Helping Oakland Employees Defend
Their Rights in the Workplace

Passionate and dedicated legal representation
that enables employees and consumers to fight back.

Who We Are

Aiman-Smith & Marcy is a premier boutique law firm located in Oakland, California. We specialize in employment and consumer law and class action lawsuits. Our attorneys have over 70 years of combined experience fighting for clients and causes we believe in. We give our clients the utmost attention and support that they deserve. We believe in protecting the rights of our clients, who are often considered the underdogs.

We believe that our clients are partners in the legal process. This collaborative approach sets us apart, and we believe it is part of what has made us successful in producing results for our clients. We are proud to partner with clients in the Oakland area, and throughout California.

What Makes Us Unique

At Aiman-Smith & Marcy, our attorneys have worked together for 25 years. We collaborate on every aspect of your case to ensure that you have comprehensive and multi-dimensional legal representation.

Rather than passing your case off to one of our attorneys, our team uses our individual strengths to provide the most robust legal guidance and support, no matter what legal matter you are facing.

At Aiman-Smith & Marcy, we are dedicated to upholding your rights when unethical business practices harm you. We believe in fighting for the rights of employees, consumers, and businesses.

If you are facing harassment, discrimination, or other employment matters, you have anxiety about the future. We are compassionate and will work to support you in every way possible as we work through your case.

What Makes Us Unique

At Aiman-Smith & Marcy, our attorneys have worked together for 25 years. We collaborate on every aspect of your case to ensure that you have comprehensive and multi-dimensional legal representation.

Rather than passing your case off to one of our attorneys, our team uses our individual strengths to provide the most robust legal guidance and support, no matter what legal matter you are facing.

At Aiman-Smith & Marcy, we are dedicated to upholding your rights when unethical business practices harm you. We believe in fighting for the rights of employees, consumers, and businesses.

If you are facing harassment, discrimination, or other employment matters, you have anxiety about the future. We are compassionate and will work to support you in every way possible as we work through your case.

Testimonials

Take a look at what our clients have to say about our work.

Testimonials

Take a look at what our clients have to say about our work.

Testimonials

Take a look at what our clients have to say about our work.

When you need legal experience, skill, and dedication,
trust Aiman-Smith & Marcy.

Our Process

Free Consultation

When you contact Oakland law firm Aiman-Smith & Marcy, you will receive a free consultation with one of our attorneys. This is a no-obligation way to explore your legal rights and the options available to resolve your legal matter.

*The only exception is that if you have been laid off and are seeking advice on whether to accept a severance package, Aiman-Smith & Marcy charges an hourly fee for those types of initial consultations. Contact us for more information about pricing and terms.

Collaboration

If you choose to hire Aiman-Smith & Marcy, you will have the benefit of a collaborative team of attorneys and staff members. Our team of Oakland attorneys will be beside you every step of the way, providing you with updates and information about your case.

Fighting For You

At Aiman-Smith & Marcy, we fight for our clients. Whether it is negotiating with another party or preparing your case for trial – we know how to protect your rights and put the law on your side. Our attorneys are skilled negotiators and litigators, and you can trust that your best interests are at the heart of what we do.

Our Process

Get Help with Oakland Workplace Discrimination or Harassment

Free Consultation

When you contact Oakland law firm Aiman-Smith & Marcy, you will receive a free consultation with one of our attorneys. This is a no-obligation way to explore your legal rights and the options available to resolve your legal matter.

*The only exception is that if you have been laid off and are seeking advice on whether to accept a severance package, Aiman-Smith & Marcy charges an hourly fee for those types of initial consultations. Contact us for more information about pricing and terms.

Collaboration

If you choose to hire Aiman-Smith & Marcy, you will have the benefit of a collaborative team of attorneys and staff members. Our team of Oakland attorneys will be beside you every step of the way, providing you with updates and information about your case.

Fighting For You

At Aiman-Smith & Marcy, we fight for our clients. Whether it is negotiating with another party or preparing your case for trial – we know how to protect your rights and put the law on your side. Our attorneys are skilled negotiators and litigators, and you can trust that your best interests are at the heart of what we do.

Practice Area

At Aiman-Smith & Marcy, we represent clients in the following practice areas:

Workplace
Discrimination &
Harassment
Unpaid OT,
Breaks, & Expenses
Whistleblower
Protections &
Qui Tam
Misclassification
Consumer Fraud

Workplace Discrimination & Harassment

Unpaid OT,
Breaks, & Expenses

Whistleblower
Protections &
Qui Tam

Misclassification

Consumer Fraud

Cases

The attorneys at Aiman-Smith & Marcy are always working diligently on behalf of our clients. Our team currently represents plaintiffs in the following legal cases and is ready to help represent your case.

Benton v. Telecom Network Specialists (Benton v. Tanintco, Inc.)

Name of Plaintiff: Lorenzo Benton

Defendant/Company: Tanintco, Inc.

Court & Case Number:

Los Angeles Superior Court – Central District

CGC-17-562580

Date: 06/26/2006

Short Description: Misclassification of employees. Violations on overtime and breaks.

Lead Attorney: Hallie Von Rock, Reed Marcy, Randall Aiman-Smith

Status: Plaintiffs’ motion for summary adjudication of the class members’ claims for unpaid overtime and missed meal and rest break pay was granted in January 2019 in the amount of approximately $7.5 million. The remaining claims for wage statement and waiting time penalties is set for September 2019. We anticipate that the defendant will appeal the final judgment after trial.

Blog

Stay informed on current events, trending stories, and topics relevant to California employment and consumer law by following our blog

Blog

Stay informed on current events, trending stories, and topics relevant to California employment and consumer law by following our blog.

Miles

Golden Ambassador

Education

I successfully completed puppy school, but my legal education was advanced thereafter. I learned the importance of not biting due to a law called “strict liability” and I learned the importance of collecting evidence (my mom always bring a plastic bag on our walks for that purpose).

Hobbies

Tennis is my favorite sport – I am not so good with a racket, but I am accomplished at chasing down tennis balls.

Skills

I am committed to brighten the day of anyone I come across (unless it is a squirrel). I am excellent at giving you the opportunity to feel better by scratching my belly or petting my ears. If you need a head on your lap or have treats you need to give away, I will be there for you.

My role at Aiman-Smith & Marcy

I understand lawsuits can be very stressful and so I see myself as a “golden ambassador” to provide comfort and support when you need it. If you come to our office and want me by your side while you tell your story, just let us know and that can be arranged.

Lisseth Bayona

Attorney

Education and Background

I am a Los Angeles native and daughter of Salvadorian immigrants. From an early age, my parents instilled the value of hard work and education in me and my two siblings. Their perseverance enabled each of us to graduate from college and earn professional degrees.

My interest and commitment to workers’ rights have roots in my parents’ experiences as undocumented workers in Los Angeles. Witnessing the challenges they faced inspired me to pursue a career where I can help individuals confronted with similar struggles. To help someone in those moments is very satisfying. I love connecting with people and learning about their stories. I believe that dignity in the workplace is a right of all workers, not a convenience or privilege reserved for employees of a certain race, gender, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Legal Experience

I received my J.D. from the University of Southern California (USC) Gould School of Law. While there, I served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Patrick J. Walsh of the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Also, while at Gould, I served as an extern for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, Criminal Division. As an extern, I worked closely with a trial team of Assistant U.S. Attorneys in prosecution of a web-based platform used to promote human trafficking.

I am a member of Aiman-Smith & Marcy’s class action litigation group. As part of that team, I have successfully fought high-stakes legal battles against well-resourced and highly competent defense firms. See, e.g., Cal. Labor & Workforce Dev. Agency ex rel. Raymond v. CompuCom Sys. (E.D.Cal. Mar. 9, 2023, No. 2:21-cv-02327-KJM-KLN) 2023 U.S.Dist.LEXIS 40710.

Personal Interests

In my free time, I enjoy urban vegetable gardening, traveling, and spending time with my nephew and niece. I also love to spend time at San Onofre Beach learning to surf, although admittedly, I am not very good.

Education

 

Hallie L. Von Rock

Attorney (SBN 233152)

Education and Background

I moved to the Bay Area from Washington after graduating high school. I had been accepted to UC Berkeley through a program where I could defer for two years while getting my California residency and attending community college, which was significant since I was paying for college on my own. I began working for Randall Aiman-Smith and Reed Marcy in 1996 as an office manager while taking night classes. My first foray into the legal world was soon after starting at the firm when I was ready to transfer to UC Berkeley. Rather than accepting my resident status, the Board of Regents took the position that California residency required a student to be in California “two calendar years.” Randall and Reed took up my case with the same verve as they helped their actual clients and I got the chance to comb through the UC Berkeley library to read their codes and regulations to support my position. In that experience, I learned what is was like to feel helpless against a big organization and then to have dedicated attorneys in my corner to take up my cause.

After a break to pursue my major in art history, I went to UC Hastings College of Law and continued working with Randall and Reed. Having worked together now for over 25 years, we have a unique ability to work collaboratively and finish each other’s sentences. I have strived throughout my career to make a difference in the lives of our clients. At the end of the day, if I am helping someone to get compensation for losses they suffered, then I know that all the work put into a case has been worth it.

Legal Experience

I have extensive experience in civil litigation and class action cases, including conducting discovery and depositions, calculating damages analysis, preparing motions for certification, writing appellate documents, and overseeing claims administration. We have handled several class actions against retailers where plaintiffs claimed they were forced to purchase clothing to wear to work and were not compensated for these purchases, including against Abercrombie & Fitch, Hugo Boss, Armani Exchange, Uniqlo, Dollar Tree, and Ross. Recently, I was trial counsel in a defamation claim against Bank of America on behalf of a former employee who claimed the Bank blacklisted her with future employers. The jury found Bank of America liable, including for punitive damages.

Personal Interests

Aiman-Smith & Marcy has sponsored me in the Boston Marathon and New York Marathon. When I race, I often wear a “Rockstar Ronan” shirt to support research for childhood cancer through The Ronan Thompson Foundation.

Education

University of California, Berkeley, B.A., 1999

Hastings College of the Law, University of California, J.D., 2004

Randall Aiman-Smith

Abogado (SBN 124599)

Aiman-Smith & Marcy. Oakland consumer fraud attorneys.

Educación y antecedentes

Fui afortunado. A pesar de no haber terminado la escuela secundaria o la universidad, pude -aunque con mucho trabajo- ser admitido y sobresalir en una de las mejores escuelas de derecho del país: La Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad de Berkeley. Mientras estuve allí, tuve el privilegio de ser editor de la California Law Review y miembro del Moot Court Board, asesorando en la redacción de escritos y en la defensa de apelaciones a otros estudiantes. Después de salir de la escuela de derecho, en mis primeros años de práctica, enseñé la escritura legal y la defensa de apelación en la Universidad de California, Hastings College of the Law. También, a lo largo de los años, he sido presentador en eventos de educación legal continua.

Experiencia legal

He sido abogado durante 35 años. He dedicado mi práctica exclusivamente a representar a empleados, consumidores e inversores en los tribunales estatales y federales de primera instancia y en los tribunales de apelación. Me gusta ir a los tribunales por mis clientes y he llevado muchos casos con jurado en los tribunales estatales y federales.

¿Ejemplos? En 2010, fui la abogada principal, junto con los otros abogados del bufete, en el caso Williams v. Union Pacific Railroad donde, después de cuatro años de preparación, el bufete obtuvo un veredicto del jurado de 1.670.000 dólares para una empleada afroamericana. En Rivero v. Surdyka, fui el abogado principal en el juicio y la apelación de un caso de derechos civiles que duró 15 años, incluyendo un juicio completo y tres apelaciones al Noveno Circuito, concluyendo finalmente con una sentencia para los demandantes de más de 2.300.000 dólares. Estos casos ilustran el lema del bufete: compromiso – resultados. Hay que comprometerse con un caso, a veces durante mucho tiempo, para obtener el resultado que el cliente merece.

No siempre ganamos en el juicio. Cuando eso ocurre, el compromiso significa llevar el caso al siguiente nivel y recurrirlo. En el caso Rivero, antes mencionado, eso fue lo que ocurrió: el tribunal desestimó el caso -habíamos perdido- pero apelamos y conseguimos una victoria para nuestros clientes que mantuvimos a través de dos apelaciones más. Desde entonces, el bufete ha conseguido muchas victorias en apelación que reivindican los derechos de los empleados y los consumidores.

A lo largo de los años he sido abogado de los demandantes en numerosos casos individuales y acciones colectivas. Puede sonar cursi, o difícil de creer, pero después de todo este tiempo, y después de todas las grandes experiencias que he tenido, mi parte favorita de ser abogado es cuando consigo dar un cheque a mi cliente.

 

Educación

Facultad de Derecho, Universidad de California, Berkeley, J.D., 1986