employment Law Update, November 2022
• Featured, Big News for California Employers: Arbitration of PAGA Claims?, GRSM Employment Law Update, June 2022
• Featured, New 2022 Legislation for California Employers, GRSM Employment Law Update, December 2021
• Featured, The U.S. Supreme Court Sets Oral Argument on OSHA COVID-19 ETS, GRSM Employment Law Update, December 2021
• Featured, Current Status of Federal Vaccine or Test Mandate, GRSM Employment Law Update, December 1, 2021
• Featured, Juneteenth Federal Holiday: What California Employers Need to Know, GRSM Employment Law Update, June 2021
• Featured, Employers Must Pay California Employees COVID-19-Related Supplemental Paid Sick Leave for up to Eighty Hours, GRSM Employment Law Update, March 2021
• Featured, House Passes Equality Act to Prohibit Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, GRSM Employment Law Update, March 2021
• Featured, Considerations For Employers Mandating COVID-19 Vaccination, GRSM Employment Law Update, January 2021
• Featured, EEOC Permits Employers to Mandate COVID Vaccinations to Employees: Now What?, GRSM Employment Law Update, December 2020
• Featured, Leave Requirements Under the California Family Rights Act Expand to Cover California’s Smallest Employers, GRSM Employment Law Update, October 2020
• Featured, AB 2257 Further Modifies California’s Controversial Independent Contractor Regulations in AB 5, GRSM Employment Law Update, September 2020
• Featured, California Enacts AB 1867 to Provide Supplemental Paid Sick Days to Employees Affected by COVID-19, GRSM Employment Law Update, September 2020
• Featured, U.S. Supreme Court Refines Framework for Religious Employers, GRSM Employment Law Update, July 2020
• Featured, Guide for Updating Employment Policies To Address the COVID-19 Pandemic, GRSM Employment Law Update, June 2020
• Featured, California Supreme Court Says Employers Must Pay Employees for Off-the-Clock Bag Searches, GRSM Employment Law Update, February 2020
• Featured, AB 749 Prohibiting No-Rehire Provisions in Settlement Agreements – Another Offspring of the #MeToo Movement, GRSM Employment Law Update, January 2020
• Featured, When is a Partner Not an Employee? According to the Eighth Circuit, Equity Partners in Law Firms Not Employees Under the ADEA, GRSM Employment Law Update, December 2019

Education

J.D., University of Denver, Sturm College of Law

• Editor, Water Law Review
• Moot Court Board, Executive Committee
• Moot Court National Team

B.A., Economics, Boston College

University of Natal, Durban, South Africa

Externship

Honorable John L. Kane, Senior Judge with the United States District Court for the District of Colorado

Honors

Best Lawyers in America® distinction in Litigation - Labor and Employment (2023-2025)

Leader of Influence in Law, 2023, San Diego Business Journal 

Leader in Law Winner, 2021, San Diego Business Journal

Leader in Law Finalist, 2019, San Diego Business Journal

Rising Stars® distinction in the fields of Employment & Labor and Environmental Litigation (2016-2017)

Top Attorney Nominee, 2014, San Diego Daily Transcript

Top Young Attorney Nominee, 2008-2010, San Diego Daily Transcript