Lois Kosch is a partner at WPKT. Ms. Kosch practices primarily in the areas of employment law and First Amendment issues. Ms. Kosch’s employment law practice emphasizes the litigation of harassment, discrimination, wrongful termination, and wage and hour matters. She regularly counsels employers on employment-related issues that range from hiring to firing of employees, including writing and reviewing policies and handbooks, conducting investigations, and advising clients on disciplinary action and termination. Ms. Kosch represents businesses of all sizes and in most industry sectors including a national retail employer for whom she oversees employment litigation nationwide.

Ms. Kosch is also active in litigating First Amendment cases. A former journalist, Ms. Kosch represents local and national publishers and broadcasters in defamation and invasion of privacy cases and advises such clients on First Amendment issues.

Ms. Kosch first joined the firm in 1994, and became a partner in 2000. She was formerly an associate with Gray Cary Ames & Frye (now DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary) in San Diego. Highly regarded by clients and the legal and business communities for her commitment to the practice of law, Ms. Kosch was a YWCA Tribute to Women in Industry (TWIN) Honoree in 2002. That same year, Wilson Petty Kosmo & Turner was named PETCO's Human Resources Provider of the Year, a client with whom Ms. Kosch works closely.

Professional and Community Affiliations

• The State Bar of California, Labor & Employment Section – Executive Committee
  Member
• The State Bar of California – Co-Editor-In-Chief, California Labor & Employment Law Review
• NAMWOLF, National Association of Women and Minority Owned Law Firms – Member, Board of Directors, 2005-2006
• Lawyers Club of San Diego – Former Editorial Board Member, Lawyers Club News
• San Diego County Bar Association– Former Managing Editor, San Diego Lawyer
  Magazine
• Association of Business Trial Lawyers – Member, Former Editorial Board Member, ABTL Report
• Media Law Resource Center, Defense Counsel Section – Member, Formerly
  Served on Expert Witness Committee

Education

• Rutgers University School of Law – JD, cum laude

Notes and Comments Editor, Rutgers Law Journal

• Adelphi University – BA, summa cum laude, English Literature, Journalism

  Editor in Chief, The Delphian

Awards and Accolades

• Named by Southern California - San Diego Super Lawyers® as one of the top Employment Litigation: Defense attorneys in San Diego (2007)
• YWCA Tribute to Women in Industry (TWIN) Honoree - 2002

Articles

• Kosch, Lois M. and Krista Cabrera, "Claims by Illegal Immigrants," Los Angeles Daily Journal and San Francisco Daily Journal, December 7, 2006
• Kosch, Lois M., "When a Leave of Absence Becomes Indefinite, Employers Can Fill the Position," Los Angeles Daily Journal and San Francisco Daily Journal, September 8, 2006
• "Court of Appeal Rules That Payment for Failure to Provide Meal Period Is a Penalty and Not a Wage," Employment Law Update, published by the San Diego Employer's Association, January, 2006
• Wrongful Employment Termination Practice, co-author of chapter on tort-related causes of action in employment litigation, CEB, 1997 and 2004
• “Workplace Violence and Unwanted Pursuit: From an Employer’s Perspective,” co-author of chapter with Regina Petty, Stalking Crimes and Victim Protection: Prevention, Intervention, Threat Assessment, Case Management, CRC Press, 2001
• “Mind Your Ps & Qs: Ten Tips for Terminating Employees,” San Diego Business Journal, June 16, 2003
• “Law Provides Job and Benefit Protection to Reservists,” co-author with Robin Wofford, Los Angeles Daily Journal, March 27, 2003
• “Military Reservists and Employer/Employee Rights,” co-author with Robin Wofford, San Diego Daily Transcript, March 17, 2003
• “Don’t Let Your Holiday Party Land You In Court,” San Diego Lawyer, November/December 2001
• “Keeping Up With the New Employment Laws,” San Diego Lawyer, January/February 2000
• “The Employment Lawyer's Winter Reading List: A Review of the Most Significant Employment Cases from the Second Half of 1998,” co-author with Claudette G. Wilson, and Alison P. Adema, ABTL Report, February 1999
• “Crime In The Suites: Managing The Risks Associated With Workplace Violence,” San Diego Lawyer, September/October 1998
• “The Employment Lawyer's Summer Reading List - A Mid-Year Review Of The Most Significant Employment Cases,” co-author with Claudette G. Wilson, ABTL Report, August 1998
• “Lawyer Employers No Longer Required To Pay Daily Overtime,” San Diego Lawyer, January/February 1998
• “The Busiest Federal Court In America,” San Diego Lawyer, September 1997
• “Ambiguities In Business and Professions Code Section 17203: Does The Unfair Competition Act Allow For Injunction Of Past Misconduct?,” ABTL Report, February 1997
• “When Employees Get Sick -- Employer-Requested Medical Examinations and The Americans With Disabilities Act,” co-author with Claudette G. Wilson, DICTA, January 1997
• “The Past and Future Of Fraud Claims In Employment Litigation (An Abbreviated History),” ABTL Report, August 1996
• “Winning Your Case By Breaking The Law – Navigating the Inconsistencies in the Admissibility and Legality of Surreptitious Tape Recording in State and Federal Court,” ABTL Report, November 1995
• “More Perils and Pitfalls Of The Office Romance: Can Love Lead To Litigation?,” co-author with Claudette G. Wilson, DICTA, May 1995

Speeches and Teaching Engagements

• "FLSA Exemption Traps and Other Sticky Pay Issues," San Diego Employers Association Human Resources Survival Guide Seminar, June 2006
• "Navigating the Bermuda Triangle of Leave and Disability Laws; FMLA/CFRA/ADA/FEHA and Workers’ Comp.," presented by Council on Education in Management, February 2004
• "2004 Legislative Update," presented by the San Diego County Bar Association Employment Law Section, January 2004
• "Solving Complex Employment Law and HR Problems in California," presented by Council on Education in Management, August 2003
• "Legal Issues for the Media," San Diego State University’s The Daily Aztec, January 2003
• "Fundamentals of Wrongful Employment Termination," presented by Continuing Education of the Bar, September 2002
• "Legal Issues for the Media," San Diego Business Journal, March 2002
• "California Employment Law Update," presented by Sterling Education Services, March 2002
• "Preventing Wrongful Discharge and Retaliation Claims Resulting from Discipline and Termination of FMLA and CFRA Protected Employees," FMLA Update 2001, presented by Council on Education in Management, April 2001
• "Developments, Determining Who is a Qualified Individual, Managing Mental Disabilities and Stress Claims," ADA Update 2000, presented by Counsel on Education in Management, April 2000
• "Meeting Your Legal Requirement to Protect Employees from Workplace Conflict, Managing Workplace Conflict," presented by Council on Education in Management, June 24, 1999
• "Terminating Employees on FMLA Leave," FMLA Update 1999, presented by Council on Education in Management, May 26, 1999
• "Managing the Legal Risks Associated with Workplace Violence," Personnel Law Update 1999, presented by Council on Education in Management, May 5, 1999
• "Pre and Post Hire Employment Testing," Personnel Law Update, presented by Council on Education in Management, November 20, 1998
• "Workplace Violence – Psychological and Legal Issues," presented by Links Staffing, Anaheim CA, October 13, 1998
• "Terminating Employees on FMLA Leave," FMLA Update 1998, presented by Council on Education in Management, September 24, 1998
• "Issues Relating To Workplace Violence," presented by the Labor and Employment Section of the San Diego County Bar Association, July 8, 1998
• "Protecting Your Employer Rights Under The FMLA," Personnel Law Update, presented by Council on Education in Management, June 24, 1998
• "The Lawyer Employer LIVE! Employment Issues from Hiring to Firing for Small and Medium-Sized Law Firms," Continuing Legal Education program sponsored by San Diego County Bar Association, November 1997