Sean Tamura-Sato
Top rated Employment & Labor attorney in San Francisco, California
Minami Tamaki LLP
Practice Areas: Employment & Labor, Business Litigation, Civil Rights; view more
Licensed in California since: 2007
Education: University of California College of the Law, San Francisco
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2021 - 2025 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2013 - 2020 Call today:
415-788-9000
Free Consultation Minami Tamaki LLP
101 Montgomery StreetSuite 825
San Francisco, CA 94104 Visit website
Details
Lawyer representing clients in complex business disputes, with an emphasis on employment law, business torts, and class actions. Successfully tried cases as first chair in federal court and before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Advises entrepreneurs, executives, and startup founders in matters involving employment contracts, executive compensation, shareholder & partnership disputes, trade secrets, media & technology, severance agreements, and strategic business decisions. Employment clients include restaurants, technology startups, non-profit organizations, medical groups, retailers, and a wide range of businesses in the personal services industry.
Sought-after advisor to numerous national and Bay Area non-profit organizations. Representative clients include the Asian American Journalists Association, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, AAPI Women Lead, Center for Asian American Media, Donaldina Cameron House, and Urgent Action Fund.
Substantial experience representing low-wage and immigrant workers in individual and collective actions to combat worker exploitation and wage theft.
Litigates antitrust and consumer class actions on behalf of clients in high-stakes matters across the country.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Task Force Lead (Workplace safety, employee rights & benefits, small business counseling, anti-Asian hate crimes, consumer refunds, price gouging, business interruption insurance claims, commercial contracts)
Licensed in California and Hawai'i (inactive).
Practice areas
Employment & Labor: Employee, Business Litigation, Civil Rights, Consumer Law, Estate & Trust LitigationFocus areas
Americans with Disabilities Act, Consumer Protection, Disability, Discrimination, Employment Law - Employee, Fraud, Labor Law, Non-Compete Agreements, Race Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, Trade Secret, Wage & Hour Laws, Whistleblower, Will Contests
- 50% Employment & Labor: Employee
- 20% Business Litigation
- 10% Civil Rights
- 10% Consumer Law
- 10% Estate & Trust Litigation
First Admitted: 2007, California
Professional Webpage: http://www.minamitamaki.com/attorneys/seantamurasato/
- Legal Aid at Work (formerly Legal Aid Society of San Francisco) - Board of Directors, 2023
- Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area - Board of Directors, 2021
- San Francisco Japantown Foundation, Board of Directors , 2023
- Representing consumers in price fixing case involving Disposal Contact Lens. Tens of millions of $ in proposed settlements thus far. Case is ongoing. , 2022
- Obtained full recovery against restaurant accused of unlawfully taking tips from employee. , 2022
- Obtained judgment against public entity for civil rights violations of individual suffering hate crimes., 2022
- Obtained judgment against restaurant corporation for breach of contract to compensate former employees. , 2022
- Obtained multiple seven-figure claim decisions for members of the NFL concussion settlement. Other claims ongoing. , 2020
- Counsel for Plaintiffs in VW "Clean Diesel" class action, $15 billiion settlement reached, 2016
- Counsel for Plaintiffs in Transpacific Airlines antitrust litigation. $145 million in settlements to date. Matter ongoing., 2020
- Represented immigrant restaurant workers in action alleging minimum wage, overtime, meal period, and rest period violations. Confidential settlement reached, 2018
- Member of pre-trial team and lead associate for Court-appointed Liaison Counsel in TFT-LCD Antitrust Litigation, largest class action on behalf of consumers in antitrust history (Northern District of California), 2014
- Counsel for Plaintiffs in Domestic Airlines Antitrust Litigation. $60 million in proposed settlements to date. Ongoing. , 2020
- Represented plaintiffs in Capacitors antitrust litigation. $100 million in approved settlements. Matter ongoing, 2020
- First chair attorney representing co-owner in automobile dealership in breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty claim, matter settled confidentially during trial, 2017
- Counsel for Plaintiffs in O'Bannon v. NCAA - amateur athlete name and likeness litigation. Plaintiffs prevailed at trial, 2015
- Obtained unanimous verdict on behalf of plaintiff employee alleging wrongful termination in violation of public policy in federal court in Northern District of California. $40,000 verdict obtained., 2015
- Represented national non-profit on investigation of complaint against organization. , 2022
- Represented non-profit organization regarding termination of employee and employee handbook and policies. , 2022
- Represented executive regarding claims of wrongful termination. , 2022
- Represented federal government employee regarding claims of discipline. , 2022
- Represented medical group regarding personnel issues and employee handbook. , 2022
- Represented non-profit organization regarding complaints against organization regarding harassment by former employee of organization members. , 2022
- Represented electronic component company in wrongful termination case brought by former employee. , 2021
- Represented sleep technologists in claim of failure to provide meal break and rest breaks. , 2022
- Represented Non-Profit on reduction in force of employees. , 2022
- Represented non-profit organization on personnel, disciplinary, and termination matter. , 2022
- Representing class action consumers regarding claims of price fixing of gasoline in California. Currently pending. , 2020
- Representing community non-profit organization regarding personnel and employment matters. , 2020
- Representing former chef in claim of discrimination and wrongful termination against Sports Club. Currently pending. , 2020
- Representing attorney in claim of sexual harassment against supervisor and government agency. Currently pending. , 2020
- Representing technology startup worker in case of wage theft against technology startup. Currently pending. , 2020
- Representing Non-profit organization against claims of discrimination and wrongful termination by employee., 2020
- Defending staffing agency in contract dispute with medical facility. , 2022
- Defended advertising executive in trade secret litigation brought by international marketing firm (San Francisco Superior Court), 2015
- Counseled individual employees in addressing workplace issues and advising them of their legal rights, 2018
- Advised college professors in addressing tenure issues with colleges and universities, 2018
- Member of team overseeing consent decree in Abercrombie & Fitch employment matter, landmark class action co-counseled with EEOC, 2013
- Representing former professional football players in NFL Concussion Settlement, 2019
- Member of litigation teams in nationwide antitrust class actions involving consumer electronic components, international air travel and shipping services, and food & beverages in federal courts resulting in recovery of hundreds of millions of dollars for U.S. consumers, 2018
- Member of litigation team in nationwide class action seeking injunctive relief to reform concussion protocols for FIFA, U.S. Soccer Federation, AYSO, and other U.S. soccer organizations, 2015
- Legal Aid at Work - Workers' Rights Clinic, 2019
- Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach Employment Clinic, 2021
- Korean American Bar Association of Northern California - Legal Clinic Volunteer, 2018
- Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus: Workers' Rights Clinic Volunteer Supervising Attorney, 2018
- Listed in San Francisco Magazine on Top Attorneys in Northern California Rising Stars, published August 2018., Top Attorneys In Northern California Rising Stars, Top Attorneys, 2018
- In 2018, Mr. Tamura was selected for inclusion in the Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Employment Lawyers list, which honors leading attorneys nationwide who have dedicated their practice to representing workers. , 500 Leading Plaintiff Employment Lawyers, Lawdragon, 2022
Office location for Sean Tamura-Sato
101 Montgomery Street
Suite 825
San Francisco, CA 94104
Phone: 415-788-9000
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2021 - 2025
- Rising Stars: 2013 - 2020
