Johanna Rodriguez is a senior associate at Walsworth who defends clients in employment, general liability and casualty matters as well as insurance bad faith suits and premises liability matters. She is involved in all aspects of pre-trial litigation, including developing defense case and discovery strategy, taking and defending depositions and appearing at pre-trial hearings, drafting motions, arguing motions in Court, negotiating settlements, attending mediations, and assisting with trial preparation.
Prior to joining Walsworth, Johanna practiced trust and estate law, counseling clients on their estate plans, trust administration matters and representing her clients in probate and conservatorship matters. She also has considerable prior legal experience litigating in general liability matters. While in law school, she interned at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Employment Rights Clinic at Loyola Law School and Office of the California Attorney General’s Employment and Administrative Mandate Section.
Johanna is fluent in Spanish.
- Employee v. Lithia Motors – Assisted in securing a major defense arbitration award on behalf of client in a complicated employment matter. The claimant alleged wrongful termination in relation for his numerous grievances against a Los Angeles-area luxury car dealership. During testimony, several dealership employees provided credible explanations for the perceived wrongdoings against the complainant. The arbitrator, a retired Orange County Superior Court judge, agreed with the defense and found there was no evidence to support a retaliatory termination and rendered a binding award in favor of the Walsworth client.
- Assisted in successful settlement of case in advance of a motion for summary judgement on the grounds there was a dual employment relationship and the employee’s exclusive remedy against his or her employer for injuries arising out of and in the course of employment was workers’ compensation.
- Prevailed in Federal case based on motion to dismiss based on the forum selection clause contained in the onboarding documents/agreement of a travel company.
- Prevailed on summary judgment in Los Angeles Superior Court in favor of a tour provider and bus driver in a matter involving a tourist’s fall in the Grand Canyon area. The alleged injuries were orthopedic and traumatic brain injury and associated medical bills exceeded $900,000.00. In granting the motion, the court agreed that the plaintiff’s complaint was barred under both the “open and obvious” and “assumption of risk” doctrines.
- Investigated retaliation complaints filed with the Labor Commissioner’s Office while in the Employment Rights Clinic at Loyola Law School by conducting interviews, analyzing evidence, and preparing final recommendations.
- Prepared legal memoranda on labor and employment matters, including harassment and discrimination claims, at the Office of the California Attorney General’s Employment and Administrative Mandate Section as a legal extern.
- As a legal extern, assisted in trial preparations for labor and employment matters at the Office of the California Attorney General’s Employment and Administrative Mandate Section.
- Participated in the highly selective William G. Hobbs Trial Advocacy Program, and conducted preliminary hearings on behalf of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
- “The Probate Process from Start to Finish for Paralegals” for the Institute for Paralegal Education, May 2016