The Law Office of Patrick R. Kitchin

Practice Areas

CIVIL RIGHTS LITIGATION

Kitchin Legal represents employees whose civil rights have been violated on the job. Under California and federal law, employees have the right to work in environments free from discrimination and harassment based on race, national origin, sex, sexual orientation or disability status.

  • Employers are required to conduct quick and thorough investigations of all claims of discrimination, and their failure to do so can give rise to lawsuits for monetary damages.
  • Employers are also required to take prompt and thorough steps to help prevent discrimination and harassment against their employees.
  • Employers may not retaliate against any employee who complains about illegal conduct within the workplace, regardless of the nature of the illegal conduct.
  • Employers who fail to abide by these laws can be sued for damage, including lost wages, future wages and emotional distress.
  • Claims for punitive damages in employment discrimination cases are common.

WAGE AND HOUR LITIGATION

Under California and federal law, employers are required to pay their employees fairly and timely. Kitchin Legal represents employees in lawsuits against their current and former employers who failed to abide by these laws.

Minimum wage laws establish how much an employee must be paid. Overtime laws establish when an employer must pay premium wages to its employees. Still other employment laws establish the employers’ obligation to maintain accurate time and payroll records on each employee. California wage and hour law is designed to protect an employee’s right to wages for work he or she performed and to provide guidelines for the safe and ethical treatment of employees.

Kitchin Legal served as lead counsel in wage and hour class actions against several nation-wide companies, including Polo Ralph Lauren, The Gap, Banana Republic, and Chico’s. Several of these cases involve claims that each of these clothing retailers illegally required their employees to purchase company-brand clothing to wear as work uniforms. Under Kitchin Legal’s lead, settlements have been achieved in each of these cases, resulting in compensation for over 60,000 individuals across California.

CLASS ACTION LITIGATION

Many civil wrongs affect large numbers of people in similar ways. Illegal employment practices can affect tens of thousands of workers. Defective consumer products can also injure thousands of consumers. And, unlawful business practices, such as consumer fraud, can have a detrimental impact on a large group of people. The class action process provides a means of seeking damages on behalf of a large group of people whose claims are similar and who may have suffered only minor damages.

It only takes one person to make a difference.

PERSONAL INJURY LITIGATION

When a person is injured by the negligent or intentional conduct of someone else, that injured person is entitled to fair and just compensation for his or her injuries. For nearly twenty years, Patrick Kitchin has been involved in the prosecution and defense of personal injury cases involving serious and catastrophic injuries and has an established record of success. Unlike most personal injury attorneys, Patrick Kitchin has substantial experience both prosecuting and defending personal injury cases. Kitchin’s experience makes him ideally suited to understand the tactics of his adversaries throughout the litigation process.

Kitchin Legal generally represents injured persons on a contingency fee bases, advancing all litigation costs and earnings fees only when we are able to recover damages.

PRODUCT LIABILITY LITIGATION

Product manufacturers and distributors are required by law to make their products safe for the public. Yet, according to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission, consumer products injure over 29 million people in the United States every year.

Patrick Kitchin has prosecuted and defended cases involving defective products, including automobiles, power tools, drugs and medical devices, wheelchairs, elevators, escalators, scaffolds and various durable consumer products. Kitchin Legal’s experience working for both manufacturers and consumers makes us ideally suited to handle product liability cases for injured consumers.

BUSINESS LITIGATION

Companies, both small and large, become involved in civil litigation when they fail to understand and abide by the complex laws governing the ethical conduct of business. For nearly twenty years, Patrick Kitchin has been actively involved in business litigation involving claims of trade disparagement, slander and liable, breach of contract, theft, breach of fiduciary duties and fraud. Many of these cases have involved claims valued in the millions of dollars.