For nearly 30 years, Ms. Wagner has been engaged in the practice of law in Los Angeles as a civil litigation trial attorney. Ms. Wagner founded Sauer & Wagner LLP, a litigation boutique, in 1997. Prior to that, Ms. Wagner was an equity partner at Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger. Ms. Wagner has extensive experience in federal and state courts and has handled numerous matters in alternative dispute resolution forums, including arbitrations and mediations. Ms. Wagner has been involved in numerous high profile cases, several of which have been the subject of extensive print and television media coverage. Ms. Wagner also has successfully handled a number of appellate matters.
In 2003, Ms. Wagner expanded her litigation/appellate practice to include mediation and arbitration services.
The scope of Ms. Wagner’s mediation practice includes the following:
•Employment, including discrimination (e.g., race, gender, disability, sexual orientation religion, age, and national origin claims), harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination in violation of public policy, and wage and hour claims (including class actions).
•Entertainment and intellectual property, including copyright infringement, theft of ideas, breach of express and implied contracts, third party participation and accounting claims
•Real estate and landlord/tenant, including breach of lease, breach of purchase and sale agreements, fraud, quiet title, specific performance, mold exposure, wrongful eviction, construction, and other disputes involving commercial and residential properties
•Business, including partnership disputes, breach of contract, fraud, intentional interference, unfair competition, and collection disputes
•Legal malpractice, including related fee disputes
•Civil Rights / Unruh Act violations
•Defamation
•Lemon law
•Premises liability and other types of negligence
Ms. Wagner’s mediation style emphasizes common sense, communication skills and the ability to solve difficult problems with practical solutions. Ms. Wagner uses both the evaluative and facilitative styles of mediation. Ms. Wagner received her mediation training through the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, offered by the Pepperdine University School of Law. Ms. Wagner also completed the Advanced Mediation Skills Practicum offered by the Center for Civic Mediation through the Los Angeles County Bar Association.
Arbitration
Ms. Wagner also serves as an arbitrator for the National Arbitration & Mediation, Inc., and offers private arbitration services.
Education
Ms. Wagner is a graduate of the University of Southern California (J.D., 1986, Order of the Coif; Recipient, American Jurisprudence Award in Constitutional Law; Member, University of Southern California Law Review, 1985-1986. Author: "Heckling: A Protected Right or Disorderly Conduct?" 60 Southern California Law Review 215, 1986. Ms. Wagner was admitted to the California State Bar in 1986. Ms. Wagner served as Law Clerk to the Hon. William P. Gray, U.S. District Court, 1986-1987.)
Recognition
Ms. Wagner is “AV” rated by Martindale-Hubbell which means that her peers in the legal community rank her at the highest level of professional excellence. Ms. Wagner has been included as one of the Southern California Super Lawyers in Los Angeles Magazine for several years.
Affiliations & Activities
Ms. Wagner is a member of the State Bar of California, the American Bar Association, the Los Angeles Bar County Association, and a member of the Litigation, Employment and Intellectual Property Sections in these associations. Ms. Wagner also volunteered as a prosecuting attorney for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, where she successfully tried several criminal cases