Since she began practicing law in 1998, Alexis McKenna has been dedicated to social justice and protecting the rights of individuals. She has represented numerous workers and consumers against corporations and insurance companies in the fields of employment law (harassment and discrimination), therapy and medical malpractice, personal injury, and wrongful death.
Ms. McKenna feels strongly about enabling and empowering individuals who have been abused by or otherwise injured through the misconduct of corporations, or the negligence of health care professionals. She brings to these cases her own unique drive to serve the best interests of her clients and to achieve justice.
Ms. McKenna became an associate at the Law Offices of John D. Winer in August of 2002. She has brought her talents to bear on cases that bring about both good results for her clients and succeeded in fostering social justice and civil rights. She achieved a number of substantial settlements for her clients, including several multi-million dollar settlements. Furthermore, in 2005, she and John Winer won a $2.2 million jury verdict in San Jose against FedEx Express for two women who had been sexually harassed when employed at FedEx. In January 2006, Ms. McKenna became a partner in the firm.
Previously, Ms. McKenna was an associate at the firm of Gillin, Jacobson, Ellis & Larsen, focusing on sexual and racial harassment cases. She also worked on personal injury, wrongful death, toxic tort and unfair business practices cases on behalf of consumers. She is proud of the accomplishments she had there working for the rights of employees, including: $1.1 million settlement for seven waitresses against their employer who had subjected to crude comments and intimidating behavior based on their gender; $500,000 settlement for a woman who alleged she was sexually harassed by the division president at a national corporation; $250,000 for two housekeepers at a hotel who were sexually harassed by the general manager.
Ms. McKenna has lectured and written articles for her peers on the topics of employment law, discovery, punitive damages and trial strategy, including for the Consumer Attorneys of California and the California Employment Lawyers Association. She also a contributor to John Winer’s published book, Proving Mental and Emotional Injuries.
Ms. McKenna received a Bachelor of Arts in Justice from the American University in 1994 and her law degree from Hastings College of Law in 1998. While at Hastings, she was Senior Articles Editor for Hastings International and Comparative Law Review. Upon graduation from law school, Ms. McKenna’s strive to work for social justice led her to the area of criminal law as an attorney at the Alameda County Public Defender’s Office. Much of her work there consisted of protecting the constitutional rights of indigent individuals facing the death penalty. She had previously served the Public Defender as a law clerk during law school, in addition to clerking at the San Francisco Public Defender and the Federal Public Defender offices.
Ms. McKenna is presently the President of the Board of Governors of the Alameda/Contra Costa Trial Lawyers Association. She has been a member of the Board of Governors for Consumer Attorneys of California since 2010. She is also a member of the California Employment Lawyers Association, the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, the Alameda County Bar Association, and the Contra Costa County Bar Association.
Awards and Honors
• 2013 President of Alameda Contra Costa Trial Lawyers Association
• 2012 Top Attorneys, Northern California’s Outstanding Young Lawyers in Employment Litigation
• 2011 Top Attorneys in Northern California
• 2010-present Board of Governors for Consumer Attorneys of California
• 2009-2012 Chosen to Super Lawyers Rising Stars
• 2008-2009 Editor of The Verdict magazine for ACCTLA
• 2006 Finalist for Consumer Attorneys of California’s Trial Lawyer of the Year
• 2005-present Board of Governors for Alameda Contra Costa Trial Lawyers Association
