Overview

James Fagen advises California employers on the full range of labor and employment matters, with particular depth in workplace investigations, wage and hour compliance, discrimination and harassment claims, and the negotiation and administration of complex labor agreements. He brings to Zaller Law Group more than two decades of experience at the highest levels of California labor relations — including years as chief spokesperson and lead negotiator on agreements covering tens of thousands of employees — giving employer clients a strategic vantage point that few defense-side attorneys can offer.

James counsels California employers on:

• Wage and hour compliance and PAGA exposure

• Workplace investigations and risk assessments

• Discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims

• Collective bargaining, contract administration, and grievance and arbitration proceedings

• Public sector labor relations

• Policy development, management training, and proactive compliance programs

Most recently as Senior Counsel at a large defense firm, James advised public agency and institutional clients on labor relations strategy, served as lead counsel in grievance and arbitration matters, and drafted and negotiated memoranda of understanding, side letters, and settlement agreements. He partners closely with executive leadership and HR teams to develop policies and training programs designed to mitigate legal exposure before disputes arise.

Earlier in his career, James served as Chief Negotiator and Special Counsel for several of the largest labor organizations operating in California and the Western United States. He directed in-house legal and contract administration teams across a six-state region, led negotiations for major public and private sector agreements, and litigated grievances through arbitration. That experience gives James a clear-eyed view of how unions, plaintiffs’ counsel, and government agencies build their cases — insight he now puts to work for the employers on the other side of the table.

James also founded and ran his own Los Angeles law firm, serving as outside general counsel to business and entertainment clients on corporate governance, compliance, risk management, and strategic business decisions.

James earned his Juris Doctor from Southwestern University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is admitted to practice in the State of California.

Education

• J.D., Southwestern University School of Law

• B.A., University of California, Santa Barbara

Admissions & Honors

• All California State, Appellate, and Supreme Courts