MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

AUTHOR^*

Stephanie J. Joseph

As we begin a new year—a time to pause, reset, and take stock—I’ve been reflecting on the role our section plays in California’s broader legal landscape. Labor and employment law touches nearly every workplace, every community, and countless daily interactions. Our practice sits at the intersection of work, livelihood, safety, dignity, and organizational life.

Every day, we navigate questions that can deeply affect workers, employers, unions, government agencies, and communities. The stakes are high and profoundly human. And in a moment when public trust in systems can feel fragile, the stability of the rule of law is not abstract: It is the foundation that allows workplaces to function, agreements to hold, and disputes to be resolved peacefully and fairly. Applied with integrity, the rule of law provides the stability and predictability that our economic and social relationships depend on.