Jeff is the Chief HR Consultant and Managing Attorney for The Mayes Firm.  Jeff has been assisting businesses and individuals make their dreams a success since 2002.  Since graduating from USC School of Law, Jeff has worked with employers and executives to protect their business and their interests.  He offers clients a very approachable business partner to help them make their business plans a reality.  

Most recently, Jeff worked at the $4 Billion Wonderful Company best known for its memorable brands such as FIJI Water, Wonderful Pistachios & Almonds, Teleflora, Wonderful Citrus,Justin Vineyards & Winery, and Wonderful Orchards.  Jeff served as both Vice President, Human Resources and Senior Employment Counsel and was responsible for over 7,700 employees around the globe.  He handled everything from new entity formation, hiring, firing, business acquisitions, strategy, process improvement, compliance and legal support.  He offered guidance on employee benefits, workers' compensation, recruiting, talent development, immigration, organizational development, safety, and litigation.

Jeff is also a gifted speaker and trainer capable of making even "boring" subjects interesting.  His breadth of knowledge and ability to draw on years of experiences permits him to respond to all manner of inquiries with both the right answer and interesting examples of the response in practical terms.  He was most recently invited to speak with a select group of attorneys at the Seyfarth Shaw Advanced Employment Law 

Jeff also is a trusted legal adviser and accomplished litigator, seeing victories in civil matters, appeals, and government investigations.  

Education:

   University of Southern California Law School, J.D., Class of 2002,

       Honors: Employment Law Dissertation, Gender Discrimination, Copyright, Stereotypes, and Crime, Law and Society

   University of California, Los Angeles, B.A. (Political Science), Class of 1999

Court Memberships

   California
   U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
   U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
   U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Appellate Decisions

   McElroy v. Inst. for Applied Behavior Analysis (2009) 2009 WL 4725852

   Bridgeford v. Pacific Health Corp. (2012) 202 Cal. App. 4th 1034

Publications    

   May 2004    California CPA Magazine    California Paid Family Leave

   December 2003    California CPA Magazine    Employment Law Changes