MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

By Deborah Maddux

Deborah Maddux is the Senior Managing Partner of Van Dermyden Maddux Law Corporation. Deborah’s practice focuses on conducting and overseeing workplace investigations and conducting administrative hearings. Her background includes serving as in-house counsel to the University of California, counsel to the California FPPC, and litigation counsel. Deborah is the Chair of the Labor & Employment Executive Committee.

This issue marks the end of my term as Chair of the Labor and Employment Law Section. This parting message provides an opportunity to reflect on the past year. Wow, has it been a wild ride!

This same time last year, outgoing Chair Erich Shiners wrote about the uncertainty and fear of the coming months due to the pandemic, as well as the national flashpoint regarding equality. When Erich passed the baton of leadership to me, none of us could have predicted the roller coaster of events ahead. To remind us of a few: the rising death tolls and the eventual rollout of vaccines; the death of Supreme Court Justice and champion of equality Ruth Bader Ginsburg; rioters storming the U.S. Capitol; the then-President becoming the first to be impeached twice; an emotional election which highlighted the divides which still exist in our country; the swearing-in of the first female, Black and South-Asian Vice President; appointment of the first openly gay cabinet member, the first Native American to lead a cabinet agency and the first openly transgender federal official; and, the conviction and sentencing of former police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd.