Yen P. Chau Senior Counsel (510) 451-3300 ychau@donahue.com Download vCard LinkedIn

Yen P. Chau

Senior Counsel (510) 451-3300 Download vCard LinkedIn
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A member of the firm’s Employment and Litigation practice groups, Senior Counsel Yen Chau handles virtually all aspects of employment-related matters and complex commercial litigation. Yen is also a registered patent attorney and is based in our Oakland office.

A Valuable Asset to Employers
A seasoned employment law litigator, Yen handles claims involving alleged FEHA/Title VII violations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, failure to accommodate, and wrongful termination. She also represents her clients in cases involving trade secret misappropriation and wage and hour violations. She litigates in state and federal courts, as well as before administrative boards and the appellate courts. She has significant experience advising clients on performance management, disability accommodation, non-competes, and other issues associated with the terms and conditions of employment. A guiding force and advocate for her employer clients, Yen provides advice and guidance to avoid potential pitfalls, drafts employment handbooks, and designs processes to ensure legal compliance while minimizing risk and expense.

Letters of the Law
As a knowledgeable author and speaker, Yen presents and writes on labor and employment topics. Since 2014, she has served on the Board of the Contra Costa County Bar Association Employment Section, and in 2017 was President of the Board.

Before Donahue Fitzgerald
Prior to joining the firm, Yen handled a wide range of employment and commercial litigation cases including corporate dissolution, will and trust contests, professional malpractice, toxic torts, and personal injury and wrongful death actions. She has a strong scientific background and has worked in biotech as a research associate for a gene therapy company.

Professional & Community Affiliations

  • Director, Board of Directors, Alameda County Bar Association, 2019
  • Member, Asian American Bar Association
  • President, Employment Section, Contra Costa Bar Association, 2017
  • Los Angeles County Bar Association Scholarship

Recent Articles/News

Past Articles/News

  • “California’s Wage Equality Law: Will a Rise in Social Awareness and Litigation Lead the
    Way to a Rise in Pay?” Contra Costa Lawyer Magazine, July 2017
  • “Admissibility of Immigration Status in Employment and Personal Injury Cases,” Contra
    Costa Lawyer Magazine, September 2014

Recent Speaking Engagements

December 12, 2019 | San Rafael, CA
2020 Annual Employment Law Update

December 10, 2019 | Walnut Creek, CA
2020 Annual Employment Law Update

December 05, 2019 | Oakland, CA
2020 Annual Employment Law Update

November 22, 2019 | Walnut Creek, CA
Anatomy of an Employment Lawsuit, Part I: Intake and Response
Contra Costa County Bar Association

October 24, 2019 | Concord, CA
Sexual Harassment Prevention – #MeToo and #TimesUp Continues
CCC Employer Advisory Council

October 09, 2019 | Oakland, CA
Employment Law for Non-Specialists
Alameda County Bar Association

June 18, 2019 | Webinar
Life Pro Tip for Small Businesses: Hiring and Managing Your Employees
Small Business Majority

May 14, 2019 | Webinar
Life Pro Tip for Small Businesses: Paying Yourself and Paying Your Employees
Small Business Majority

May 02, 2019 | Webinar
Getting Ready to Hire a New Worker? How to Start the Process.
Better Business Bureau

April 11, 2019 | Oakland, CA
Anti-Harassment Training For Small Businesses

Past Speaking Engagements