Phyllis W. Cheng, Esq., has excelled at every stage of her career. For nearly seven years, Ms. Cheng was Director of the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), the largest state civil rights agency in the United States. As Director, she oversaw six- and seven-figure settlements, including the largest settlements in DFEH history. In this episode, Ms. Cheng relates the story behind a dispute involving a recovering addict, her father, and the guru who had helped the daughter achieve sobriety in exchange for free rent in a mansion owned by the very wealthy father, who had no knowledge of either the daughter’s addiction or the arrangement with the guru. Although he had performed no addiction-related services for more than seven years and lived in the mansion rent-free during that time, the guru claimed he was owed wages. How was Phyllis Cheng able to assist the parties reach resolution? Listen in to learn about the tools this master mediator applied to achieve this result.

Phyllis Cheng was also a Senior Appellate Court Attorney, a Deputy Attorney General with the Civil Rights Enforcement Section of the California Department of Justice, a partner with DLA Piper’s employment practice, and a two-term Commissioner and Vice-Chair of the Fair Employment and Housing Commission.

Ms. Cheng is a Fellow of The College of Labor & Employment Lawyers, which honors the leading lawyers nationwide in the practice of labor and employment law. Recognized as the 2012 Ronald M. George Public Lawyer of the Year, Ms. Cheng brings her unwavering work ethic and extensive experience to her dispute resolution practice. As a private mediator and as a panelist for the U.S. District Court and the California Court of Appeals, Ms. Cheng has settled significant matters in the areas of employment, including discrimination, harassment, and retaliation; wage and hour; class actions; civil rights; attorney’s fees; housing discrimination; and public accommodations and disability access.

For more information, including case summaries, please visit her website at www.mediate.work. Phyllis Cheng may be contacted through her Case Manager, Haward Cho, at (213) 683-1600 or by email at [email protected].