About Aguilar Law & ADR

Aguilar Law & ADR embodies the wealth of knowledge and extensive experience of the firm's principal, Ms. Aguilar. Specializing in a broad spectrum of legal areas, the firm offers expert counsel in management, regulatory, energy, environmental, bankruptcy, securities, consumer, and administrative law.

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Proficiency and Expertise

The firm’s proficiency extends to state contracting, utility regulatory finance, labor, and employment law, as well as arbitration and mediation in commercial and business disputes. Aguilar Law & ADR has represented clients in numerous administrative forums and state and federal courts and has presented expert testimonies at state legislatures, depositions, and disciplinary hearings.

Ms. Aguilar’s distinguished tenure includes service as the General Counsel of the California Public Utilities and as Legal Advisor to the Public Employment Relations Board. She holds a J.D. from Berkeley Law and a B.A. in Sanskrit from the University of California, Berkeley.

Previous employment includes:

  • General Counsel, March 2015 – 2021.
  • Special Advisory Counsel, California Public Utilities Commission, June 2013 – February 2015.
  • Assistant General Counsel, Staff Counsel, California Public Utilities Commission, November 1983 - October 2012.
  • Staff Counsel, California Agricultural Labor Relations Board, August 1980 to July 1982; March 1983 – November 1983.
  • Legal Advisor, Public Employment Relations Board, appointed by Gov. Edmund Brown, Jr., Legal Advisor to PERB Board Member Virgil Jensen, from July 1982 to December 1982.
  • Legal Advisor to PERB Board Member Nancy Burt from 1/83 to 3/83.
Arbitration and Mediation
  • Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) – Since 2005, Registered arbitrator for FINRA, which is the largest non-governmental regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States. FINRA is the successor to the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) and the regulatory arm of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Prior to the creation of FINRA in July 2007, was a registered arbitrator for both the NASD and the NYSE, and has participated in numerous arbitrations involving both securities and employment issues.
  • American Arbitration Association (AAA) – AAA is the leading provider of alternative dispute resolution. Currently, an Arbitrator. Since 2012, doing arbitration on the AAA Commercial, Consumer and Energy Panels.
  • Mediation – A trained and experienced mediator and facilitator. In state service, helped mediate and facilitate numerous formal and informal employee complaints, helping to resolve numerous conflicts before they turned into litigation. Has participated in numerous mediations as a litigator, and has provided pro bono mediation services to the EEOC.
Labor and Employment Law
Ms. Aguilar has a wealth of experience in Labor and Employment law.
  • Prosecuted unfair labor practices, conducted elections while at the Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB) Salinas Regional Office, as well as working as a Board Counsel to ALRB Board Member Jerome Waldie, performing appellate review and writing ALRB Board Decisions. Appointed Legal Advisor by Gov. Edmund Brown, Jr., to the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) Board Members Virgil Jensen and Nancy Burt, performing appellate review and writing PERB Board Decisions.
  • Ms. Aguilar supervised the employment area as an Assistant General Counsel at the CPUC, served as the CPUC’s interim EEO officer, and represented the CPUC in administrative forums such as the SPB, DPA, DFEH, and the EEOC with respect to employee grievances and numerous discrimination complaints. Ms. Aguilar also supervised outside counsel in state and federal court employment litigation, including both individual discrimination cases and class action age discrimination litigation and workplace violence issues. As a supervising attorney in these matters, Ms. Aguilar played an integral role on the litigation teams.
  • Has conducted numerous employment investigations in both the private and public sectors, including employment investigations for community college districts, a municipality and a county housing authority; and has provided deposition testimony and testified before the SPB and the City of San Mateo Personnel Board.
  • Has conducted and is currently conducting employment-related arbitration for FINRA.
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Bar Memberships and Court Admissions

Aguilar Law & ADR is admitted to practice across multiple courts, including:

  • California State Bar, Admitted December 16, 1980, State Bar Number 94753.
  • Federal District Court of the Northern District of California, Admitted December 16, 1980.
  • Federal District Court of the Central District of California, Admitted May 13, 1996.
  • Federal District Court of the Southern District of California, Admitted on April 1, 2015.
  • United States Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, Admitted May 11, 1989.
  • United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, Admitted January 9, 1996.
  • United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, Admitted July 14, 1995.
  • The Supreme Court of the United States of America, Admitted on September 19, 1995.
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