JoAnn Victor

Biography

JoAnn Victor is an employment and appellate attorney, well-versed in defending corporate, college, and insurance company clients against claims of harassment, discrimination and retaliation related to race, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability and pregnancy. She has written dispositive motions and argued employment-related cases before the state court of appeal. See, e.g., Mejia v. City of Inglewood (2012) (non-pub’d—reversing jury verdict against municipal client; Lim v. Prudential Ins. Co. of America (2005) at WL 2222 (non pub’d.). Ms. Victor has also taught seminars on employment-related matters at the University of California Los Angeles Extension and the California State Bar.

Ms. Victor’s broad experience with complex legal analysis and appellate briefing derives, in part, from her experience as a senior legal research attorney with Division Five of the Court of Appeal, Second District. In her several years with the Court, she drafted more than 120 bench memoranda for civil and criminal cases for presiding and associate justices. In private practice, thereafter, she continued to draft and argue complex legal issues, including in appellate briefs before the Ninth Circuit, as well as in state court. See, e.g. M & A Gabaee v. Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (2005) 419 F.3d 1036. She has a heavy law and motion practice and has written numerous dispositive motions, as well as trial-related documents for public and private clients. Ms. Victor has helped try approximately ten cases and coordinated and supervised writing for multi-party litigation.

Additionally, Ms. Victor has served as deputy city attorney and/or special counsel for various cities and public agencies in California. In this connection, she has drafted City ordinances and conducted investigations into claims of employment abuse.

Ms. Victor has been involved with a number of class action lawsuits, ranging from insurance-related litigation involving financial abuse of seniors and health care coverage to defending on claims of fraudulent business transactions and alleged denial of retiree benefits. She has performed extensive document review in connection with discovery, and handles all aspects of litigation from the filing of a complaint through trial and appeal.

Ms. Victor earned a J.D., and her M.A. in both political science and in architecture and urban planning. She holds a B.A. in both political science and English. Her college degrees are from the University of California, Los Angeles, California (“UCLA”). She is licensed to practice in the State of California. Her most recent publication is Limitations of Use of City Property (sections on obstructions and encroachments and on deed restrictions) in CEB Municipal Handbook (published in 2010).

Education & Bar Admissions

Education

• UCLA, J.D.
• UCLA, M.A., Political Science and Architecture & Urban Planning
• UCLA, B.A., Political Science and English

Bar Admissions

• California

In the News

Publications