Donn Ginoza
530 Showers Drive, #7-419
Mountain View, CA 94040
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Arbitrator (2023-present)
Arbitrator accepting labor arbitrations and factfinding hearings. Excellent analytical and writing skills. Emphasizing contract interpretation, disciplinary, and Collyer deferral matters. Experience in healthcare, K-12/community college/university educators, professionals, administrative, skilled trades, office-technical, service, courts, law enforcement, corrections, fire-fighting, and transit.
Law Office of Donn Ginoza (1994-2024)
Appellate specialist handling criminal appeals under appointment by the California Court of Appeal for the First, Third, Fifth and Sixth Appellate Districts. Completed over 145 appellate matters, with 10 reported decisions, including People v. Gutierrez (2017) 2 Cal.4th 1150 and People v. Romeo (2015) 240 Cal.App.4th 931.
California Public Employment Relations Board (1986-2020)
Administrative law judge (2002-2020) for state agency administering labor relations statutes applied to governmental subdivisions and their employee unions. Issued over 145 decisions, many involving the agency’s most complex and sensitive issues, including seminal decisions on the right to strike and supersession of local ordinances by the statutory duty to bargain. Senior counsel (1986-2002) analyzing case filings, determined initial merit, analyzed injunctive relief matters, mediated disputes in informal settlement conferences, and conducted litigation on behalf of the board. Reported decisions include Public Employment Relations Bd. v. Superior Court (1993) 13 Cal.App.4th 1816; Association of Graduate Student Employees v. Public Employment Relations Bd. (1992) 6 Cal.App.4th 1133; San Diego Adult Educators v. Public Employment Relations Bd. (1990) 223 Cal.App.3d 1124.
Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (1983-1986)
Senior attorney conducting and supervising litigation in housing and public assistance matters in the South Central Los Angeles office. Managed staff work flow and provided training and development.
Legal Aid Society of Alameda County (1979-1983)
Staff attorney representing indigent clients in housing, employment, consumer, debt collection, torts, and public assistance matters; member of impact litigation team, addressing housing discrimination, employment discrimination, language access, and welfare rights. Lead counsel in case establishing interpreter services for non-English-speaking patients at acute care county hospital.
Western Center on Law and Poverty, Inc. (1978-1979)
VISTA volunteer assisting impact litigation team enforcing the right to affordable housing via the housing element of the general plan.
EDUCATION
A.B. (History), Oberlin College, 1974
J.D. University of Pittsburgh, 1978
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Bar Admissions
State of California (1979); U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (1980); U.S. District Court, Central District of California (1984); U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit (1983); U.S. Supreme Court (2010).
Bar Activities
- Labor and Employment Law Section of the State Bar of California (member, 1988-2025)
- Legal Services Section of the State Bar of California (Special Needs Committee, member 1980-1989, Commendation from the State Bar Board of Governors for Outstanding Contributions to the Delivery of Voluntary Legal Services)
- Asian Bar of California (delegate, 1988)
- Japanese American Bar Association (board of governors; Community Education Committee, chair, 1983-1989)
- Asian American Bar Association (Community Services Committee, member, 1981-1983)
- Alameda County Bar Association (Liberty Bell Committee, member, 1981-1983).
Civic Activities
National Academy of Arbitrators (member, Northern California Salon, 2023-2025), National Health Law Program (board of directors, chair, vice-chair, 1989-2011); Asian Health Services (board of directors, chair, vice-chair, treasurer, 1983, 1989-2011, Outstanding Board Member Commendation by Alameda Health Consortium and Community Health Center Network); Asian Health Services Foundation (board of directors, chair, founding member, 2009-2018); Asian Foundation for Community Development (founding member, 1983); Asian Multi-Services (board of directors, 1981-1983); Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach (volunteer, 1980-1983).