Jonathan Roven
Managing Attorney · Workplace Rights Advocates · Licensed in California and Nevada
Van Nuys, CA 91411
Mission Hills, CA 91345
Jonathan Roven is a California and Nevada licensed attorney who represents employees and injured individuals in employment litigation matters. He serves as Managing Attorney of Workplace Rights Advocates, where he focuses on advocating for individuals facing workplace discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, wage-and-hour violations, disability accommodation disputes, and leave-related claims.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Jonathan earned his Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School and received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from University of California, Davis. During law school, he received the CALI Excellence for the Future Award for achieving the top grade in Torts I.
Jonathan is licensed to practice in California and Nevada, including the United States District Courts for the Central, Eastern and Northern Districts of California and the District of Nevada. His practice includes litigation, arbitration, depositions, mediations, motion practice, and trial preparation in high-stakes employment matters.
He has handled matters involving wrongful termination, workplace discrimination, retaliation, harassment, disability accommodations, medical leave rights, wage-and-hour disputes, and serious injury claims.
Notable appellate decisions
Jonathan has also participated in notable appellate matters and obtained satisfactory results, including:
- Hugelman v. Town of Mammoth Lakes (2025), where the Court of Appeal ruled that a jury should decide whether the Town unlawfully eliminated an employee’s position because of age or injury discrimination.
- Rivera v. FSC Corporation (2024), where the Court of Appeal held that harassment and emotional distress claims should proceed to a jury.
- Wagner v. Homeowner Rights Law Group (2018), involving affirmation of a denial of arbitration.
Associations and memberships
- Selected to Super Lawyers: 2024–2026.
- Selected to Rising Stars: 2016–2022.
- Active in the legal community and served as President of the Los Angeles Jewish Bar Association.
- Member, Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles.
- Member, California Employment Lawyers Association.
- Member, California Applicants' Attorneys Association.
Trial Advocacy
Jonathan is known for a litigation-focused approach centered on trial readiness, strategic advocacy, and aggressive case development. He has handled all phases of civil litigation, including drafting and arguing dispositive motions, taking and defending depositions, conducting mediations, managing complex discovery disputes, preparing witnesses and experts, and preparing matters for jury trial and arbitration.
His approach emphasizes detailed factual development, witness credibility analysis, damages presentation, and persuasive courtroom advocacy. Jonathan routinely prepares cases as though they will proceed to trial, with a focus on maximizing leverage through discovery, motion practice, and evidentiary preparation.
In employment matters, he has represented employees in claims involving discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wrongful termination, disability accommodation disputes, leave violations, and wage-and-hour claims. In personal injury matters, he has represented individuals in serious injury litigation involving substantial damages and contested liability issues.
Trials, hearings & arbitration
Representative contested proceedings (year reflects when the proceeding occurred or was resolved).
| Year | Matter | Type | Forum |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Personal injury jury trial. | Personal injury | Jury trial |
| 2026 | Pending employment arbitration. | Employment | Arbitration |
| 2025 | Employment arbitration. | Employment | Arbitration |
| 2024 | Attorney–client fee dispute submitted to arbitration. | Fee dispute | Arbitration |
| 2024 | Employment dispute involving an instrumentation / technology employer. | Employment | Jury trial |
| 2024 | Personal injury trial with disputed liability or damages. | Personal injury | Jury trial |
| 2024 | Personal injury collision matter. | Personal injury | Jury trial |
| 2023 | Employment dispute defended through jury verdict. | Employment | Jury trial |
| 2023 | Personal injury jury trial. | Personal injury | Jury trial |
| 2023 | Hospitality-sector wage dispute resolved after court trial. | Employment | Bench trial |
| 2022 | Multi-issue employment arbitration with contested liability and damages. | Employment | Arbitration |
| 2022 | Employment dispute with a restaurant operator. | Employment | Jury trial |
| 2022 | Workers' compensation injury causation dispute. | Workers' comp (AOE/COE) | Administrative hearing |
| 2022 | Broad employment dispute tried to a jury. | Employment | Jury trial |
| 2022 | Hostile work environment / sexual harassment arbitration. | Sexual harassment | Arbitration |
| 2021 | Retail wage-and-hour claims against a national department-store employer. | Employment (wage & hour) | Arbitration |
| 2019 | Personal injury matter tried to jury; resolved during jury selection. | Personal injury | Jury trial |
| 2018 | Multi-party collision case involving disputed liability and injuries. | Personal injury | Jury trial |
| 2018 | Motor-vehicle collision with significant injury damages. | Personal injury | Jury trial |
| 2018 | Unlawful detainer trial. | Unlawful detainer | Court trial (judge) |
| 2016 | Civil restraining-order proceeding. | Restraining order | Court hearing (judge) |
| 2016 | Financial claims following the end of a long domestic partnership–style relationship. | Palimony | Jury trial |
| 2016 | Landlord–tenant unlawful detainer matter. | Unlawful detainer | Court trial (commissioner) |
| 2016 | Medical negligence claims involving a major integrated health provider. | Medical malpractice | Arbitration |
| 2014 | Residential eviction / possession dispute. | Unlawful detainer | Court trial (judge) |
| 2014 | Wage-and-hour dispute arising out of a deli / food-service workplace. | Employment | Court trial (judge) |
| 2012 | Software-development contract dispute between a vendor and an individual stakeholder. | Breach of contract | Bench trial |
Jonathan has been recognized by Super Lawyers and Super Lawyers Rising Stars for his work in litigation.
He is actively involved in the legal community and has served as President of the Los Angeles Jewish Bar Association. He is also a member of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, California Employment Lawyers Association, and California Applicants' Attorneys Association.
Publications
- Crossovers between employment law and workers’ compensation cases — Advocate Magazine, May 2023. Discussion of coordinating parallel workers' compensation and civil employment disputes: discovery pathways, psychological treatment and QME interplay, Compromise & Release / resignation pitfalls, retaliation and carve-out drafting, WC preemption defenses, and practical coordination with applicant's counsel.
- Empower the Injured: A How-To Guide for Handling Your Own Personal Injury Claim — Paperback (ISBN 978-1483488585), Aug. 2018. A consumer guide focused on moderately sized California accidents: timelines after injury, assembling a settlement demand, communicating with insurers, documenting lost wages and treatment, mediation, and selected fundamentals of negotiating and resolving a claim.
Outside the practice of law, Jonathan enjoys hiking, spending time with his family, and exploring ways to improve access to legal services and litigation technology.
He is also the attorney responsible for the content of this website.