experience

Ms. Gokenbach regularly first-chairs a variety of litigation matters on behalf of her clients. Her trial experience includes the following:

• Successfully argued before the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals to affirm the U.S. District Court’s dismissal of Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) collective action lawsuit for alleged tip pooling violations, including validity of the U.S. Department of Labor’s 2011 tip pooling regulation
• Prevailed on behalf of employer in case alleging unpaid overtime wages after 2-day arbitration
• Obtained dismissal with prejudice of Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) collective action lawsuit against restaurant/bar located in Lower Downtown Denver (LoDo)
• Prevailed on civil theft claim in favor of media industry employer against former executive after 5-day jury trial
• Prevailed on behalf of real estate developer employer in wage dispute after 3-day bench trial
• Prevailed on behalf of medical services employer in appeal of benefits claim involving allegations of disability discrimination after 3-day administrative hearing
• Obtained summary judgment and order of sanctions for discovery abuses in favor of energy company in case alleging Title VII and 42 U.S.C. § 1981 race discrimination
• Obtained dismissal of misappropriation claim against former executive and new employer in non-compete litigation
• Obtained dismissal of lawsuit against fast food restaurant employer for alleged Title VII national origin discrimination and ADEA age discrimination
• Successfully argued before the Colorado Court of Appeals to reverse and remand unemployment tax liability determination involving two classes of workers of pet grooming business
• Successfully resolved lawsuit brought by Colorado Civil Rights Division against farm employer involving alleged sexual harassment claims due to the Division’s failure to follow its own rules
• Successfully resolved class and collective action against convenience store chain for alleged Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) violations
• Successfully resolved whistleblower claim involving the False Claims Act against a medical billing employer
• Advocated in numerous multi-day arbitration proceedings on behalf of companies, employers and business owners, including breach of contract claims and shareholder disputes
• Resolved numerous ADA, ADEA, Title VII, and wrongful termination claims on behalf of employers