Jason Ewert

Jason Ewert has devoted his career to navigating the complex relationship between California public agencies and their workforces. For more than a decade he has represented municipalities, public sector unions and employees in labor and employment matters.

Jason began his career in public service as a Deputy City Attorney for the City of San Bernardino, where he regularly advised all departments regarding employment and personnel matters, represented the City in labor negotiations with its bargaining units, and defended the City in a range of civil writ proceedings. He also served as the City’s primary advisor for the internal affairs division and the on-call legal advisor for all officer-involved shooting investigations.

Before joining Cole Huber, Jason spent seven years with one of the largest law firms in the State of California representing public sector unions. During that time, he rose to the position of Managing Attorney and led the work of attorneys and support staff, directed office operations and case assignments, while also continuing to handle complex matters personally, including appellate cases. Jason represented hundreds of members of public employee associations across the full range of labor and employment disputes, including but not limited to administrative and critical-incident investigations, disciplinary proceedings, and evidentiary hearings before the Public Employment Relations Board, the State Personnel Board, civil service commissions, arbitrators, and superior courts on civil writ appeals.

As a Partner at Cole Huber LLP, Jason serves as general and special municipal counsel to public agencies and select employee associations throughout California. He regularly counsels elected officials, agency management personnel and employee association leaders on the decisional precedent and statutes applicable to local government labor relations and employment law, including the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act, California Public Records Act, the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights Act, the Firefighters Procedural Bill of Rights Act, the California Family Rights Act and the Ralph M. Brown Act. As a POST certified instructor, Jason also routinely provides training regarding the aforementioned areas of the law. In addition to employee disciplinary proceedings, collective bargaining, unfair practice charges, and civil writ proceedings, Jason also regularly conducts workplace investigations and prepares the legal opinions and complex instruments on which agency decision-making depends.

Jason’s combination of experience, representing public agencies and public employee associations and their members, is the foundation of Jason’s approach. Having sat on both sides of the table, he understands the pressures, priorities, and legal exposure each side faces, and he draws on that perspective to advocate aggressively and effectively for his clients.