BDG Law Group is pleased to announce that Shareholder Michele M. Goldsmith has been honored by the Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal as one of their 2025 “Top Labor & Employment Lawyers.” This prestigious annual list recognizes attorneys in the Los Angeles region who are at the top of the field in labor and employment law, whether litigating claims in court, advising on workers’ rights, or helping employers comply with evolving regulations.
The Daily Journal’s profile of Michele highlights her decades of experience in employment litigation as well as her commitment to serving public and private entities across the state. In the past year, she has successfully litigated cases involving a range of retaliation and discrimination claims for clients such as the Los Angeles Unified School District and the County of Los Angeles.
Michele describes some of the significant challenges encountered in her work on behalf of employers, like the increase in Labor Code section 1102.5 claims, which now include attorneys’ fees provisions and broader interpretations of whistleblower protections. “An obstacle in whistleblower retaliation cases, under Labor Code Section 1102.5 is that the burden of proof for the employer is higher,” she shares with the Daily Journal.
Despite these obstacles, Michele has earned a well-deserved reputation for securing significant victories for her clients while navigating the increasingly complex legal landscape.
In one notable example, Camp v. Los Angeles Unified School District, BC673403 (L.A. Super. Ct., filed Aug. 22, 2017), a former principal alleged wrongful termination for challenging funding decisions. Though the jury initially ruled against the District, Michele successfully appealed the verdict, and the Court of Appeal reversed the jury’s decision. Plaintiff then sought review by the Supreme Court, a petition which was denied in July of 2025.
View Michele’s profile in the Daily Journal’s “Top Labor & Employment Lawyers” here (subscription required).