Squire Sanders is pleased to announce the addition of leading labor and employment partner Gary M. Gansle to the firm’s Palo Alto office from Dorsey & Whitney. Mr. Gansle will lead the firm’s Northern California Labor & Employment Practice Group, and is joined by of counsel Karen E. Wentzel and associate Nisha Patel.
“Gary is recognized as one of California’s leading employment law specialists, and we’re delighted to have someone of his caliber join the firm,” said Squire Sanders Northern California Managing Partner Michael Kelly. “The arrival of this team deepens our offering to international and domestic clients facing complex employment issues across California and the United States.”
Mr. Gansle has extensive experience in a variety of employment law issues, including successfully litigating cases involving race, sex, disability and age discrimination, as well as wage and hour and other employment law-related cases. He also counsels clients on executive compensation matters. Mr. Gansle’s clients include Northern California-based electric car manufacturer Tesla Motors and Box Inc., an online file-sharing and cloud content management services provider.
Ms. Wentzel has more than 20 years of experience representing clients in business disputes with expertise in the laws governing sexual harassment, sex, race, age and disability discrimination, wrongful discharge, employee raiding and misappropriation of trade secrets. She regularly counsels clients on potential workplace issues, including wage and hour, reduction-in-force, unfair competition, reasonable accommodation, protecting proprietary information, non-solicitation and other personnel matters.
“Squire Sanders has one of the industry’s most robust labor and employment practices with more than 125 skilled practitioners spanning 19 countries around the globe with in-depth experience in all disciplines of employment law,” said Susan M. DiMickele, co-chair of Squire Sanders global Labor & Employment Practice Group. “Gary’s arrival gives us a nationally prominent lawyer based on the West Coast to serve the needs of clients in California, as well as those with operations across the country. We’re excited to have him on board.”
“Squire Sanders is recognized for having one of the industry’s broadest and most diverse legal platforms, which is important to clients who continue to expand and face critical business issues inside and outside the United States,” said Mr. Gansle. “The Squire Sanders platform, coupled with the firm’s reputation in employment law, makes this a very exciting opportunity to partner even more closely with clients to address their employment law needs.”
Mr. Gansle received his B.A. from the University of North Texas, cum laude, and his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. He also served honorably in the US Navy and has been recognized by the Bar Association of San Francisco with its Outstanding Volunteer in Public Service Award for legal work he has performed for nonprofit organizations.
Ms. Wentzel received her B.A. from Colgate University, summa cum laude, and her law degree from the Stanford School of Law where she served as an editor of the Stanford Law Review.
