Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-02277/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-02277-23/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 790
Nature of Suit: Other Labor Litigation
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Petition for Removal

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1 JOINT STIPULATION 

CASE NO. 15-CV-02277-JST 

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DUCKWORTH PETERS LEBOWITZ OLIVIER LLP 

Monique Olivier (SBN 190385) 

(monique@dplolaw.com) 

100 Bush Street, Suite 1800 

San Francisco, CA 94104 

Telephone: (415) 433-0333 

Facsimile: (415) 449-6556 

KOSINSKI + THIAGARAJ, LLP 

Alison Kosinski (SBN 261676) 

(alison@ktlawsf.com) 

Emily Thiagaraj (SBN 284634) 

(emily@ktlawsf.com) 

351 California Street, Suite 300 

San Francisco, California 94104 

Telephone: (415) 230-2860 

Facsimile: (415) 723-7099 

Attorneys for Plaintiffs and the Class 

Additional Counsel on Following Page 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

JULIA BERNSTEIN, LISA MARIE SMITH, 

and ESTHER GARCIA, on behalf of 

themselves and all others similarly situated, 

Plaintiffs, 

vs. 

VIRGIN AMERICA, INC.; and Does 1-10, 

inclusive; 

Defendants. 

Case No. 15-cv-02277-JST 

JOINT STIPULATION REGARDING 

PROPOSED THIRD AMENDED 

COMPLAINT; [PROPOSED] ORDER 

THEREON 

Trial Date: May 14, 2018 

 

Case 3:15-cv-02277-JST Document 297 Filed 03/19/18 Page 1 of 5
2 JOINT STIPULATION 

CASE NO. 15-CV-02277-JST 

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ROBERT JON HENDRICKS, State Bar No. 179751 

MORGAN, LEWIS & BOCKIUS LLP 

One Market, Spear Street Tower 

San Francisco, CA 94105-1596 

Tel: +1.415.442.1000 

Fax: +1.415.442.1001 

E-mail: rj.hendricks@morganlewis.com 

NANCY VILLARREAL, State Bar No. 273604 

MORGAN, LEWIS & BOCKIUS LLP 

1400 Page Mill Road 

Palo Alto, CA 94304 

Tel: +1.650.843.4000 

Fax: +1.650.843.4001 

E-Mail: nancy.villarreal@morganlewis.com 

Attorneys for Defendant 

VIRGIN AMERICA INC.

JAMES E. MILLER (SBN 262553) 

(jmiller@sfmslaw.com) 

SHEPHERD, FINKELMAN, MILLER AND SHAH, LLP 

65 Main Street 

Chester, CT 06412 

Telephone: (860) 526-1100 

Facsimile: (866) 300-7367 

KOLIN C. TANG (SBN 279834) 

CHIHARU G. SEKINO (SBN 306589) 

SHEPHERD, FINKELMAN, MILLER 

 AND SHAH, LLP 

401 West A Street, Suite 2550 

San Diego, CA 92101 

Telephone: (619) 235-2416 

Facsimile: (866) 300-7367 

JAMES C. SHAH (SBN 260435) 

SHEPHERD, FINKELMAN, MILLER 

 AND SHAH, LLP 

35 East State Street 

Media, PA 19063 

Telephone: (610) 891-9880 

Facsimile: (866) 300-7367 

Attorneys for Plaintiffs and the Class 

 

Case 3:15-cv-02277-JST Document 297 Filed 03/19/18 Page 2 of 5
3 JOINT STIPULATION 

CASE NO. 15-CV-02277-JST 

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STIPULATION 

Plaintiffs Julia Bernstein, Lisa Marie Smith and Esther Garcia (collectively, “Plaintiffs”) 

and Defendant Virgin America, Inc. (“Defendant”) (collectively, the “Parties”), through their 

counsel, hereby stipulate and agree that: 

On October 16, 2017, the Parties entered into a stipulation in which it was agreed that “if 

and when the merger/acquisition of Virgin America, Inc. by Alaska Air Group, Inc. becomes 

effective and final (and Virgin America, Inc. ceases to have an independent corporate existence) 

and/or a Single Operating Certificate is issued by the Federal Aviation Administration, Plaintiffs 

may seek to amend the operative Complaint to add Alaska Air Group, Inc. as a defendant in the 

capacity of an alleged successor in interest to Virgin America, Inc. and that Defendant will not 

oppose any such motion to amend. Nothing in the foregoing shall prejudice the rights of Alaska 

Air Group, Inc. in connection with any response that it may make to any such motion.” Dkt. 201. 

The Court entered an order on that stipulation on October 19. Id. 

On February 21, 2018, pursuant to that stipulation, Plaintiffs filed their unopposed Motion 

to File a Second Amended Complaint, naming Alaska Air Group, Inc. as a defendant and alleged 

successor-in-interest. Dkt. 274. 

On February 22, 2018, the Court granted the motion. Dkt. 275. That same day, Plaintiffs 

filed their Second Amended Complaint. Dkt. 276. 

On February 26, 2018, Defendant contacted Plaintiffs regarding the Second Amended 

Complaint and stated to Plaintiffs that: (a) the flight attendants of Virgin America Inc. (including 

the members of the certified Class in this case), became the employees of Alaska Airlines, Inc. on 

December 16, 2017; and (b) the Single Operating Certificate issued by the Federal Aviation 

Administration was issued to Virgin America Inc. and Alaska Airlines, Inc. See Dkt. 233. 

Accordingly, Defendant stated that Alaska Airlines, Inc. should be substituted as the second 

defendant in this case replacing Alaska Air Group, Inc., as a successor-in-interest to Virgin 

America, Inc. 

Case 3:15-cv-02277-JST Document 297 Filed 03/19/18 Page 3 of 5
4 JOINT STIPULATION 

CASE NO. 15-CV-02277-JST 

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Accordingly, the Parties hereby stipulate and agree that Alaska Airlines, Inc. should be 

substituted in for Alaska Air Group, Inc. as a defendant as the alleged successor-in-interest. A 

proposed Third Amended Complaint effecting that change is attached hereto as Exhibit A. 

Nothing in the foregoing shall prejudice the rights of Alaska Airlines, Inc. in connection with any 

response that it may make to the Third Amended Complaint or to defend against the allegations 

therein. And nothing in the proposed complaint may be construed as expanding the scope of the 

class and subclass as certified. 

This stipulation is not a concession by Virgin America, Inc. as to what relief Plaintiffs 

would be entitled to obtain from Alaska Airlines, Inc. if it is determined that Alaska Airlines, Inc. 

is the successor in interest to Virgin America. This stipulation is only intended to allow the 

substitution of Alaska Airlines, Inc. for Alaska Air Group, Inc. so that such allegations can be 

properly litigated. As Plaintiffs indicated at the recent oral argument on Plaintiffs’ pending 

Motion for Summary Judgment, that motion only places at issue Virgin’s liability and does not 

address any issues of liability as to any other party to the action. 

Dated: March 15, 2018 DUCKWORTH PETERS LEBOWITZ OLIVIER LLP 

By: /s/ Monique Olivier Monique Olivier 

Attorneys for Plaintiffs 

Dated: March 15, 2018 MORGAN LEWIS & BOCKIUS 

By:/s/ RJ Hendricks 

Robert Jon Hendricks 

Nancy Villarreal 

Attorneys for Defendant 

 

Case 3:15-cv-02277-JST Document 297 Filed 03/19/18 Page 4 of 5
5 JOINT STIPULATION 

CASE NO. 15-CV-02277-JST 

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[PROPOSED] ORDER 

Pursuant to the Stipulation of the Parties, and good cause appearing, it is hereby ordered 

that the Parties’ Joint Stipulation is hereby adopted and entered as an Order of this Court. 

Plaintiffs shall file their Third Amended Complaint within five days of this Order.

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

DATED: 

Jon S. Tigar 

United States District Judge 

March 19, 2018 

Case 3:15-cv-02277-JST Document 297 Filed 03/19/18 Page 5 of 5