Charles H. Jung

Charles is an attorney who guides clients through moments of crisis, sharing authentic storytelling in court, in the press, or in the community to reframe narratives, create social change, and achieve personal redemption.

He represents executives, professionals, and founders in internal investigations and high-level separations. In his employment and wage & hour defense practice, his clients have ranged from large publicly-held companies to smaller, privately-held businesses.

Charles has substantial experience in trade secrets/employee mobility litigation and in class action litigation. He is a frequent commentator in the legal press on these topics.

Educational Background:

Charles earned his law degree from Stanford Law School, graduating with distinction. While at Stanford, he served as an Articles Editor for the Stanford Law Review.
He earned his bachelor's degree, magna cum laude, from Duke University with a dual degree in economics and public policy.
Charles earned his master's degree in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School. At Harvard, Mr. Jung was a Kennedy Fellow.

Community & Bar Service:

President-elect, Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF)
Officer, BASF Justice & Diversity Center
Executive Director, California APA Bar Association (Cal-APABA)
President, IAKL Overseas
Special Deputy District Attorney: served as a volunteer trial attorney
Nassiri & Jung Charitable Giving: Nassiri & Jung supports direct legal services for low income and under-served communities each year
Director (former), API Legal Outreach: served as board member to direct legal services non-profit organization, which assists low income, elderly, youth, and other under-served communities
National APA Bar Association (NAPABA), various roles including Vice President for Programs & Operations and At-Large Board Member, 2015-19
AABA, 2019 President
Executive Committee (former), SSF Section, California State Bar
Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation (ABF)

Some Recent Stories*:

San Francisco Chronicle (Jan. 10, 2024) - Civil Rights Leader Apologizes to S.F. Rapper Over Conduct in Breed ‘Diss Track’ Saga
San Francisco Chronicle (Jan. 2, 2024) - S.F. Rapper Who Criticized Mayor Breed Over Crime Says He Was Threatened by Local Civil Rights Leader
Voice of America (Nov. 30, 2023) - Asian Americans Still Face Prejudice and Discrimination, Study Finds
AsAm News (Oct. 23, 2023) - Advocates Celebrate Signing of Bill Updating Hate Crimes Law in California
Los Angeles Times (July 17, 2023) - Anti-Asian Hate Attacks Are Down in L.A. — Why Some Are Worried
USA Today (July 6, 2023) - No Longer Suffering in Silence: Asian Americans Denied Tech Leadership Roles Go to Court
Wall Street Journal (June 5, 2023) - Former ByteDance Executive Claims Chinese Communist Party Accessed TikTok’s Hong Kong User Data
New York Times (May 12, 2023) - Ex-ByteDance Executive Accuses Company of ‘Lawlessness’
Washington Post / AP (May 12, 2023) - Executive fired from TikTok's Chinese owner says Beijing had access to app data in termination suit
Bloomberg (May 12, 2023) - Fired ByteDance Exec Says China Exerted ‘Supreme’ Data Control
Axios (May 13, 2023) - Ex-ByteDance exec claims CCP "maintained" access to U.S. data
Barrons (May 15, 2023)
Reuters (May 15, 2023) - Former ByteDance executive says he was dismissed for flagging illegal activity
CNN (May 13, 2023) - Ex-ByteDance employee claims company stole content from competitors in earlier days
The Hollywood Reporter (May 12, 2023) - Ex-ByteDance Executive Claims Company Shared Data on U.S. Users With Chinese Government
U.S. News & World Report (May 12, 2023) - Executive Fired From TikTok's Chinese Owner Says Beijing Had Access to App Data in Termination Suit
Business Insider (May 15, 2023) - New Lawsuit Claims TikTok Owner Built 'Backdoor' . . . .
Entrepreneur (May 15, 2023) - Chinese Communist Party Had 'Supreme Access' to TikTok Parent Company ByteDance's Data, Former Executive Says
Engadget (May 12, 2023) - Former ByteDance exec claims company used bots to inflate TikTok engagement
PC Magazine (May 13, 2023) - Former ByteDance Exec Claims TikTok Stole Content From Competitors
Associated Press (May 12, 2023) - Executive fired from TikTok’s Chinese owner says Beijing had access to app data in termination suit
Fortune (May 13, 2023) - TikTok parent ByteDance sued by former California executive alleging China had ‘supreme access’ to all data
New York Post (May 15, 2023)
Boston Herald (May 14, 2023) - Ex-TikTok exec alleges in suit Beijing had access to data
CNN (Mar. 26, 2023) - Asian Americans Are Anxious About Hate Crimes. TikTok Ban Rhetoric Isn’t Helping
CNN (Mar. 22, 2023) - Shift in San Francisco Politics Serves as Warning From Asian American Voters to Democrats in 2024
ABC News (Mar. 16, 2023) - Asian Americans to Rally Nationwide 2 Years After Deadly Atlanta Shooting
Atlanta Journal Constitution (Mar. 16, 2023) - ‘It’s Still Painful’: Family Members Mourn Victims of Spa Shootings
CBS News (Jan. 26, 2023) - Vigil Set to be Held in San Francisco's Chinatown to Honor California Mass Shooting Victims
Vice (Dec. 6, 2022) - ‘I Didn’t Have the Right Face’: Tech CEO Says He Was Forced Out for Acting Like a Tech CEO Despite Not Being White
Business Insider (Dec. 5, 2022) - Fired Startup CEO Says He Was Tarnished as the 'LSD CEO' for Accusing Investors of Anti-Asian Bias, and Now He's Suing
KQED Forum (Oct. 18, 2022) - Families of Victims of Anti-Asian Violence Speak Out in New PBS Documentary
PBS Wisconsin (Oct. 17, 2022) - Rising Against Asian Hate: One Day in March
PBS (Oct. 17, 2022) - Rising Against Asian Hate: One Day in March
The San Francisco Standard (Oct. 12, 2022): Asian Voters Drove SF’s Recalls. Will That Momentum Continue to November?
Daily Kos (Sept. 1, 2022) - San Francisco DA Jenkins Vows to Hold Hate Crimes Perpetrators More Accountable, Review Past Cases
NextShark (Sept. 1, 2022) - Asian American Attorney Says She Was Passed Up for Promotions Because of Her Race in Federal Lawsuit
NBC News (Aug. 31, 2022) - San Francisco DA Jenkins to Review Past Anti-Asian Attacks Under Predecessor Boudin
MarketWatch (Aug. 30, 2022) - Asian-American Private Equity Professional Hits Portfolio Advisors with Federal Discrimination Suit
AsAm News (Aug. 30, 2022) - Veteran Attorney Sues Equity Firm Citing Bamboo Ceiling
USA Today (Aug. 24, 2022) - 'We Shouldn't Have to Tolerate It': More Asian Americans Are Calling Out the Racism They Experience at Work
San Francisco Chronicle (Aug. 8, 2022) - ‘Fight Asian Hate’ Marchers Take to S.F. Streets in Passionate Call for Justice
The San Francisco Standard (Jul. 29, 2022) - Brooke Jenkins Frequently Visits Chinatown To Talk About Safety
NBC News (June 10, 2022) - How San Francisco's D.A. Recall Election Shows a Rift in the Asian American Community
The Press Democrat (Mar. 16, 2022) - Violence Against Asians Decried on Georgia Spa Shootings Anniversary
NYU News (Feb. 1, 2022) - Protesters Denounce Anti-Asian Hate in Lower Manhattan Rally
San Francisco Chronicle (Jun. 6, 2022) - Democrats Are Squandering Their Hard-Won Gains With Asian Americans
PBS KQED (Jan. 30, 2022) - U.S. Cities Mark 1st Anniversary of Thai Grandfather’s Killing
Associated Press (Jan. 30, 2022)
Huffington Post (Jan. 30, 2022)
Los Angeles Times (Jan. 30, 2022)
CBS8 (Jan. 30, 2022)
NBC5 Chicago (Jan. 30, 2022) - Chinatown Residents Rally for Justice Following Anti-Asian Attacks
AsAm News (Jan. 30, 2022) - Rally in Lower Manhattan Calls for Justice for Asian American Victims
CNN (Jan. 20, 2022) - Michelle Go’s Death Hasn’t Been Labeled a Hate Crime But It Adds to the Fear That Asian Americans Feel
ABC7 (Oct. 18, 2021) - We Expect Him to Communicate
Forbes
Variety (Apr. 23, 2021) - Accountant to the Stars Loses Legal Fight with Breakaway Partner
Los Angeles & San Francisco Daily Journals (Sept. 12, 2016) - Effectively Litigating Against Deep Pockets
Los Angeles & San Francisco Daily Journals (Jan. 4, 2016) - Will State Mutuality Rule Last?
Law360 (June 1, 2015) - Calif. Cos. Face More PAGA Suits as Iskanian Rule Stands
Daily Journal (Feb. 11, 2014) - 9th Circuit to Reconsider Whether Drug Lawsuit Belongs in State Court
Law360 (Oct. 29, 2013) - 9th Circ. Warns Employers Not To Overreach On Arbitration
Daily Journal (Aug. 16. 2013) - 9th Circuit Panel Possibly Poised to Further Enforce Arbitration Clauses
Law360 (Aug. 15, 2013) - Post-Brinker Plaintiffs Shift Focus To Bag-Check Policies
Law360 (Apr. 12, 2013) - KeyBank Ruling May Help Employers Force Arbitration
Law360 (Mar. 22, 2013) - Latest Concepcion Curb Tees Up Issue For Calif. High Court
Law360 (Dec. 10, 2012) - KeyBank Case Could Gut Consumer, Employee Class Claims
Law360 (Aug. 30, 2012) - Calif. Ruling Could Hinder Commissioned Workers' OT Suits
Law360 (Aug. 17, 2012) - Farmers Insurance Ruling Could Help Keep Class Actions Alive
Law360 (Aug. 17, 2012) - Employment Class Waivers May Get Calif. High Court Review
Law360 (June 6, 2012) - Calif. Ruling Shakes Up Employment Class Waiver Landscape
Law360 (Mar. 19, 2012) - Calif. Arbitration Rulings Seek To Dodge Concepcion
Law360 (Feb. 17, 2012) - Calif. Court Sets High Bar For Arbitrating Unconscionability
San Francisco Magazine (Jan. 2007) - Who Says Being a Lawyer Has to Suck?
*Please note that the references to articles and writings are only to identify a selection of recent stories, and do not imply endorsement of, agreement with, or adoption of the factual statements, quotes, or opinions expressed therein.

Peer Review and Awards:

Top 100: Selected for inclusion in a list of Top 100 Lawyers in 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013.
AV Preeminent®: Peer Review Rated AV Preeminent® (5.0 out of 5.0) by Martindale-Hubbell® in Litigation, Labor and Employment and Class Actions.
2022 Top Rated Litigator & Top Rated Lawyer in Labor & Employment Law by ALM Media.
Super Lawyers: Selected for inclusion in the list of Super Lawyers in 2011-2021 by Super Lawyers® magazine.
Rising Stars: Selected for inclusion in the list of Rising Stars in 2009-2010 by the same publication.
Award of Merit: Charles H. Jung was recognized by the Bar Association of San Francisco with the 2018 Award of Merit
Law Firm of the Year: Nassiri & Jung LLP was named the 2017 APA-owned Law Firm of the Year by the National APA Bar Association (NAPABA)

Prior Representations: Charles has successfully represented individual clients and large corporations in class actions and other complex litigation matters. Defense results include:

Trade Secrets:

[Talent Company v. Talent Company], Central District of California (Los Angeles): in a trade secrets case, successfully excluded plaintiff's evidence supporting multi-million dollar damages claim, allowing settlement on courthouse steps for small fraction of originally claimed amount.
[Technology Company v. Technology Company]: successfully defended trade secrets case, with plaintiff voluntarily dismissing all claims.
[Academic Institution v. Academic Institution] : successfully defended trade secrets case, with clients paying nothing in settlement.
[Technology Company v. Technology Company]: successfully defended trade secrets case, with plaintiff dismissing case.

Complex Business Litigation & Class Actions:

Discover Financial Services, Inc.: after filing a motion to dismiss, obtained voluntary dismissal of representative action under Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 17200.
[Putative Class v. Nationwide Retailer], Los Angeles County Superior Court, Complex Litigation Dept.: complete dismissal of consumer class action based on unfair business practices; plaintiff’s petition for review to California Supreme Court denied;
[Putative Class v. Janitorial Services Company], San Mateo County Superior Court: dismissal of putative wage & hour class action for small individual settlement;
[Putative Class v. Restaurant], San Bernardino County Superior Court: class settlement of putative wage & hour class action for fraction of claims;
[Putative Class v. Retail Chain], Orange County Superior Court: dismissal of putative wage & hour class action for small individual settlement for a fraction of claims.

Wage & Hour:

[Wage Class v. Security Company], Los Angeles County Superior Court: dismissal of putative wage & hour class action for small individual settlement.
[Wage Class v. Janitorial Services Company], San Mateo County Superior Court: dismissal of putative wage & hour class action for small individual settlement.
[Wage Class v. Popular Restaurant], Los Angeles County Superior Court: dismissal of putative wage & hour class action for small individual settlement.
[Wage Class v. Restaurant], San Bernardino County Superior Court: class settlement of putative wage & hour class action for fraction of claims.

Attorney Consultations and Referrals: Charles is frequently asked by other attorneys to consult on their cases. And he is gratified to be trusted by other law firms to represent their clients in court. Because Charles is litigation-focused, he does not seek continuing counselling relationships with referred clients. Originating law firms maintain their relationships with their clients, while entrusting Charles to act as single-engagement conflicts counsel, local counsel, or special trial counsel.