Channing Hawkins

Director

Channing T. Hawkins has an extensive and unique experience in employment and labor law and board governance within the public and private sectors.

Hawkins has represented unions and management in labor matters, allowing him to provide a distinctive problem-solving perspective based on his experience and skill set. Hawkins advises his clients on a variety of employment and labor issues, including contract negotiations, personnel practices, and policies, the Fair Labor Standards Act, laws and regulations of public employee retirement plans, the Brown Act and Public Records Act, unfair labor practices, employee grievances, disability issues, investigations, arbitration, and employee disciplinary actions. Mr. Hawkins has successfully represented clients in employment cases, including wrongful termination, hostile work environment, and other FEHA claims.

Hawkins's strength is in training Executive Management to develop partnerships that create a cultural shift within organizations, mitigating workplace complaints and potential exposure for litigation.

Hawkins is a seasoned labor negotiator, having served both unions and management as the chief negotiator in all aspects of the negotiation process, from pre-negotiations to impasse and fact finding.

Mr. Hawkins has significant expertise in advising councils, boards, and commissions regarding the Brown Act, administrative codes, and parliamentary procedure. He has served as a senior advisor to a member of Congress, the California State Assembly, and the Board of Supervisors. The breadth of his experience as a counselor, negotiator, and advocate allows him to provide his clients with creative and efficient solutions to their problems.

Hawkins has extensive experience in strategic planning and organizational development. Most recently, Hawkins founded IE Works, a regional water and wastewater workforce development program whose mission is to identify, recruit and train the next generation of water industry leaders.

Hawkins has impacted his local community by serving as President of West Valley Water District, where he spearheaded numerous fiscal and governance policy reforms, which led to the organization receiving awards from the Special District Leadership Foundations and the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA).