Principal Attorneys

Phil Sims

Phil Sims is a graduate of Santa Clara University school of law and he has been active in both the legal and business community. Phil served as one of the founding members of the Santa Clara County Labor Law Section and California State Bar's Labor Law Section.

He was Chair of the Nonprofit Committee of the State Bar of California, 1999-2001. He served as Santa Clara County Bar President and President of the San Jose Rotary. He has written numerous articles on employment law and representation of management and has taught at local colleges in the areas of employment, nonprofit, and corporate law.

He has served as a judge pro tem for Santa Clara County Superior Court and as an arbitrator for the United States District Court in the Bay Area. He has handled many arbitrations and mediations both as an advocate and as an arbitrator/mediator. In addition to practicing law, Phil has served as Chairman of the Board of the San Jose Chamber of Commerce, Santa Clara Valley YMCA, San Jose Convention and Visitors Bureau, and is currently on the Board of Directors of the California Association of Nonprofits (CAN).





Rona Layton

Rona Layton graduated from the University of Santa Clara School of Law in 1985. She specializes in employment law for businesses and nonprofit corporations. Her practice includes working with nonprofit and for-profit corporations on many issues, including employee relations, personnel policies, wage and hour matters, discrimination, harassment and wrongful termination.

She represents clients before the State Labor Commissioner, Department of Fair Employment and Housing, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board, California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board and State and Federal Courts.

Ms. Layton frequently presents employment seminars before various organizations, including the E.D.D.’s Employer Advisory Councils around the Bay Area. She also presents in-house employment law training for clients on topics such as sexual harassment, violence in the workplace, and disciplining employees. Ms Layton is legal counsel to the Better Business Bureau of Santa Clara Valley. She actively participates with the Employment Law Section and the Law Related Education Committee of the Santa Clara County Bar Association. She teaches Employment Law as an adjunct professor at Golden Gate University.