Überblick
Melissa (Jo) Kendra counsels and defends employers, from Bay Area startups to Fortune 100 companies, across the full spectrum of California and federal employment law, with particular experience in employment litigation, preventive counseling, and complex workplace disputes.
Jo represents companies, executives, and HR professionals in matters involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and wage-and-hour compliance. She advises on the risks associated with sensitive employment actions – including discipline, termination, and workforce management decisions – as well as compliance obligations, internal investigations, and workplace processes. Jo provides clear, actionable guidance to help clients confidently navigate high-stakes situations while protecting their organizations and staying focused on their businesses.
Jo’s practice is shaped by experience on both sides of the courtroom. Before entering private practice, she served as a deputy attorney general in the California Attorney General’s Office, handling complex appellate matters on behalf of the state, and as an assistant district attorney for the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, prosecuting felony matters from charging through trial. She brings that prosecutorial experience to her employer representations, counseling with a litigator’s eye, litigating with purpose, and positioning cases for efficient resolution whenever possible.
Mitgliedschaften
- Bar Association of San Francisco, member
Qualifikation
Education
University of California College of the Law, San Francisco, JD, 2013
University of Texas at Austin, BA, with honors, 2010
Admissions
California
Languages
English
Spanish