Van Dermyden Maddux Law Corporation

Investigative Law Firm in Sacramento, California

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    • Workplace Investigations Services
    • Title IX Investigations Services
    • Title IX: Training for Employees Responsible for Compliance and Investigations
    • Title IX Hearing Officer Services
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    • Arbitration and Hearing Officer Services
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Leading Sexual Harassment Investigator Calls for Independent Probe in Antonio Brown Case

Sue Ann Van Dermyden, a national leader in conducting independent investigations into allegations of sexual assault and harassment in sports and the workplace, today called on the National Football League and New England Patriots to move to conduct a “thorough, impartial, third-party” probe into rape allegations against star NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown. [Read more…]

Van Dermyden Maddux Senior Partner Spotlight

Sue Ann Van Dermyden and Deborah Maddux were selected as 2019 Super Lawyers for their work in Employment & Labor Law. Super Lawyers is an exclusive list of top-rated attorneys in specific practice areas who were chosen after thorough evaluation of numerous criteria. [Read more…]

Transparency in Investigations

The times are changing. Before the #MeToo wave hit, employers typically initiated investigations into harassment complaints with the goal of maximizing information with minimal negative impact. This often translated into efforts to be as discreet as possible throughout the process by minimizing the amount of information shared and the number of people who read the investigation report.[Read more…]

Do’s and Don’ts For Interviewing Minors

If you are a seasoned investigator, you are likely accustomed to interviewing adult witnesses (if not, read our Introduction to Interviewing Techniques blog here). You may have interviewed hundreds of witnesses, and you know just how to craft relevant questions, establish rapport, assess credibility, identify deceptive behaviors, and get right down to the facts. It can be tempting to approach and interview minors relying on the same methodology you would with an adult witness. [Read more…]

Deborah Maddux Appointed Vice-Chair of the CLA Labor & Employment Law Section’s Executive Committee

Currently, Deborah serves as Secretary of the California Lawyers Association (CLA) Labor & Employment Law Section’s Executive Committee. Her term as Vice-Chair begins October 12, 2019. [Read more…]

No Complaint, No Investigation? No way.

The hardest investigation to conduct is one without a complaint. Though difficult, it is not uncommon. Many times, parties and witnesses are unwilling to come forward, so all employers have to go on are gossip and rumors. However, do not confuse the lack of a complaint with a lack of a responsibility to investigate. To do so would be to potentially commit a very costly mistake. [Read more…]

Sacramento Kings Hire Van Dermyden Maddux to Conduct Independent Investigation

The Sacramento Kings have hired Sue Ann Van Dermyden and Jennifer A. Doughty to lead an independent investigation into the allegations in the lawsuit filed on April 22, 2019 by Kelli Tennant. [Read more…]

Choosing The Right Investigator

You are the head of Human Resources and you receive a complaint of sexual harassment from an employee. To whom do you assign the investigation? Do you handle it in-house or bring in an external investigator? Your answers to these questions set the tone for the entire investigation. Choosing the right investigator from the start can help save hundreds of thousands of dollars in litigation costs to defend the adequacy of the investigation in later stages. Accordingly, it is a question which deserves consideration. [Read more…]

Six-Part Series: Introduction to Workplace Investigation Interviewing Techniques

Preparedness is the foundation of a fair, thorough and neutral workplace investigation. This is especially true when conducting interviews of the parties or witnesses. Forming a good interviewing process will help you move through the investigative process with ease. In this six-part series, our experienced investigators at Van Dermyden Maddux Law Corporation provide an overview of essential interviewing techniques. Consider integrating these steps into your investigative plan when preparing for and conducting interviews.

Introduction to Workplace Investigation Interviewing Techniques: Part I — Physical Setting: The Importance of “Setting the Scene”

Participating in an interview about workplace misconduct of your peer – or even someone higher in the food chain than you – is often scary for employees. It is common for a witness to feel uneasy about the process. They undoubtedly feel apprehensive about speaking with you. It is your job to set them at ease. How? Prepare, before you even start the interview. An interview is most productive if you are able to make your interviewee feel comfortable. [Read more…]

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Van Dermyden Maddux Law is an investigations law firm, dedicated to conducting workplace and Title IX campus investigations in California and Nevada.

VM Law is a Certified Small Business and Women-Owned business in California.

 

Sacramento Office
2520 Venture Oaks Way, Suite 450
Sacramento, CA 95833
P: (916) 779-2402
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San Rafael Office
899 Northgate Drive, Suite 210
San Rafael, CA 94903
P: (415) 755-4850
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