Matthew Gauger is a shareholder in Weinberg, Roger & Rosenfeld’s Sacramento office. He joined the firm in 1996. Mr. Gauger has represented labor unions in all matters in state and federal courts and maintains a very active administrative law practice, appearing regularly before the National Labor Relations Board, California’s Public Employment Relations Board, and other administrative agencies. Mr. Gauger also has many years of experience representing labor unions in collective bargaining negotiations and grievance arbitrations.

Mr. Gauger’s primary responsibility is serving as general counsel to the Northern California Carpenters Union. In this role, he oversees all of the legal work for the Carpenters, including using the law to organize in non-traditional ways. This includes using free speech law in conjunction with the National Labor Relations Act for organizing in the private sector and using anti-contracting out laws, open government statutes, and free speech law in the public sector.

In addition to his core labor and employment practice, Mr. Gauger leads the firm’s participation in nonpartisan voter protection projects in general elections in places where corporate America tries to interfere with the voting rights of working people.

Before joining WRR, Mr. Gauger practiced in the California Correctional Peace Officers Association (CCPOA) Legal Department from 1989 to 1996 and, prior to that, with the United Farm Workers, AFL-CIO, from 1984 to 1985. Mr. Gauger also served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Labor and Employment Section of the State Bar of California from 2003 to 2006.  

Mr. Gauger earned his law degree from University of California, Davis, in 1988, after serving as an editor on the school’s law review. Mr. Gauger received his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he graduated with honors in 1984 after majoring in Politics and Legal Studies. 

Mr. Gauger is licensed to practice law in California. His other interests include politics, hiking, mountain biking, skiing and camping.