Sergio Bent

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Sergio is an experienced trial attorney. He concentrates his practice on labor and employment law, business law, and litigation. Sergio represents public and private sector clients in various discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, wage and hour, breach of contract, unfair competition, misappropriation of trade secrets, defamation, and fraud actions. To date, Sergio has represented clients in excess of 225 arbitrations/administrative hearings to decision. 

Sergio practices in both the state and federal trial courts in California. He represents clients in matters pending in state and federal administrative agencies, including the California Civil Rights Department (CRD), California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE), U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). 

Sergio is also an experienced appellate attorney. He handles appeals before the California Courts of Appeal and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. As a former Deputy Attorney General for the State of California, Sergio handled over 200 appeals.

Sergio advises employers on all aspects of employment law,  including the handling employee discipline and termination matters. In addition, Sergio gives sexual harassment and management trainings in a wide range of industries.

While in law school, Sergio served on the Howard Scroll Law Review. 

• Represented   an employer in a race and disability discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination in violation of public policy case, pending in state court. Obtained summary judgment in favor of the company.
• Represented an employer in a wrongful termination and breach of employment contract case, pending in federal court. Obtained summary judgment in favor of the company.
• Represented a public sector employer in a writ proceeding brought by an employee to overturn a termination for workplace violence, pending in state court. Termination affirmed on writ.
• Represented a public sector employer in four race discrimination, retaliation and wrongful termination cases, pending in state court. Obtained summary judgment in two of the cases, a defense jury verdict on one of the cases and the fourth case settled.
• Law & Politics magazine’s “Southern California Super Lawyers – Rising Stars” for 2005, 2009 and 2010.
• Law & Politics magazine’s “Southern California Super Lawyers” for 2015-2026.

Howard Law School
(J.D., cum laude, 1995)

California State University, Bakersfield
(B.A. 1991)

California

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Central and Eastern Districts of California