Galen is Senior Employment Counsel at 10x Genomics, a biotechnology company that is fueling scientific discovery in the fields of biology and medicine.  At 10x, which has approximately 1,300 employees across 23 countries, Galen advises on every stage of the employee life cycle from recruitment through separation, leads special projects, and manages disputes and litigation.  He is 10x’s subject matter expert for employment law and employee benefits, and he collaborates cross-functionally on equity-based compensation, executive compensation, and privacy.

Previously, as Deputy County Counsel for the County of Santa Clara, Galen advised and represented the County on the COVID-19 response, labor/employment matters, and other legal issues.  Before that, as Staff Attorney (and previously Skadden Fellow) with Legal Aid at Work, Galen provided free legal services to low-income clients at numerous Workers’ Rights Clinic sites across California, trained law students, developed legal resources used by worker advocates, and spearheaded the Clinic’s 100th anniversary expansion to bring services to underserved communities.  Prior to Legal Aid at Work, Galen clerked for U.S. District Judge Haywood S. Gilliam (N.D. Cal.).  Before law school, he worked in international affairs and as a paralegal. Read more.

This award will be presented to an individual or team whose pro bono efforts have improved the circumstances of others and changed lives for the better in our community through the field of labor and employment law. The Awards Committee will consider significant contributions to or significant impact on labor and employment law through pro bono activities; demonstrated leadership in the labor and employment law bar, the legal profession, and/or the California community; awardees may be an individual or team, so long as at least one of the team members is a member of the CLA Labor and Employment Law Section. While achievements over an individual’s career will be considered, special consideration shall be given to case decisions and other accomplishments in the 2-3 years preceding the award year.

The Labor and Employment Law Pro Bono Achievement Award will be presented at the Annual Conference and Advanced Wage and Hour Conference on July 24-25, 2025.

Please click the drop-down menus below to view the different criteria.