Jonathan Roven is a Los Angeles native and Managing Attorney of Workplace Rights Advocacy (part of Jonny Law, PC).
His practice focuses on personal injury, employment, and workers’ compensation litigation for workers and injured people—
not employers. He is licensed in California and Nevada state and federal courts, including the U.S. District Courts for
the Central, Eastern, and Northern Districts of California and the District of Nevada.
A Loyola Law School graduate and CALI Award recipient at Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law,
Jonathan has been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star
and has secured notable appellate victories for clients, including successful outcomes in age and disability discrimination
and workplace harassment cases. See
notable decisions below and the firm’s full
case results.
He earned a B.A. in Economics from the University of California, Davis.
Beyond the courtroom, Jonathan serves as President of the Los Angeles Jewish Bar Association and is active in several
plaintiff-side legal associations, reflecting a commitment to advocacy both professionally and in the community.
Workers’ compensation crossover with civil employment cases
Trials, arbitration, and appeals
Notable decisions
Selected appellate decisions from matters Jonathan litigated. Full firm outcomes—including verdicts and settlements—are on
Case Results. For summaries of other published employment-law opinions nationwide, see
Law Updates.
The Court of Appeal reversed summary judgment on most claims, holding triable issues of fact existed as to disability
discrimination, age discrimination, failure to accommodate, failure to engage in the interactive process, and failure
to prevent discrimination—while affirming only the dismissal of the retaliation claim. The court emphasized conflicts
in the evidence regarding essential job duties, accommodation, and pretext that required resolution by a factfinder
rather than on summary judgment.
The Court of Appeal reversed summary judgment in part, holding the trial court erred in dismissing the FEHA
harassment and failure-to-prevent-harassment claims, as well as the intentional infliction of emotional distress
claim, because triable issues of fact existed. The court affirmed dismissal of the retaliation, assault/battery, and
wage-and-hour claims and remanded for further proceedings on the surviving causes of action.
The Court of Appeal affirmed denial of the defendants’ petition to compel arbitration, holding nonsignatory defendants
were not bound by arbitration provisions and that equitable estoppel and agency theories did not apply. The court
further held the trial court acted within its discretion under Code of Civil Procedure section 1281.2(c) to
avoid conflicting rulings by allowing the case to proceed in court. The matter was covered by MetNews.
Speaking, CLE & publications
Selected continuing legal education, professional presentations, and published articles.
Jonathan presented this Beverly Hills Bar Association CLE on the hidden risks where workers’ compensation and civil
employment litigation overlap. Topics include how workers’ comp deposition strategies can create unintended exposure
in civil cases, how civil defendants use workers’ comp discovery and awards to challenge civil claims—especially on
disability—and how civil releases can be slipped into workers’ comp settlements. Available as
BHBA OnDemand CLE
(1.25 hours CA general credit).
Jonathan’s article for Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles’
Advocate magazine on how workers’ compensation claims can help—or harm—parallel civil employment cases.
Topics include using WC discovery and medical evaluations in the civil forum, avoiding settlement releases and
“voluntary resignation” language in Compromise and Release agreements that can wipe out civil claims, coordinating with applicant’s counsel, and
defeating overstated workers’ compensation exclusivity / preemption arguments.
Read the article.
Admissions & credentials
State Bar of California
State Bar of Nevada
U.S. District Courts: C.D. Cal., E.D. Cal., N.D. Cal., D. Nev.
B.A., Economics, University of California, Davis
J.D., Loyola Law School
CALI Award, Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law
