Master federal and California employment laws to build a structured hiring process that minimizes legal liability while promoting workplace equity.
The hiring process is widely recognized as a critical vulnerability point for employers, serving as the stage where most discrimination, retaliation, and wage and hour disputes originate. In the course The Hiring Process: Navigating Pre-Employment Issues, legal professionals and HR leaders are guided through the complex intersection of recruiting talent and maintaining strict regulatory compliance. This session delves deep into key developments in both federal and California employment law, offering updates through 2025 that are vital for minimizing liability and promoting workplace equity.
Whether you are outside counsel advising clients, in-house counsel managing internal compliance, or an HR professional implementing policy, this course offers actionable strategies to strengthen your hiring framework. We examine the nuances of pre-employment qualifications, the risks associated with modern hiring tools, and the evolving landscape of worker protections. From the initial job posting to the final offer, participants will learn how to navigate legal pitfalls while establishing a structured, fair, and documented selection process.
Key learning outcomes and topics covered include:
Beyond the regulations, this course emphasizes the role of Human Resources as the guardian of fairness. By dissecting recent case law trends and reviewing the pitfalls of automated hiring decisions, participants will learn how to reduce legal exposure while fostering a diverse and productive workforce. This material provides the insights necessary to ensure your organization’s hiring practices are not only effective but legally sound.
Attorney at Law
Laura Soprana-Dec is a California barred attorney with over seven years of experience as an employment attorney with a background spanning private practice, government service, and academic mentoring. Ms. Soprana-Dec earned her J.D. cum laude from the University of California, Irvine School of Law. She also holds a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Business Communication and Tourism Management from the University of Verona, Italy, both cum laude, with concentrations in English and German languages. In private practice, she practiced as an attorney at Jackson Lewis P.C., focusing on employment litigation, workplace investigations, and advance and counsel, and at Valla Morrison & Schachne, where she assisted advising international companies on business immigration matters and cross-border transactions, including corporate structuring, regulatory compliance, and employment law counseling. Before law school, Ms. Soprana-Dec served as Director of the Work and Travel Program at ASSE International Student Exchange Programs, managing U.S. Department of State-regulated cultural exchange programs for university students from Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Laura is a member of the California State Bar.
