Formerly The Law Offices of Amy Oppenheimer, Workplace Investigations and Training-Focused Law Firm Marks Growth and Evolution with New Name and Partnership Structure
The Law Offices of Amy Oppenheimer, a 25-year-old, Bay Area-based law firm focused on providing workplace and school investigations, training and expert testimony, is now Oppenheimer Investigations Group LLP. The new name and rebrand celebrate the firm’s growth since its founding by Amy Oppenheimer, as well as its evolution as it transitions to a new partnership structure to include Christina Ro-Connolly, Vida Thomas, Zaneta Seidel and Alezah Trigueros.
Amy Oppenheimer is a pioneer in the burgeoning field of workplace investigations, practicing in the space since the 1990s. In 2009, she led the founding of a professional organization, the Association for Workplace Investigators (AWI), which today has more than 1,000 members worldwide.
“In the past few years, our team has grown to 14 attorneys complemented by a host of other professionals, including writers, mediators and administrative support – all resources that help make Oppenheimer Investigations Group the largest investigations firm in the Bay Area,” said Amy Oppenheimer, the firm’s founder. “As a woman-owned firm with a diverse team focused exclusively on impartial investigations and training, we’re ideally positioned to help clients meet the challenges of providing safe and inclusive workplaces. Our new name, branding and website celebrate the firm’s evolution. With our high-level staffing, new partnership structure and leadership team, I’m confident will be able to meet the evolving needs of our clients for decades to come.”
Oppenheimer Investigations Group will continue to focus on performing timely, fair and thorough investigations of workplaces and schools when there are allegations of harassment and assault, discrimination, bullying, retaliation and other misconduct. Working with corporate executives, counsel and human resources professionals at businesses large and small, as well as educational and public entities, the Oppenheimer team also handles customized training and coaching, and provides expert testimony.
New Partnership
Firm founder, Amy Oppenheimer is a leading expert in the field of workplace investigations with more than 40 years of experience in employment law, as an attorney, administrative law judge, investigator, arbitrator, mediator and trainer. Oppenheimer will continue her investigation and expert testimony practice, as well as serving as managing partner of the firm.
Each of the four attorneys joining the Oppenheimer partnership brings extensive experience in employment law and investigatory work.
Christina (“Tina”) Ro-Connolly, who joined the firm in 2018, previously spent 11 years in the Contra Costa County Counsel’s office, where she advised on labor and employment matters involving public agencies such as the police, fire and courts.
Ro-Connolly notes: “We couldn’t be more excited about the future for Oppenheimer Investigations Group and our clients. Beyond having legal and investigative smarts, we’re an amazingly diverse, multi-lingual and collaborative group. In the context of workplace investigations, this perspective has proven to be a distinguishing factor in uncovering the truth and counseling our clients who are aiming to make their work environment positive and productive.”
Joining the firm in 2020 as a partner, Vida Thomas has practiced employment law for two decades, including conducting 200+ investigations, many involving unions, elected officials and other high-profile employers and individuals.
“2020 has been a unique year for workplaces across the country. With increased reliance on technology and the challenges of living and working in the same space, never has there been a more acute need for employers to take a good look at their human resources and ‘do the right thing’ by their employees,” added Thomas. “We’re bullish about the future.”
Zaneta Seidel has been with Oppenheimer for three years and has conducted more than 60 investigations from racial discrimination claims to allegations of sexual assault and harassment. Many of these matters have involved high-level executives and elected officials. Seidel also speaks about how race impacts investigations and facilitates group sessions around conflict resolution and maintaining positive workplace relationships.
Alezah Trigueros, who has been with the firm since 2014, has conducted more than 100 workplace and Title IX investigations and assessments of issues including discrimination, harassment/assault and bullying – many on behalf of educational institutions. She has developed a specialty in investigating allegations of sexual assault in middle schools and high schools, as well as the college and university setting.
