After working through high school as a grocery clerk, bussing and waiting tables, Jon Vanderpool first started clerking for a small law firm in Galveston, Texas after his junior year at Rice University in 1985.  Into his senior year, he spent much of his clerkship with a Houston plaintiff’s firm representing a family whose father died from leukemia at 50 from prolonged exposure to benzene as a preferred solvent at a refinery south of Houston that led to a substantial verdict and industry changes.   But Jon didn’t commit to the law until the aftermath of his younger brother Jay Vanderpool’s death at 20 in a boating accident in 1987.

After graduating Pepperdine School of Law, Jon arrived in San Diego in 1992.  Jon’s early years of practice increasingly involved representing employees, which led him to Ann Smith at a conference.  They shared similar ties to the Boston area, but her and (the firm’s) Smith Steiner Vanderpool’s history and distinguished reputation representing labor interests, including (CTA) California Teachers Association members was the legacy Jon wished to join and continue.

Jon is honored to protect public school teachers’ employment and benefit rights through administrative due process and litigation when necessary.

Over 20+ years with (the firm) Smith Steiner Vanderpool, Jon’s state and federal jury trial experience includes successfully litigating employee claims to verdict for fraud, breach of contract, sex harassment, whistle-blower retaliation, age discrimination, black-balling, and FLSA donning and doffing.  He’s also litigated to favorable settlements several wage & hour class actions, and significant personal injury cases.  Jon is honored to protect public school teachers’ employment and benefit rights through administrative due process and litigation when necessary.

Jon’s two children both attend(ed) La Costa Canyon H.S.  He is a Master and Group Leader in the Welsh Chapter of the American Inn of Court; an Elder and at Christ Presbyterian Church, Rancho La Costa; a Board member with Partnerships with Industry www.pwiworks.org; and serves on the Advisory Committee of the Jay Y. Vanderpool Memorial Scholarship Fund.  Jon enjoys cycling as part of his work commute and has ridden and raised contributions for the Tour de Cure (juvenile diabetes) and Challenged Athletes Foundation.  He’s fond of Presidential biographies.

 Memberships

• State Bar of California
• Member San Diego County Bar Association (SDCBA)
• Member Consumer Attorneys of San Diego (CASD)
• Member California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA)
• Master, American Inns of Court, Welsh Inn, San Diego

Reported Cases

Johnson v. City of San Diego:  Title VII retaliation on behalf of 3rd generation City employee.  Unanimous $350,000 verdict.
Banks v. General Atomics: Fraud/breach of contract. $14.7 million verdict ($5.8 million judgment).
Scully v. Acadia Pharmaceuticals: Sex harassment, retaliation. $7.9 million judgment.
Neely v. Weyerhaeuser: Black-balling. $1.9 million judgment.
Farris, et al v. Riverside County: FLSA ‘donning and doffing.’ Jury verdict for unpaid time exceeding $1 million in unpaid wages.
Demotion of district sales manager constituted age discrimination: $380,000 settlement.
Pharma sales manager retaliated against for protesting discrimination of female sales reps with young children. $350,000 settlement.
Electrician suffers 2nd/3rd degree burns because of owner’s faulty wiring. $280,000 settlement.
Pharma Director of R&D settles whistleblower claims for $275,000.
Customer service reps for national uniform supply company settle class claims for $5.25 million.

Of Note

Volunteer, American Diabetes Association (10 years cycling Tour de Cure)
Volunteer, Challenged Athletes Foundation (B2B Century rider 2012)
Elder, Christ Presbyterian Church of Rancho La Costa
Advisory Committee, Jay Vanderpool Memorial Scholarship Fund