Patricia M. Gates
Of Counsel

Email: pgates@unioncounsel.net
Telephone: 510-337-1001 ext. 172

Education:
University of San Francisco College of Law, 1977
Emerson College, 1973

Patricia Gates joined Weinberg, Roger and Rosenfeld in 1999. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Gates worked at Goldstein, Demchak, Baller, Borgen & Dardarian, served as counsel and Administrator of the Work Preservation Fund, a Labor Management Cooperative Venture organized to assure fair contracting on public works and began her career as Legal Counsel to the Department of Industrial Relations, working for the Workers Compensation Appeals Board, serving as an OSHA Hearing Office and giving legal counsel to the Prevailing Wage Unit.

Ms. Gates has been involved in a number of notable cases, including Northern Cal. Carpenters Regional Council v. Warmington Hercules Assocs. (2004) 124 Cal.App.4th 296 and 27 Cal.3d 465, Johns-Manville Products Corp. v. Superior Court (1980) 117 Cal.App.3d 271; North San Diego County Transit Development Bd. v. Vial (1981) 122 Cal.App.3d 346; Vial v. City of San Diego (1981), July 16, 1981. Civ. No. 24030.

Ms. Gates’ numerous publications include: Public Works Manual (1984) and Public Works Manual, Revised edition (1987); and NAFTA: Free Trade with Social Responsibility, National Lawyers Guild (2000). Ms. Gates has also prepared training materials on the Fair Labor Standards Act and other wage and hour laws for seminars sponsored by the California Bar Association, National Employment Lawyers Association, fair contracting organizations and unions. Ms. Gates has prepared comments for legislative hearings and regulatory review processes under California and federal laws.

Ms Gates taught street law and conflict resolution in the Oakland Public Schools and served as a PTA Board member at the Hillcrest School throughout the 1980’s and 90’s and Board President in 1999-2000. Ms. Gates was the President of the Construction Industry Force Account Council (CIFAC) in 1985 and was a Board Member of the USF Street Law Project in 1980.

Practice Areas:
Class Actions and Wage and Hour Litigation
Draft and Defend Legislation and Regulations
Nonprofit Organizations and Political Action Committees
Enforcing Labor Standards on Public Works Projects
Apprenticeship Programs
Labor Compliance and Labor Harmony Coalitions