Wendy Housman concentrates her practice on employment litigation, including counselling clients on how to navigate terminations, draft comprehensive and compliant employee handbooks, defending claims of wrongful termination, sexual harassment discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour as well as matters involving products liability, personal injury defense, education law, civil rights and construction litigation.

Additionally, Wendy has appellate experience, extensive arbitration and administrative hearing experience. Wendy has tried numerous jury trials to final verdict. She brings a pragmatic, trial-tested approach to high-stakes civil matters.

Prior to joining the firm, Wendy was a Shareholder at Chapman Glucksman, a full-service California litigation firm, where she led defense efforts in complex employment matters and all aspects of civil litigation.

Wendy earned her J.D. from Pepperdine University School of Law after completing a prestigious internship at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. She holds a B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she was recognized on the Dean’s List.

Wendy lives in Temecula, California and lives with her husband and dogs Phoebe and Jojo. She loves the outdoors, seashell acquisitions, traveling, fine art, wine tasting and dabbling in yearly limoncello making. 

Honors

  • A-V Preeminent® Rating Martindale-Hubbell, 1999 –  present

Professional & Civic Involvement

  • American Bar Association
    • Member, Employment Law Section 1999 – present
  • Association of Southern California Defense Counsel
  • Board member, Animal Assistive Happiness, 2014
  • Board member, Meke Aloha Foundation, 2014 – 2015

Languages

  • Spanish

Practice Highlights

Representative Matters

  • First chaired Los Angeles Superior court case where plaintiff slipped and fell at a sporting event. The judge rendered a non-suit.
  • First chaired Los Angeles Superior Court case where plaintiff tripped and fell over a local restaurant’s parking curb. The jury returned a defense verdict;
  • First chaired Pasadena Superior Court employment case where plaintiff alleged twelve causes of action against an optometrist, 45 day trial. The jury rendered a defense verdict on eleven causes of action with a hung jury on one cause of action. Remaining cause of action not pursued by plaintiff.
  • Second chaired Los Angeles Superior Court case where plaintiff was struck by a hardware store lumber cart. The jury returned a defense verdict on all causes of actions;
  • Successfully blocked the expulsion of an autistic special needs student after being entrapped by the Riverside County Sheriff’s department in an undercover drug sting.

Publications

Publications

  • “A Profile of Wrongful Termination,” The Interpreter, 1988
  • “Successfully Defending a US District Court Fee Shifting Claim”, COPAA Conference, 2021

News

  • Successful education due process matter written up in Rolling Stone Magazine. “Entrapment of Jesse Snodgrass” 2014

Speaking Engagements

  • “Successfully Defending a US District Court Fee Shifting Claim” , Council of Parents, Attorneys and Advocates, 2021