News
At Van Dermyden Makus, we strive to keep you up-to-date on what is happening with our Firm, and with the investigative world at large. Take a few minutes to read about current events.
Top Investigations Law Firm Opens Los Angeles Office
Van Dermyden Makus Law Corporation, the thought-leader in workplace investigations, opens a Los Angeles office as part of the long-term strategy to grow in California and nationally. Daphne Pierre Bishop, a trusted expert in the area of employment law and workplace investigations, joins VM as Managing Partner of the Los Angeles office.
VM at Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair
Saturday, February 26, Van Dermyden Makus Investigations Law Firm participates in the Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.
VM to Sponsor The Carrie Bobb Foundation Event
Van Dermyden Makus will be a title sponsor of The Carrie Bobb Foundation’s upcoming event, “Your Vision, Your Brand, It’s Your Story.”
This afternoon of storytelling and inspiration with a star-studded lineup will take place on February 22, 2022 at 2:22pm in the Terrace Area of the Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, in Rancho Santa Fe, California. This event honors all the incredible work The Carrie Bobb Foundation does and includes a Happy Hour with carefully curated beverages and appetizers.
Sue Ann Van Dermyden and Deborah Maddux Named to Super Lawyers 2022
Sue Ann Van Dermyden and Deborah Maddux have been named as Super Lawyers once again. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.
Van Dermyden and Makus speak at the Berkeley Center on Comparative Equality and Anti-Discrimination Law’s 2022 Virtual Conference.
Berkeley Center on Comparative Equality and Anti-Discrimination Law’s 2022 Conference on New Developments in Workplace Sexual Harassment held virtually, January 27-28, 2022 is a U.S. and global comparative examination of sexual harassment in the workplace, focusing on skills for litigators, advisors, investigators, and human resource professionals.
Eli Makus Becomes President of AWI’s Board of Directors
Eli Makus, Senior Managing Partner of Van Dermyden Makus Law Corporation, has been named the Association of Workplace Investigators’ (AWI) President for a two-year term. He previously served as AWI’s Treasurer from 2017 to 2019, and as its Vice President and Institute Committee Co-Chair from 2019 to 2021.
The VM Team Leads Three Sessions at the 2021 CALPELRA Conference
At this year’s CALPELRA conference, Van Dermyden Makus Law Corporation has been invited to present at three difference sessions. The CALPELRA 2021 Conference, Color Your Space: A Spectrum of Opportunities, provides space for you step back and consider your work from new vantage points, identify your strengths, brush up on your skills, and establish connections with others.
5 takeaways for business leaders from the Gruden scandal
As workplace investigators, we know one thing – investigations can lead to surprising results. Jon Gruden’s history of making derogatory, demeaning and insensitive comments about Black people, women and the LGBTQ+ community may never have been discovered but for another team’s investigation. The NFL’s investigation into workplace misconduct within the Washington Football Team organization led to a trove of Gruden’s crude and offensive emails sent over a seven-year period, the NFL confirmed to CNN. Gruden resigned Monday as coach of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Sue Ann Van Dermyden and Deborah Maddux Are Both Speaking at The Annual AWI Conference – Oct. 14-15
We are thrilled to announce that AWI selected both Sue Ann Van Dermyden and Deborah Maddux to speak at their annual conference October 14-15 in Denver, Colorado.
The Pandemic Has Intensified Workplace Disputes. Employers Need to Adapt.
Over the past year and a half, as the Covid-19 pandemic raged, bedrooms became our offices and dogs our officemates. We invited bosses, coworkers and clients into our living spaces through the omnipresent Zoom window.
Now, as companies and their employees begin returning to offices, they face a permanently changed workplace. Zoom and Slack have become ingrained in our work culture. Many Americans say they prefer to continue to work remotely. Hybrid arrangements and flexible office schedules already have become the norm at many companies.
Free Webinar: Trauma-Informed: Applying the Science in the Interview Room
This training will cover Trauma-Informed techniques when interviewing individuals during workplace and Title IX investigations. The participants will learn what a trauma-informed approach is, and how to implement the approach in their own investigative practice.
1.0 General MCLE & .5 Bias Elimination MCLE (CA state bar approved)
Eli Makus Was Selected by the IACP to Present at Their Annual Conference in September
Presented by our own Sue Ann Van Dermyden and Mary Ann Demos, this session will provide guidance to investigators and their team on the anatomy of investigative report proofing and peer review. Attendees will see a peer reviewer’s process and the methodology of proofing a report. By using examples and demonstrations, attendees will come away with tips that can be employed immediately to help improve the final investigative product. Checklists will be provided.
AWI Webinar: Proofing an Investigative Report: Tools from A Case Editor and Peer Reviewer
Presented by our own Sue Ann Van Dermyden and Mary Ann Demos, this session will provide guidance to investigators and their team on the anatomy of investigative report proofing and peer review. Attendees will see a peer reviewer’s process and the methodology of proofing a report. By using examples and demonstrations, attendees will come away with tips that can be employed immediately to help improve the final investigative product. Checklists will be provided.
Sue Ann Van Dermyden and Deborah Maddux Were Both Selected by AWI to Speak at Their Annual Conference in October
We are thrilled to announce that AWI selected both Sue Ann Van Dermyden and Deborah Maddux to speak at their annual conference October 14-15 in Denver, Colorado.
Top Investigations Attorney Sue Ann Van Dermyden Joins With a New Partner and Rebrands for National Growth
Sue Ann Van Dermyden, co-founder and Senior Partner of one of the nation’s top investigations law firms, announced today the addition of Senior Partner Eli Makus, and the rebranding of the Firm as Van Dermyden Makus Law Corporation. As Van Dermyden Makus, the law firm will continue to follow the vision that created one of the nation’s premier investigations law firms, with plans to grow in California and nationally.
Free Webinar: Assessing Employee Morale in the "New Normal" Workplace
Participants will gain an enhanced understanding of the purpose, process, legal significance and benefits of climate assessments.
1.0 General MCLE (Ca State Bar Approved)
Our Own, Sue Ann Van Dermyden, is Interviewed on the Podcast, “Leading in a Lonely World: Conversations with Transformative Leaders”
Meet Sue Ann Van Dermyden, a champion of others. Vanessa Kelly interviews Sue Ann and she tells of her journey from a small town in the Dakotas to California.
The results are in from the first VM writing contest!
The first VM writing contest came to a close and it generated a lot of response and entries. Thank you to all the participants! We received so many entries, that we had a hard time selecting the winner. But in the end, we had to decide on one – however, we just couldn’t ignore all the other great entries, so we created some sub-categories that brought light your personalities and fun you had with this.
Eli Makus and Kelly Gemelli Join VM Law Corp
We are excited to welcome Eli Makus, Senior Partner and Kelly Gemelli, Managing Partner to the VM Team!
Sue Ann Van Dermyden, Member of the McGeorge School of Law Alumni Board of Directors
As a member of the McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific Alumni Board of Directors, VM Law Corp’s Sue Ann Van Dermyden took part in a very productive two-day meeting this past weekend.