Tell us about your biggest client wins this year. A Ninth Circuit three-judge panel ruled that a California district court had correctly ordered Oracle to arbitrate a dispute with our client, a former Oracle sale employee who filed a putative class action over unpaid compensation. The plaintiff has accused the company of withholding some $150 million in commission wages owed to its sales force. Sanford Heisler Sharp also successfully defeated a Rule 23(f) petition by Alaska Communications Systems to overturn an Alaska court's decision to certify an overtime class action. The win clears the way for the class litigation to proceed.

What's the best lesson you learned as a young lawyer? Take clients you believe in. Think outside of the box. Push the envelope and triple-check your facts.

What's been the most significant change in your practice area and how have you adjusted? With the increase in arbitration agreements, [the firm has] brought more arbitration actions and litigated more under California's Private Attorney General Act.

Share an interesting fact about your firm that few know. The majority of the firm's lawyers attended U.S News top 10 ranked law schools, and more than half of the entire team is female.

Submitted by Michael Palmer, Sanford Heisler Sharp partner and co-chairman of the firm's wage and hour practice.