Berliner Cohen recently won a major defense verdict in favor of its client, the owner of multiple Northern California automobile dealerships, in a case brought by a former management-level employee. The former employee sought several million dollars in damages for his claims of wrongful termination and breach of contract relative to an ownership interest in the dealership.
In the matter of Majid Salim v. Henry Khachatorian aka. Hank Torian, individually and d.b.a. Torian Holdings, Fremont Automotive Dealership, LLC, Auto Legend, an Alameda County jury found in favor of the defendant employer on all ten causes of action.
The case involved unique questions of law, including whether certain contractual provisions constituted a "wage" as defined by the Labor Code because they were included in a pay plan and whether the employer defendant was justified in terminating the management-level employee based on his inability to get along with staff. The jury ultimately agreed with the defendant employer's right to terminate the manager and awarded zero damages to the former employee.
The Berliner Cohen defense attorney team representing Mr. Khachaturian included attorneys Christine Long and Sara Pollock.
Berliner Cohen's experienced employment law and litigation attorneys advise and represent employers and managers on a full range of legal issues affecting the workplace, including wrongful discharge, wage and hour issues, labor disputes, harassment and discrimination, unfair competition and trade secret. Berliner Cohen is one of the largest and oldest full-service law firms serving the business and regulatory needs of private business and public agencies in San Jose with offices also in Merced and Modesto.