David G. Ritchie
Partner, Roseville
Practice Summary
David has almost 20 years of experience handling a wide array of public sector Labor and Employment matters, now forming a significant portion of his practice. In addition, David practices Municipal Law, providing advice counsel to the firms public agency clients.
David has an extensive background handling grievance and disciplinary appeals – both at arbitration and before administrative law agencies; in addition to expertise leading negotiations on more than 200 California public sector collective bargaining agreements, employee discipline proceedings and regulatory compliance, and issues involving peace officers and firefighters, including officer-involved shootings. David’s specialty covers the breadth of employment law matters including retirement, reasonable accommodations and all manner of leave and paid leave laws.
David has successfully handled cases before the Public Employment Relations Board, the Federal Labor Relations Authority and the Federal Services Impasses Panel and is experienced in leading negotiations and meet-and-confer deliberations pursuant to the Meyers-Milias-Brown, Federal Labor Relations, and Trial Court Employment Protection and Governance Acts. David has many years of experience conscientiously handling workplace investigations, and sensitive employee discipline matters.
Education and Admissions
David is admitted to practice in all state courts in the State of California, and in the United States District Court for the Eastern District and Northern District of California.
Having graduated with an LL.M degree from Santa Clara University specializing in Intellectual Property Law, David was honored as a CALI award winner in the study of Remedies. Previous to that, he earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Manitoba Law School in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada where he enjoyed two years on the Manitoba Law Journal as an Articles Editor and as the Journal’s Technical Editor. During his tenure at Manitoba, David served enthusiastically on the Curriculum Review Committee.
While earning his Bachelor of Arts degree, with distinction, from Bishop’s University, in Lennoxville, Quebec, Canada, David was awarded the University Prize in Geography and was twice published in the University Anthropological Journal.
Professional Activities
David is a member of the Labor and Employment Section of the State Bar.
In addition to his client representation work, David conducts training for public agencies on a variety of topics including the prevention of sexual harassment, local government ethics, public sector negotiations, public sector retirement systems, Peace Officer/Firefighter Bill of Rights Acts and the Fair Labor Standards Act. David regularly moderates continuing legal education training in conducting workplace investigations for attorneys nation-wide through programs developed by the Center for Continuing Legal Education in Monterey, California and MCLEZ.com.
David frequently writes articles on matters of municipal law for the Daily Journal and the California Municipal Law blog, calimunilaw.com.
Up Closer
David is an eclectic music enthusiast whose tastes run the gamut from classical to classic rock and everything in between. He lists Bob Dylan’s “Girl From the North Country”, and anything by Dire Straits/Mark Knopfler amongst his desert island favorites; and, when he’s not playing one of his many guitars or his gorgeous spalted mango ukulele, he is getting lost in Greek Mythology books, he can be found planning his next trip abroad. Originally hailing from Canada, David is rumored to travel with an emergency can of maple syrup in the trunk of his vehicle. A claim he neither confirms nor denies.