Big Law Expertise, Forward-Thinking Strategy
We want to see our clients thrive before, during, and after any legal dilemma.
our goal: deliver value every time
Our firm was started for you, built for you, and is devoted to serving you. We listen to our clients and adapt to them so that we can become the legal firm that their business needs. Here are some of the ways we personalize our solutions:
Build
Emotionally intelligent and highly experienced attorneys ensure the best representation of your interests.
establish
A transparent structure facilitates accountability to you, the client, for the quality of our work and communication.
IDEATE
Creative, often novel solutions help resolve employment-related disputes quickly.
CUSTOMIZE
A customized approach fits the unique needs of our clients through active listening and collaboration.
SYSTEMATIZE
Our efficient systems for each stage of legal representation maximize efficiency, reduce overall legal spend, and improve outcomes.
LIMIT
Team member’s caseloads are intentionally low to ensure our lawyers give their full time, attention, and creativity to your case.
Meet OUR Team
Our team is comprised of business owners, entrepreneurs, military veterans, HR professionals, executive leaders, and former Big Law partners who have served, trained, and represented thousands of businesses. With our combined and diverse experience, we are ready to help you efficiently manage, resolve, and avoid costly lawsuits so that you can get back to running your business.
Alex
Medina
FOUNDING PARTNER
Employment, Class, and PAGA Litigator
“Few lawyers anywhere can match Alex’s litigation skills. And he can flat-out write.”
- DAVID M. LEVINE; IN-HOUSE COUNSEL, UC DAVIS HEALTH SYSTEM
ABOUT ALEX
Until starting a successful solo practice in January 2013 that grew into Medina McKelvey, Alex Medina spent nearly his entire career with large, international firms in Los Angeles and Sacramento, including Norton Rose Fulbright and DLA Piper.
As a founder and owner of two growing businesses, Alex is passionate about standing up for employers and owners. He is skilled at quickly immersing himself in a given case’s applicable law and learning his clients’ particular business and industry. He has over 20 years of experience litigating civil cases in nearly every area of law, including wage and hour and white-collar criminal defense to contract disputes and fraud cases. This broad experience has honed his natural abilities to assimilate information and decisively determine the best path forward quickly.
As an employment lawyer focusing on defending, resolving, and preventing class and PAGA actions, Alex thinks like an entrepreneur to develop out-of-the-box practical solutions. As proof of concept, Alex co-founded the first-of-its-kind online wage and hour training, testing, and certification company California Compliance Solutions. He has successfully represented some of the largest companies in California and the United States in multi-million-dollar lawsuits. A skilled oral advocate and brilliant writer, he’s quick on his feet, has a knack for writing a winning brief, and demonstrates civility and poise when a situation gets tense. Alex has received numerous accolades throughout his career, including being awarded the prestigious Super Lawyers distinction consecutive for the past decade, a 40 Under 40 award from the Sacramento Business Journal, and numerous consecutive “Top Lawyer” type awards from several Sacramento-area publications over the past 10 years.
When he’s not at the office, Alex enjoys spending time with his wife of 20 years, playing competitive tennis, rooting for the SF Giants, and watching and coaching multiple sports teams for his four sons.
COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY
Alex loves to give his time and resources to numerous charitable and faith-based organizations that serve the disadvantaged locally, nationally, and around the world. He also holds and has held numerous leadership positions, including Past President of the Federal Bar Association, as attorney representative to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (which included planning the annual judicial conference for the Eastern District of California), and as a member of a merit selection panel for the Eastern District of California to select a federal magistrate judge in Redding.
He also co-founded Lawyers vs. Hunger and has been involved in the following professional organizations:
Christian Legal Society (local and national chapters)
Federal Bar Association (local and national chapters)
Asian Bar Association of Sacramento
Sacramento County Bar Association
Placer County Bar Association
Roseville Chamber of Commerce
Secretary and Board Member, Placer Rescue Mission
Vice President, Placer County Sheriff’s Council
EXPERTISE
Wage and Hour Defense, Employment Counselor, Crisis Manager
Over 20 years of experience defending businesses in California
Subject matter expert and speaker on employment law issues, including arbitration agreements
Gifted communicator and writer
EDUCATION
Loyola Law School; Order of the Coif
University of California, Berkeley; with honors
TIM
NELSON
PARTNER
Wage and Hour Practice Group Leader
“Tim involved me in every step of our wage and hour class and PAGA case and helped me understand the processes. We were very happy with the result and we would definitely recommend Tim and his team.”
- DIRECTOR OF HR, CALIFORNIA MULTI-LOCATION EQUIPMENT DEALERSHIP
ABOUT TIM
One of the first cases that Tim Nelson worked on was a nationwide antitrust class action. From that moment, Tim found his calling as a class action litigator.
Tim Nelson has been practicing law in California for over 15 years with an emphasis on employment law, class and representative actions, and complex litigation. Before joining Medina McKelvey, he worked at two prominent national law firms, Kaye Scholer LLP and Seyfarth Shaw LLP.
At Medina McKelvey he focuses on wage and hour class and collective actions, employment defense litigation, and representative actions brought under the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA). He can quickly evaluate PAGA claims and provide guidance to employers on ways to efficiently defend, resolve, and prevent these extortion-style lawsuits.
Tim prides himself on understanding each client’s business and offering solutions that are best suited for the particular needs of the client. He learns businesses quickly to understand how employment laws and lawsuits impact the bottom line. He then works efficiently to develop the most economical and common-sense solution.
Tim loves spending time with his family. He helps coach his son’s Little League team and is involved in his children’s school.
COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY
Tim is very active in his community and loves to give back. He has helped organize annual days of community service in several local areas and loves to participate in service projects with his family. He has done pro bono work for the Placer Food Bank and is committed to using his legal skills to benefit his community.
EXPERTISE
15+ years of experience in wage and hour defense analysis and strategy, counseling, and training
Specialized experience in analyzing class data and preparing potential exposure analyses
Subject matter expert on a variety of class and PAGA issues
Significant experience on both sides of representative and class action litigation
EDUCATION
University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law
University of California, Irvine, magna cum laude, Honors program
AlLISON
hyatt
PARTNER
Employment Litigation Practice Group Leader
“Allison has impressively delivered on challenging and emotionally charged cases. Her litigation experience and strategic negotiation skills have helped us through multiple complex employment disputes.”
- OWNER/PRESIDENT, TRANSPORTATION COMPANY
ABOUT ALLISON
Allison Hyatt has been a litigator for more than 20 years representing clients throughout California in a wide range of employment and complex business disputes. Her practice focuses on defending employers, in addition to individual managers and executives, facing lawsuits involving claims of employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, defamation, breach of contract, wage and hour violations, and wrongful termination. As an experienced trial lawyer, Allison has a unique perspective at the outset of litigation, enabling her to help businesses minimize exposure and resolve employment disputes in a cost-effective manner. When needed, she is ready to aggressively defend her clients through trial or arbitration.
Allison also regularly counsels and advises her clients regarding their employment practices, including reasonable accommodations and the interactive process, discrimination and harassment prevention, privacy issues, disciplinary actions, protection of trade secrets, and other personnel matters.
COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY
Allison is active in her community, and, as a parent of a child with special needs, she regularly volunteers her time and legal expertise to advocate on behalf of students with disabilities and their families. She serves on the board of GraceCity, an organization devoted to combating human trafficking and supporting and restoring victims of human trafficking in the Northern California area.
EXPERTISE
Over 20 years of complex litigation experience, including trials and appeals
Specialized experience defending employers in both single plaintiff and class action employment lawsuits
Effective pre-litigation employment counselor and crisis manager
Skilled litigation strategist and settlement negotiator
EDUCATION
University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law
California State University, Long Beach, summa cum laude
Chantelle
Egan
PARTNER
Advice & Counsel Practice Group Leader, Lead Investigator
“Chantelle is both a brilliant lawyer and an amazing, dynamic, charismatic leader with sky-high emotional IQ. Chantelle is savvy at identifying and mitigating legal risk while at the same time finding creative, innovative solutions that work within different company cultures.”
- VICE PRESIDENT, TECH COMPANY
ABOUT CHANTELLE
Chantelle Egan offers a fresh approach to compliance and risk mitigation as the leader of Medina McKelvey’s advice and counsel practice group. Partnering with companies in all stages of their growth trajectory, Chantelle does not simply focus on the nuances of the law but rather integrates each company’s unique culture, values, and business needs into her practical assessments and advice. Her expertise extends throughout the entire employment life cycle from onboarding through termination, with expansive experience in performance management, harassment, discrimination, diversity and inclusion, workplace investigations, and pay equity. Chantelle is nimble, offering proactive guidance to help employers navigate often unexpected workplace employment issues and conflict.
Before joining Medina McKelvey, Chantelle worked at large international law firms and most recently was a partner at Seyfarth Shaw, co-chairing its workplace crisis response and investigations practice group. She continues her work at Medina McKelvey as a neutral third party investigator, in addition to providing internal workplace investigations and pre-litigation crisis management counseling. Chantelle has conducted countless investigations in a wide range of industries, ranging from tech start-ups to trucking, with many of the investigations involving senior executives and board members. Her expansive experience litigating the adequacy of investigations influences how she approaches investigations to ensure they are neutral, thorough, and defensible.
Chantelle started her professional life as an educator, who moonlighted as an off-off Broadway actor in New York. Even today, Chantelle brings those skills to her current practice, offering dynamic and interactive trainings and one-on-one coaching.
COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY
Going back to her educator roots, Chantelle leads a San Francisco junior high mock trial club, which educates students about trial fundamentals and develops their advocacy skills over the course of a school year. Chantelle also provides California-compliant pro bono harassment trainings to Bay Area nonprofits through the San Francisco Bar Association’s Justice and Diversity Center (“JDC”). In 2020, JDC honored Chantelle with the CORP Crystal Award for Outstanding Volunteer of the Year.
EXPERTISE
Balancing workplace employment law compliance with business needs and culture
Neutral investigator with experience across numerous industries and highly sensitive subject matters
Effective pre-litigation employment counselor, strategist, and crisis manager, with emphasis on harassment and discrimination allegations
Dynamic educator and trainer
Extensive litigation experience defending employers
Pay equity, inclusive of audits, investigations, and single plaintiff and class action litigation
EDUCATION
University of Pennsylvania Law School; Senior Editor on Journal of Constitutional Law
University of California, Los Angeles
Rabi
DAVID
SENIOR COUNSEL
Former United States Air Force JAG
“Rabi is a highly experienced courtroom litigator who is not afraid to tackle the most complicated legal issues. He’s sharp, super responsive, and he listens to his clients. He’s the attorney you want by your side when your back is against the wall.”
- DEPUTY GENERAL COUNSEL, FINANCIAL INSTITUTION
ABOUT RABI
For the last 10 years, Rabi David has honed his litigation and investigation skills in a variety of areas ranging from complex commercial disputes, products liability, and securities and compliance. Rabi also worked as a United States Air Force Judge Advocate General, prosecuting criminal cases. In both the military and California courts, Rabi has tried cases to verdict, counseled numerous clients in adverse actions and employment issues, deposed witnesses, and managed multi-layered investigations of fraud, harassment, and securities violations. Before practicing law, Rabi served for eight years in the Air Force as a Special Operations Navigator and an RC-135 maintenance officer.
He now joins Medina McKelvey from Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, one of the top law firms in the world. At Orrick, Rabi counseled clients from Fortune 100 companies, tech startups, and small businesses, shielding them from liability and negotiating many of their complex cases against regulatory agencies to favorable settlements. He uses this skill set to advise California businesses in the multifaceted nuances of the California Labor Code.
COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY
Rabi became a lawyer to help others and offer counsel for those who are victims of the legal system. To that end, he has concentrated on pro bono efforts to assist homeless veterans seeking VA disability benefits, as well as improving legal resources in the fight against international human trafficking. Rabi regularly looks for opportunities to participate in Diversity and Inclusion initiatives and seeks to give back and serve within his community.
EXPERTISE
Former USAF navigator and JAG officer and attorney at one of the top law firms in the world
10 years of high-stakes complex litigation and trial experience in federal and state courts representing individual and corporate clients
Accomplished in meticulously investigating and deciphering vast amounts of data into key issues that determine clients’ optimal strategy
Skilled communicator and strategist grounded in 10 years of Air Force leadership and military justice, assisting clients through creative problem-solving and persuasive advocacy
EDUCATION
Undergraduate degree from Tulane University
Master’s degree with an emphasis in International Relations from the University of Oklahoma
Pepperdine University, School of Law
DOUG
LEACH
ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY
Former Business Operations Executive at Hewlett-Packard
“Doug is one of the most capable people I have ever met. He has been, and will be, an asset to any organization lucky enough to have him.”
- LOS ANGELES CITY ATTORNEY / BUTTE COUNTY DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
ABOUT DOUG
Doug Leach is a trusted and experienced Wage Hour/Support Counsel. He actively works to bring peace to California businesses through his mindful and caring approach to issues, cases, and most importantly, people. Doug has also brought his expertise to employers as a presenter on Labor and Employment law, specifically defense strategies for PAGA actions.
Before pursuing law, Doug worked for 25 years as a business operations executive at Hewlett-Packard. At HP, he was responsible for building new organizations, growing them from the ground up and directing the integration of operational teams across more than a half dozen mergers and acquisitions.
After leaving his leadership role at one of the largest high-tech divestitures in history, Doug decided to fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming an attorney.
Doug loves spending time with his wife of 30 years and their ever-growing family of six children and three grandchildren. Doug enjoys training for half marathons, landscaping, learning architectural design, and reading comic books. He is also an unashamed Cleveland Browns fan.
COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY
Doug and his family are active in their community and in their church and have participated in nearly a dozen service trips to a rural farming village in northern Mexico to build houses and connect with the local community.
Doug enjoyed mentoring young leaders through HP’s Leadership Development program and by participating as an HP advisor to Global Health Corp Fellows.
EXPERTISE
Wage/Hour Counsel and Director of Business Systems
Over two decades of executive leadership and organizational design experience in Fortune 100 tech company
Subject matter expert on people management, business operations, and organizational data
Internationally recognized in negotiations and conflict resolution
Currently serving on the SCBA Labor & Employment Executive Committee
EDUCATION
McGeorge School of Law; Negotiations Team
KYLE
OWEN
ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY
Former Law Clerk to Chief United States District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller
“Kyle has a sharp legal mind and gets right to the issues critical to deciding a case. He is a natural writer and oral advocate and will serve as a powerful ally to any client.”
- FORMER JUDICIAL LAW CLERK AND ASSOCIATE AT PREEMINENT SAN FRANCISCO LITIGATION FIRM
ABOUT KYLE
Kyle Owen’s journey to the practice of law began in the halls of justice. Before becoming an attorney, Kyle spent nearly 13 years in legal administration, 11 of those with the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. At the District Court, Kyle held a variety of administrative positions, most notably as the Courtroom Deputy to Magistrate Judge Carolyn K. Delaney for nearly seven years.
During his time with the court, and while balancing his roles as husband and father of four, Kyle continued to pursue his educational goals, obtaining his undergraduate degree in Business Administration from William Jessup University and his law degree from University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. While at McGeorge, Kyle was a member of the Traynor Honor Society, received a Witkin award for legal research and writing and served as a teaching assistant to Professor Edward Telfeyan in his legal research and writing course. He was a member of the Moot Court Honors Board, won top prize at the 2017 National Cultural Heritage Moot Court Competition in Chicago, served as a Primary Editor on the law review board, and received the 2018 Outstanding Scholastic Achievement Award for the evening division. Kyle was also a student member of the Anthony M. Kennedy American Inn of Court for the 2017-2018 academic year.
After law school, Kyle continued his stead with the District Court, where he spent the next two years as a judicial law clerk to Chief United States District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller. As a judicial law clerk, Kyle developed an expertise in federal procedure and engaged in a wide variety of complex legal matters related to substantive state and federal law.
COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY
Kyle loves spending time with his wife of nearly fifteen years and his four wild, yet lovable kids (two boys and two girls). Kyle is also an exercise enthusiast and an avid sports fan. He was born and raised in Sacramento and takes great pride in seeing the greater Sacramento area develop into the bustling metropolis it is today.
EXPERTISE
Wage and hour counsel
Former law clerk to Chief District Judge of the Eastern District of California
Nearly 12 years of experience in federal court practice and procedure
Former national moot court champion
EDUCATION
William Jessup University, cum laude
University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, with distinction
ASHA
LOPEZ
“Asha is a seasoned litigator who approaches her cases and clients with diligence, empathy, and attention to detail. She is exactly who you want in your corner when your business is at stake.”
- LITIGATION COUNSEL AT BIG TECH COMPANY
ABOUT ASHA
Asha Lopez is passionate about leaning on her natural connection with people to drive the best client outcomes. Her practice focuses on representing employers in workplace law matters, including preventative advice and counseling. She started her career at a small firm where she worked and led litigation on various civil matters, including breach of contract, probate, and unlawful detainers. This breadth of experience helped Asha develop agility and expertise in navigating the law she utilizes in her client work.
Asha joins Medina McKelvey from Jackson Lewis, where she practiced labor and employment law. At UC College of Law, San Francisco, she participated in the Legislative Law Clinic, assisting the California State Judiciary Committee and Public Safety Committee with policy committee analyses. Asha has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including a 40 Under 40 award from the National Bar Association, which recognizes the nation's top 40 lawyers under the age of 40 who exemplify a broad range of high achievement in the legal profession, including in advocacy, innovation, vision, leadership and overall legal and community involvement. Before practicing law, Asha also worked as a registered lobbyist, where she successfully advocated for clients.
COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY
Asha is committed to promoting community diversity, inclusion, and educational equity. She has served in leadership roles for various groups throughout her career, where she has been able to drive and impact building pathways for African-American success in the legal field. Early in her career, she served as the Young Lawyers Chair for the Charles Houston Bar Association and currently serves as a Board Member for the Wiley Manuel Bar Association, where she enjoys mentoring young attorneys and students looking to navigate a career in law.
EXPERTISE
Specializes in Labor & Employment Law
Excels at litigation, trials, and Investigations
Strong communicator, able to quickly forge connections with all sides of the table
EDUCATION
University of California, San Francisco, College of Law
University of California, Davis
Mayra
Sandoval
“Mayra is an amazing attorney and a fierce advocate. Her experience as a litigator and a former human resources professional makes her the perfect attorney to defend employers against complex wage and hour lawsuits.”
- HR DIRECTOR AT NATIONAL FOOD MANUFACTURER
ABOUT MAYRA
Mayra D. Sandoval defends employers with workforces in California against wrongful termination and claims of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation, as well as wage and hour class actions and PAGA actions. She also defends employers against claims filed with the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, and the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission.
In addition, Mayra advises California employers on compliance with California’s myriad labor and employment laws and works with employers to mitigate the risks of potential litigation. Her advice and counsel include guidance on employee discipline and termination, leave of absence, disability, religious accommodations, and compliance with Cal/OSHA regulations. Sandoval has experience handling traditional labor matters, including interpreting collective bargaining agreements, employee grievances, and unfair practice charges.
She has been a board member of the Cruz Reynoso Bar Association since 2020. She appeared on the 2024 Ones to Watch, Litigation (Labor and Employment) list by Best Lawyers, and in 2023, she was recognized as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers.
Mayra is fluent in Spanish and regularly utilizes this skill to assist Spanish-speaking businesses in her defense of employment law matters and training.
EXPERTISE
Wage and Hour Counsel
Specializes in Labor & Employment Law
Strong bi-lingual communicator experienced in handling traditional labor matters
EDUCATION
University of California, Davis, School of Law; King Hall Moot Court Honors Board, Competitions Chair; King Hall Labor & Employment Law Association, President
University of California, San Diego
SamanthA
D’Amico
“Sam’s business acumen and drive is unquestionable. But it’s her humanity and eternal fire to do what’s right and what’s best in every situation that sets her apart from others.”
- OWNER, STAFFING COMPANY
ABOUT SAMANTHA
Samantha D’Amico brings decades of business operations experience to her role, which allows her to advise clients in ways that can both increase compliance and meet their business objectives. She is equally comfortable drafting policies and digging through spreadsheet calculations. Samantha prides herself on efficient, clear, and prompt communication while providing clients with practical HR advisory solutions.
Samantha began her career at a regional event staffing agency where she worked out of the owner’s basement. Within six months, she secured a new client that would change the trajectory of the business for years to come. The company grew to a nationwide agency with over $15 million in revenue annually. Under Samantha’s leadership as Director of Operations, she built a strong executive team to manage client services, business development, human resources, and finance.
COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY
Samantha loves spending time with her husband, daughter, and dogs at their log home in the woods. She gives back to the HR profession by volunteering as a Subject Matter Expert with HRCI, helping to advance their mission of innovative learning and certification in the ever-evolving world of HR.
EXPERTISE
HR and Business Operations Advisor
PHRca Certified by HRCI
Former Director of Operations of a nationwide event staffing agency
Nearly two decades of experience in people and change management, human resources, and business finance
EDUCATION
Bryant University, summa cum laude
Brandon McKelvey
PARTNER EMERITUS
Employment, Class, and PAGA Mediator with M Resolution
ABOUT BRANDON
Today, Brandon’s mediation practice at M Resolution is focused on resolving workplace litigation by helping plaintiffs and defendants find the middle ground. His unique experience and blend of perspectives enables him to offer an objective and unbiased approach to mediation. He empathizes without favoring anyone, and he is 100% committed to removing every area of unnecessary friction for his mediation clients.
Prior to becoming a full-time mediator, Brandon served as the Founding Partner and Chief Vision Officer at Medina McKelvey, offering clients business-centric solutions to high-stakes, complex employment lawsuits. He represented hundreds of California businesses in employment lawsuits all over the state of California, with a focus on wage and hour class and PAGA actions. Brandon counseled Fortune 500 companies, large privately held companies, public agencies, and medium and small businesses on California employment law compliance, with a focus on California’s wage and hour laws.
As a strong advocate for client service and effective communication, Brandon developed multiple tools to help clients quickly evaluate their cases, improve their legal compliance, and protect themselves from future lawsuits.
Before launching Medina McKelvey LLP, Brandon McKelvey was a partner in the Labor & Employment Department of Seyfarth Shaw LLP where he co-led the California Class Action Group, created a popular employment law blog, authored wage and hour and employment law treatises, and regularly spoke on California employment law topics.
COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY
In addition to being a member of various bar associations, Brandon is a tireless advocate for feeding the hungry and anti-trafficking. Brandon co-founded Lawyers vs. Hunger, which is a collaboration of multiple law firms that have banded together to help provide hundreds of thousands of meals to community members in need through local food banks.
EXPERTISE
Expert mediator and peacemaker at M Resolution
Former wage and hour defense strategist, crisis manager, counselor, and trainer
Over 20 years of class action and PAGA experience
Represented hundreds of California businesses in wage and hour lawsuits in every major California court in both federal and state courts of appeal
Created a popular employment blog and training and accountability platform to assist employers with wage and hour compliance and lawsuit prevention
Acts as a consultant, expert witness, and mediator in wage and hour cases
EDUCATION
University of California, Davis, School of Law; Executive Editor of the Law Review
Wayne State University, magna cum laude
The legal market is changing rapidly. Our ongoing evolution is our promise and our commitment to constant improvement that allows us to stand firm in who we are and what we do, which is: