Katherine Read

Katherine is a member of RWG’s Public Law Department. She advises local governments and other public agencies on a variety of transactional and advisory matters. Her practice includes advising clients on land use law, planning and zoning laws, the Brown Act, the Public Records Act, and First Amendment and housing-related laws as well as other legal issues facing public agencies. She also assists staff with drafting and reviewing ordinances, resolutions, contracts, and staff reports; staffs City Council and Planning Commission meetings; and counsels clients with respect to new and pending legislation.

Work for Clients

Katherine serves as the Assistant City Attorney for the City of Calimesa.  Katherine has worked on a variety of projects ranging from the adoption of Development Agreements, conditional use permits, site development permits, and General Plan Amendments, as well as the regulation of signage under the Outdoor Advertising Act. Katherine has also provided legal expertise on First Amendment issues impacting farmer’s markets, public events, and private commercial uses. She has drafted reasonable time, place and manner restrictions with respect to these pertinent issues.

Additionally, Katherine provides general labor and employment legal support to RWG’s clients. This includes drafting memorandums on Fair Labor Standards Act issues, working with union attorneys on various issues, analyzing leave issues under FMLA, CFRA, and PDL, drafting notices of investigative interviews, drafting written discipline, amending executive level employee contracts, and assisting with unit modifications under the agency’s Employee-Employer Relations Resolution. Katherine routinely analyzes employee classification issues to ensure compliance with CalPERS and California law. Katherine strategizes with clients when handling complex employee complaints and investigations. Katherine has extensive experience working with fire unions and helping the City staff interpret and analyze the Fire Fighters Bill of Rights. Katherine also conducts independent investigations into discrimination and harassment issues within agencies.

Professional Experience

Prior to joining RWG, Katherine served as an associate advising school districts throughout California. As an education associate, Katherine advised school districts on various labor and employment, and facilities and business issues. She conducted internal investigations regarding discrimination claims within departments in Los Angeles County. Additionally, she represented school districts on issues including employment discrimination litigation, layoffs, DIR claims, COVID-19 related issues, drafting and implementing personnel policies (including step increases, transgender policies), discrimination and harassment prevention, reasonable accommodation and the interactive process, discipline and termination. She gained invaluable experience with the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Labor Compliance Program where she assisted in the audit and interview process. She advised clients on various land use issues including CEQA, Surplus Land Act, lease agreements, purchase and sale agreements, joint use agreements and constitutional issues on use of religious facilities for public purposes.

Katherine also has prior experience in the private sector primarily working in media and entertainment law.

Honors & Awards

Southern University Law Center

SULC Law Review, Senior Editor

SULC Moot Court Board, Co-Chair

CALI AWARD: Legal Writing & Analysis I

CALI AWARD: Legal Writing & Analysis II

Top Brief, Legal Writing and Analysis II

Simmons Scholarship for Best Brief out of all Legal Writing Classes

University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Outstanding Graduate for the Political Science Department

University Honors Program

Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society

Top Returning Oralist at UL Lafayette Spring Moot

Court Invitational

Octa-finalist at Texas A&M Regional Moot Court Competition (sweet 16)

Who’s Who Among Students

Greek Hall of Fame (Ragin’ Recognition)

Sigma Alpha Pi (presidential leadership award)

Professional and Community Affiliations

Member and Delegate, Los Angeles County Bar Association

Member, International Municipal Lawyers Association

Volunteer, American Undergraduate Moot Court Association - Guest Judge

Volunteer, UCLA School of Law, Moot Court - Guest Judge

Volunteer, Silver Lake Reservoir Conservancy

Volunteer, Hang Out Do Good

Volunteer, Louisiana Bar Association Disaster Hotline