Robert K. Carrol

Client Work

Rob's focuses his national Labor and Employment practice on the following types of work:

• Counseling both union and non-union companies on operational issues;
• Collective bargaining, arbitration, and defense of charges filed with various federal and state administrative agencies, including the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB), the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), Alcohol & Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) and California Alcohol Beverage Commission (ABC); and
• Defense of complex wage-hour class action, employment discrimination, unlawful harassment, unfair competition, trade secret, non-compete and employee mobility, and ADA Title III access matters.

Rob and his team have had notable success defending large-scale wage-hour and other labor-related class actions, recently defeating class certification in several large class actions filed in the US District and California Superior Courts, including two where the plaintiffs sought $176,000,000 and $58,000,000 in unpaid wages/penalties, respectively.

Previous Work

Prior to joining ArentFox Schiff, Rob was a partner in the San Francisco office of a global law firm where he led both the Western US Labor and Employment and Global Beverage Alcohol teams.

Professional Activities

• American Bar Association, Labor Law Section
• State Bar of California, Labor Law Section
• International Wine Lawyers Association (AIDV), Board Member
• Bar Association of San Francisco
• Hellenic Law Society

Publications, Presentations & Recognitions

Rob was recognized by the Daily Journal as one of the "Top Labor & Employment Attorneys" in California in 2023, 2021, and 2020. Rob has also been recognized in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business for his Labor and Employment work and has earned, annually throughout his career, an AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rating from Martindale Hubbell. Additionally, ArentFox Schiff’s leading National Labor & Employment Practice Group was just named by US News & World Report and Best Lawyers as a top tier practice group in the country and Rob leads its Firm’s West Coast L&E Team.

• “In an 8 to 1 US Supreme Court Decision, Employers With California Operations May Now Compel PAGA Claims to Arbitration,” ArentFox Schiff Legal Alert, July 2022

• “Long COVID - Just the Facts,” ArentFox Schiff Legal Alert, June 2022

• “NLRB's General Counsel Continues Her Reimagination of Longstanding Board Precedents Governing Employers' Rights During Union Organizing Campaigns,” ArentFox Schiff Legal Alert, June 2022

• “Trade Secrets 2021: Analysis of the Year's Key Cases & Trends,” Arent Fox Legal Alert, February 2022

• “California Court Rules Employer Must Face Lawsuit Over COVID Death of Employee's Spouse,” Arent Fox Legal Alert, January 2022

• “California's Labor Peace Agreement Requirements for Growing Cannabis Business,” Arent Fox Legal Alert, December 2021

• “Arent Fox Partner Rob Carrol Names to 2021 'Top Labor & Employment Lawyers' by Daily Journal,” Arent Fox Legal Alert, July 2021

• “Supreme Court: California Can't Require Union Access To Employer's Premises for Organizing,” Arent Fox Legal Alert, July 2021

• “NLRB Finds Solicitation of Mail-In Ballots Could Set Aside an Election,” Arent Fox Legal Alerts, June 2021

• “Ninth Circuit Rules California's AB5 Will Apply to Motor Carriers,” Arent Fox Legal Alert, April 2021

• “California Appellate Court Decisions Impact Wage and Hour Actions,” Arent Fox Legal Alert, March 2021

• “DOL Announces Final Rule to Distinguish Between Employees and Independent Contractors,” Arent Fox Legal Alert, January 2021

• “California Trucking Industry Faces Continuing Legal Uncertainty After the California Court of Appeal Finds the Expanded AB 5 'ABC' Test Not Preempted by the FAAAA,” Arent Fox Legal Alert, December 2020

• “US Department of Labor Proposes New FLSA Rule to Distinguish between Employees and Independent Contractors,” Arent Fox Legal Alert, September 2020

• “Southern District of New York Partially Vacates Department of Labor's Joint Employer Rule,” Arent Fox Legal Alert, September 2020

• “Rob Carrol Named Top California Labor Lawyer by the Daily Journal,” Arent Fox Legal Alert, July 2020

• “Supreme Court Ruling Protects LGBTQ Employees Against Workplace Discrimination,” Arent Fox Legal Alert, June 2020

• “The NLRB Implements New Representation Election Rules,” Arent Fox Legal Alert, June 2020.

• “NLRB: Union Election Ballots Marked In ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ Boxes Are Void,” Arent Fox Legal Alert, May 2020.
• “California Trucking Industry Faces Continuing Legal Uncertainty After the California Court of Appeal Finds the Expanded AB 5 ‘ABC’ Test Not Preempted by the FAAAA,” Arent Fox Legal Alert, December 2020.
• “US Department of Labor Proposes New FLSA Rule to Distinguish between Employees and Independent Contractors,” Arent Fox Legal Alert, September 2020.
• “Southern District of New York Partially Vacates Department of Labor's Joint Employer Rule,” Arent Fox Legal Alert, September 2020.
• “Supreme Court Ruling Protects LGBTQ Employees Against Workplace Discrimination,” Arent Fox Legal Alert, June 2020.
• “California Presumes Workers’ Comp Covers Employee COVID-19,” Arent Fox Legal Alert, May 2020.
• “California Enacts New Supplemental Paid Sick Leave for Food Industry and Agricultural Workers,” Arent Fox Legal Alert, April 2020.
• “San Francisco, San Jose Mandate Special COVID-19 Paid Leave,” Arent Fox Legal Alert, April 2020.
• “California Orders Partial Suspension of Cal/WARN Act,” Arent Fox Legal Alert, March 2020.
• “AB 51 Update: Federal Court Preliminarily Enjoins California Law Restricting Employment  Arbitration Agreements,” Arent Fox Legal Alert, February 2020.

Life Beyond the Law

Rob regularly trains and plays golf at the San Francisco Olympic Club’s Downtown and Lakeside facilities. He is also a huge supporter of Real Madrid, the San Francisco Giants and 49ers and attends as many games with his sons, Coulton and Dylan, and daughter, Payton, as his schedule will permit. He is conversational in Spanish, French, and Modern Greek.