News/Articles

All Four Partners Voted 2009 & 2010 ''Super Lawyers'':

We are honored to have all four of our partners voted San Diego Super Lawyers® in 2009 & 2010. This prestigious award is given to the top 5% of San Diego attorneys in their designated areas of practice. Jonathan Andrews, Jennifer Branch and Margi Bell were recognized in the area of Employment & Labor Law. Traci Lagasse was recognized in the area of Professional Liability Defense. Read more

Jennifer Branch Named a San Diego ''Top Attorney'':

The San Diego Daily Transcript recognized Jennifer Branch as one of San Diego’s peer-selected best and brightest attorneys in the area of labor and employment law in 2009. This prestigious Top Attorney award is the culmination of a lengthy peer voting process in which the 10 attorneys in each practice who receive the most votes are selected for recognition.
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Andrews • Lagasse • Branch & Bell LLP Sponsors Big Brothers Big Sisters Dinner:

On November 22, 2009, Andrews • Lagasse • Branch & Bell LLP proudly served as a corporate sponsor for the 47th Annual Gourmet Dinner and Fundraiser for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County. The Dinner, which took place at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine, honored long time supporters of Big Brothers Big Sisters, T. Boone and Madeleine Pickens. The event raised over $400,000 for the organization, including some money that was earmarked for the expansion of the “Operation Bigs” mentoring program. The goal of Operation Bigs is to provide mentors to children of military families who have a parent deployed.

Andrews • Lagasse • Branch & Bell LLP Co-Hosts Diversity Reception:

On January 15, 2009, Andrews • Lagasse • Branch & Bell LLP co-hosted the "California Public Utilities Commission Reception of Diverse Lawyers and Minority Owned Law Firms" with Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP. The Reception took place at the University Club in downtown San Diego and was a huge success. The event was attended by more than 150 diverse lawyers, members of the CPUC and state regulated utilities, and it provided an opportunity for attendees to discuss their shared interest in the promotion of diversity in the legal profession.

Jon Andrews Receives Prestigious ''40 under 40'' Award:

Jon Andrews was selected as one of San Diego's 40 outstanding young leaders in 2008 by the San Diego Metropolitan Magazine in its 9th annual "40 under 40" honor roll. This prestigious award recognizes the business accomplishments and community contributions of 40 of San Diego's brightest young business professionals, entrepreneurs, and civic leaders, all of whom are under 40 years of age. View Article

Margi Bell profiled in July 2008 Issue of ''The Resource'':

Partner and co-founder Margi Bell was recently profiled in the July 2008 issue of The Resource, a publication issued by The San Diego Society for Human Resources Management. View Article

Grand Opening:

On October 22, 2007, four former partners from one of California's largest law firms announced the launch of Andrews • Lagasse • Branch & Bell LLP, a 100% minority and female owned law firm. View Article

Community Involvement

Margi Bell currently serves as the Immediate Past President of the San Diego chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management ("SHRM"). Ms. Bell served on the Board of Directors as Vice President, Legislation in 2006 and 2007, as the President-Elect in 2008 and as President in 2009.

Jonathan Andrews has been elected to the Board of Directors of Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County, an organization for which he previously volunteered as a "Big Brother" for six years.

Jennifer Branch volunteers as a Judge for the San Diego Teen Court Program, a diversion program that works in association with the Juveline Court, where first-time juvenile offenders accept responsibility for a crime they have committed and agree to have a binding sentence imposed by a jury of their peers. When juvenile offenders fulfill their sentencing requirements, the record of their offense is permanently expunged.

Mr. Andrews volunteers for the Legal Aid Society of San Diego's Peer Mediation program - a program designed to help young people work out disagreements in a peaceful, constructive way. For the past six years, Mr. Andrews has volunteered for Legal Aid, including handling/supervising litigation and transactional matters on behalf of Legal Aid clients and participating in the organizations' Peer Mediation program.

Mike O’Connor was re-elected to the Executive Committee of the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl and the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl. The Committee, as part of the San Diego Bowl Game Association, produces the annual Holiday Bowl and Poinsettia Bowl college football games. Mike serves on the Committee’s Sponsorship and Marketing & NCAA Youth Football Clinic Sub-Committees, which help facilitate and host numerous community-based events throughout the calendar year leading up to the games. These events are aimed at raising awareness about San Diego’s bowl games and generating revenues which result in an economic impact of approximately $30 million per year for San Diego.

Shauna Sinnott and Jacqueline Lopez are members of the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl Red Shirt Committee of the San Diego Bowl Game Association. Ms. Sinnott and Ms. Lopez work with San Diego’s civic and corporate leaders throughout the year to ensure a successful production of bowl games and festivals of events in order to generate tourism, exposure, economic benefit and civic pride for San Diego and its citizens.

Ms. Branch is an active member of the Mother Attorneys Mentoring Association, a support organization founded to provide mother attorneys with a forum to discuss and address the unique challenges they face in their profession, share knowledge and experiences, and network.

Speaking Engagements

Jennifer Branch will speak about “Immigration Issues in Employment Law” at the 5th Annual - National Employment Practices Liability Insurance ExecuSummit, to be held in Uncasville, CT on September 21 & 22, 2010.

Margi Bell will be speaking at the Disability Management Employer Coalition’s (“DMEC”) 15th Annual International Conference taking place in San Diego August 1-4, 2010.

Margi Bell will be speaking at the 2010 National SHRM Conference held in San Diego June 27-30, 2010.

Jennifer Branch spoke about “Responsible Downsizing” to a conference hosted by the Museum Trustee Association at the Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park on October 29, 2009.

Jennifer Branch will present her bi-annual webinar on the "Prevention of Unlawful Harassment in the Workplace" on October 14, 2010, in conjunction with Christian Brothers Risk Management Services.

Margi Bell spoke on "Workplace Investigations" at the San Diego Society for Human Resource Management 2009 Law Day Conference on January 21, 2009.

Ms. Bell also presented at the San Diego Society for Human Resource Management North Coast Breakfast Meeting Legal Update on January 28, 2009.