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Roya is a trial lawyer who represents individuals and entities at all stages of litigation, from investigations to trials, arbitrations, and appeals. She combines exceptional levels of responsiveness and sensitivity with a clear strategic vision to achieve positive outcomes on her clients' behalf. While Roya's primary focus is employment law, she also provides assistance to clients dealing with complex criminal and civil matters—including fraud, trade secret misappropriation, and business, partnership, and contractual disputes—with an emphasis on cases that lie at the intersection of employment and criminal law.
In the employment arena, Roya advises and defends employment actions including wage and hour disputes, misclassification, employment discrimination, retaliation, sexual harassment, and whistleblower actions. In addition, she helps employers and employees navigate a variety of day-to-day issues, from drafting severance agreements to advising on requests for reasonable accommodation, reductions in workforce, and other sensitive employment matters. Additionally, she represents clients before various state and federal agencies, including the Civil Rights Department and Labor Commissioner. Roya's experience representing clients on both sides of the table equips her with a 360-degree perspective on potential challenges as well as opportunities. She draws on this insight to formulate solutions that minimize risk and position her clients for success.
Although Roya strives to resolve every case as quickly and cost-effectively as possible, she stands ready to wage a vigorous courtroom battle if trial proves unavoidable—a product of her extensive first-chair jury trial experience. Before entering private practice, Roya served as a trial attorney for California's Civil Rights Department, where she led several jury trials and administrative actions involving employment and housing discrimination.
Prior to joining Cohen Williams, Roya was an associate at Boies Schiller Flexner LLP and King & Spalding LLP, where she handled defense-side employment and business litigation as well as white collar criminal defense and investigations.
Roya's civic involvement includes serving as a board member of the Employment Round Table of Southern California, as well as serving on the Pro Bono Council for Inner City Law Center. She was also a visiting lecturer and coach at University of California, Davis School of Law, her alma mater, in the fall of 2021.
