Suzanne Rode is a counsel in Crowell & Moring's San Francisco office where she practices in the firm's Litigation and Labor & Employment groups. Suzanne litigates a variety of complex matters, with a focus on employment disputes and representing higher education institutions. She has significant litigation experience ranging from pre-suit risk assessment to dispositive motion practice to trial and appeal, and defending employers from complaints filed with governmental agencies.
Suzanne also investigates and advises clients on pre-litigation employment issues, including complaints of discrimination and harassment and retaliation, employee discipline and termination, and employee mobility and non-competition issues. She provides advice to employers on the implementation and enforcement of personnel policies, and reviews and drafts various employment agreements to protect her clients’ business and legal interests.
Representative Engagements
- Defeated a motion for preliminary injunction for a public university system in which plaintiffs sought to halt the university’s policy requiring all students, employees, and faculty on campus to receive a flu vaccine, subject to certain exceptions.
- Defended a major university in connection with retaliation and whistleblower claims by a former employee, prevailing on summary judgment and on appeal.
- Successfully defended administrative complaints filed by former employee with the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
- Represented a major university in litigation brought by multiple former employees alleging discrimination and harassment, resulting in a confidential settlement.
- Represented major retailer in dispute regarding exclusive clause in leases at shopping center. Prevailed on liability issue at trial and obtained damages on appeal.
- Represented a start-up semiconductor company in trade secrets litigation against former employees and their new company resulting in a confidential settlement.
- Defended a major health care organization in class action litigation in federal and state courts arising out of alleged loss of protected health information.
- Represented Plaintiffs Sears, Macy's, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Express in litigation stemming from a devastating fire at the Roseville Galleria, an upscale shopping center operated by Westfield in Northern California.
- Obtained a preliminary injunction for a major car rental company against an online travel agency after a two-week evidentiary hearing.
Suzanne has a pro bono practice focused on immigration. She has represented individuals in applications for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, T visa based on status as a victim of human trafficking, and asylum.
Prior to joining Crowell & Moring, Suzanne was an associate with the San Francisco firm, Folger Levin & Kahn LLP. She graduated with honors from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 2007, where she served as executive editor for the Hastings International and Comparative Law Review. While in law school she interned at the San Francisco Office of the City Attorney and worked on the City's constitutional challenge to discriminatory marriage laws in California.
Affiliations
Admitted to practice: California
Memberships
American Bar Association
Bar Association of San Francisco
Speeches & Presentations
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"Labor & Employment in the US: New Administration, New Priorities," Crowell & Moring Webinar
(April 22, 2021).
Presenters: Glenn D. Grant, Christine B. Hawes, Suzanne E. Rode, and Kimberley Johnson.
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"Part 2 - Higher Education and the Biden Administration’s Priorities: Are there significant changes ahead?" Crowell & Moring Webinar
(February 16, 2021).
Presenters: Kate M. Growley, Laurel Pyke Malson, Preston L. Pugh, Tyler A. O'Connor, Suzanne E. Rode, and Eli Berns-Zieve.
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"Part 1 - Higher Education and the Biden Administration’s Priorities: Are there significant changes ahead?" Crowell & Moring Webinar
(January 19, 2021).
Presenters: Amanda Shafer Berman, Caroline E. Brown, Astor Heaven, Laurel Pyke Malson, Rebecca L. Springer, Suzanne E. Rode, and Eli Berns-Zieve
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"Third Thursday--C&M’s June Labor & Employment Update: Supreme Court Watch 2019 – A Recap and a Look Forward," Crowell & Moring Webinar
(June 20, 2019).
Presenters: Thomas P. Gies, David McFarlane, Suzanne Rode, and Jillian Ambrose.
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"Third Thursday--C&M’s February Labor & Employment Update: New Year, New Look at the Enforceability of Employee No-Solicitation Agreements -- State Law Developments," Crowell & Moring Webinar
(February 28, 2019).
Presenters: Thomas P. Gies, Suzanne E. Rode, Andrew W. Bagley, and Christine B. Hawes.
Publications
Client Alerts & Newsletters
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"California Implements Greater Restrictions on Employee Settlement, Separation and Other Employment Agreements,"
Labor & Employment Law Alert - US
(October 21, 2021).
Contacts: Ira M. Saxe, Trina Fairley Barlow, Rebecca L. Springer, Eric Su, Suzanne E. Rode, Kimberley Johnson
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"The U.S. Department of Labor Repeals Trump-Era Independent Contractor Rule,"
Administrative Law Alert
(May 10, 2021).
Contacts: Thomas P. Gies, Ira M. Saxe, Eric Su, Andrew W. Bagley, Suzanne E. Rode, Lynn Hsieh
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"CDC Issues New Guidance for Fully Vaccinated Individuals,"
Labor & Employment Law Alert - US
(May 3, 2021).
Contacts: Thomas P. Gies, Eric Su, Katie Erno, Suzanne E. Rode, Jessica S. Nam
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"New California Law Requires Re-Hiring of Laid-off Hospitality and Business Services Workers for Open Positions Through 2024,"
Labor & Employment Law Alert - US
(April 28, 2021).
Contacts: Thomas P. Gies, Kris D. Meade, Ira M. Saxe, Eric Su, Suzanne E. Rode, Kimberley Johnson
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"California Enacts Supplemental COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave, Which Includes Vaccination-Related Absences,"
Labor & Employment Law Alert - US
(March 23, 2021).
Contacts: Thomas P. Gies, Ira M. Saxe, Suzanne E. Rode, Kimberley Johnson
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"Cal/OSHA Enforcement of the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard Coming Down the Pipeline: Employers Should Be Prepared Now,"
Administrative Law Alert
(March 4, 2021).
Contacts: Thomas P. Gies, Richard McNeil, Ira M. Saxe, Katie Erno, Suzanne E. Rode, Daniel W. Wolff
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"DFEH Provides Additional Guidance on California Equal Pay Reporting Requirements and Posts a User Guide for Its Pay Data Reporting Portal,"
Labor & Employment Law Alert - US
(February 3, 2021).
Contacts: Kris D. Meade, Rebecca L. Springer, Suzanne E. Rode
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"DFEH Provides Additional Guidance on California Equal Pay Reporting Requirements,"
Labor & Employment Law Alert - US
(January 12, 2021).
Contacts: Kris D. Meade, Rebecca L. Springer, Suzanne E. Rode
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"Colorado’s New Pay Equity Law Takes Effect January 1, 2021,"
Labor & Employment Law Alert - US
(December 14, 2020).
Contacts: Kris D. Meade, Rebecca L. Springer, Suzanne E. Rode
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"DFEH Provides More Answers to Questions About California’s New Annual Pay Data Reporting Requirements, Including Which Employers Are Required to Submit Pay Data Reports,"
Labor & Employment Law Alert - US
(December 1, 2020).
Contacts: Kris D. Meade, Rebecca L. Springer, Suzanne E. Rode
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"DFEH Begins to Provide Some Answers to Questions About California’s New Annual Pay Data Reporting Requirements,"
Labor & Employment Law Alert - US
(November 5, 2020).
Contacts: Kris D. Meade, Rebecca L. Springer, Suzanne E. Rode
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"California Implements Its Own Version of Equal Pay Reporting,"
Labor & Employment Law Alert - US
(October 9, 2020).
Contacts: Suzanne E. Rode, Rebecca L. Springer, Kris D. Meade
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"President Signs Second Coronavirus Response Package Following Bipartisan Negotiations,"
Regulatory Alert
(March 19, 2020).
Contacts: James G. Flood, Tim Shadyac, Trina Fairley Barlow, Thomas P. Gies, Kris D. Meade, Christine B. Hawes, Eric Homsi, Suzanne E. Rode, Matthew Vicinanzo
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"Order to Shelter in Place in San Francisco Bay Area,"
(March 17, 2020).
Contacts: Gregory D. Call, Thomas P. Gies, Thomas F. Koegel, Kris D. Meade, Suzanne E. Rode
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"Planning for Temporary Workplace Closures and Related Actions,"
Labor & Employment Law Alert - US
(March 16, 2020).
Contacts: Trina Fairley Barlow, Thomas P. Gies, Kris D. Meade, Eric Su, Ira M. Saxe, Katie Erno, Nicole Janigian Simonian, Jackson C. Pai, Suzanne E. Rode
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"Employer Responses to COVID-19 in Real Time,"
Labor & Employment Law Alert - US
(March 13, 2020).
Contacts: Trina Fairley Barlow, Thomas P. Gies, Kris D. Meade, Eric Su, Ira M. Saxe, Katie Erno, Nicole Janigian Simonian, Jackson C. Pai, Suzanne E. Rode
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"Uber and Postmates Fail to Stop Enforcement of AB 5, New California Contractor Law,"
Labor & Employment Law Alert - US
(February 11, 2020).
Contacts: Thomas P. Gies, Andrew W. Bagley, Suzanne E. Rode, Kimberley Johnson
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"DOL Releases its "Joint Employer" Final Rule,"
Labor & Employment Law Alert - US
(January 15, 2020).
Contacts: Thomas P. Gies, Ira M. Saxe, Andrew W. Bagley, Suzanne E. Rode
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"Federal Courts Block Implementation of Two New California Statutes to Kick Off the New Year,"
Labor & Employment Law Alert - US
(January 3, 2020).
Contacts: Thomas P. Gies, Ira M. Saxe, Suzanne E. Rode, Jillian Ambrose
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"New York State Expands Employer Obligations and Liability for Workplace Harassment,"
(August 15, 2019).
Contacts: Ellen Moran Dwyer, Trina Fairley Barlow, Rebecca Monck Ricigliano, Eric Su, Ira M. Saxe, Suzanne E. Rode
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"A Nail in the Coffin? Another California District Court Finds That Employee Non-Solicitation Agreements Are Void Under California Law,"
Labor & Employment Law Alert - US
(May 9, 2019).
Contacts: Thomas P. Gies, Suzanne E. Rode
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"Ninth Circuit Determines That Dynamex Independent Contractor Test Applies Retroactively,"
Labor & Employment Law Alert - US
(May 3, 2019).
Contacts: Thomas P. Gies, Kris D. Meade, Suzanne E. Rode
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"Blame the Cell Phone: California Appellate Court Holds that Calling in Constitutes 'Reporting for Work' Under Wage Order,"
Labor & Employment Law Alert - US
(February 20, 2019).
Contacts: Thomas P. Gies, Suzanne E. Rode
Media Mentions
Firm News & Announcements