Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_08-cv-00965/USCOURTS-caed-2_08-cv-00965-12/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 790
Nature of Suit: Other Labor Litigation
Cause of Action: 28:1441 Petition for Removal- Labor/Mgmnt. Relations

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STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER RE

CONDITIONAL COLLECTIVE CERTIFICATION

2:08-CV-00965-LKK-GGH 

LYNNE C. HERMLE (SBN 99779) 

lchermle@orrick.com

JOSEPH C. LIBURT (SBN155507) 

jliburt@orrick.com

ORRICK, HERRINGTON & SUTCLIFFE 

LLP 

1000 Marsh Road 

Menlo Park, CA 94025 

Telephone: (650) 614-7400 

Facsimile: (650) 614-7401 

Attorneys for Defendant 

PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP

NORMAN C. HILE (SBN 57299) 

nhile@orrick.com

JULIE A. TOTTEN (SBN166470) 

jatotten@orrick.com

DAVID A. PRAHL (SBN 233583) 

dprahl@orrick.com

ANDREA L. BROWN (SBN 237629) 

abrown@orrick.com

ORRICK, HERRINGTON & SUTCLIFFE 

LLP 

400 Capitol Mall, Suite 3000 

Sacramento, CA 95814-4497 

Telephone: (916) 447-9200 

Facsimile: (916) 329-4900 

Jeffrey K. Compton (SBN 142969) 

jcompton@mzclaw.com

William A. Baird (SBN 192675) 

tbaird@mzclaw.com

MARKUN ZUSMAN & COMPTON LLP 

17383 West Sunset Boulevard, 

Suite A-380 

Pacific Palisades , CA 90272 

Telephone: (310) 454-5900 

Facsimile: (310) 454-5970 

Peter A. Muhic, PHV 

pmuhic@btkmc.com

Joseph Meltzer, PHV 

Robert J. Gray, PHV 

BARROWAY TOPAZ KESSLER MELTZER 

& CHECK, LLP 

280 King of Prussia Road 

Radnor , PA 19087 

Telephone: (610) 667-7706 

Facsimile: (610) 667-7056 

Steven Elster (SBN 227545) 

manfromcal@sbcglobal.net

LAW OFFICE OF STEVEN ELSTER 

785/E2 Oak Grove Road, #201 

Concord, CA 94518 

Telephone: (925) 324-2159 

Attorneys for Plaintiffs 

SAMUEL BRANDON KRESS, et al.

Edward Wynne (SBN165819) 

ewynne@wynnelawfirm.com

WYNNE LAW FIRM 

100 Drakes Landing Road, Suite 275 

Greenbrae, CA 94904 

Telephone: (415) 461-6400 

Facsimile: (415) 461-3900 

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Case 2:08-cv-00965-TLN-AC Document 141 Filed 06/02/10 Page 1 of 6
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STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER RE

CONDITIONAL COLLECTIVE CERTIFICATION

2:08-CV-00965-LKK-GGH 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

SAMUEL BRANDON KRESS, et al., 

Plaintiffs, 

v. 

PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP, 

Defendants. 

Case No. 2:08-CV-00965-LKK-GGH 

STIPULATION AND ORDER RE 

CONDITIONAL COLLECTIVE 

CERTIFICATION 

STIPULATION

WHEREAS, on April 22, 2009, the Court issued an Order directing Plaintiffs Samuel 

Brandon Kress, Lac Ahn Le, Jason Patterson, Lauren San Mateo, James Stekelberg, Jeffrey 

Laberge, Willow Markham, Dana Blindbury, Jesse Kenny, Kelly C. Jones, and Antoine Powell 

(collectively, Plaintiffs) to file, inter alia, their second Fair Labor Standards Act ("FLSA") 

conditional collective certification motion as to a putative nationwide class of Associates and 

Senior Associates in Defendant PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP's ("PwC") Advisory and Tax lines 

of service, and Senior Associates in Defendant’s Assurance line of service, by May 14, 2010 

(“Second Motion for Conditional Certification”); 

WHEREAS, the parties recognize that as to the proposed nationwide FLSA classes of 

Associates and Senior Associates in PwC’s Advisory and Tax lines of service, it is possible that 

(a) given the standard for FLSA conditional collective certification previously applied by the 

Court in this matter, the Court will conditionally certify this action for FLSA collective treatment 

as to the specific groups within the Tax and Advisory lines of service in which the named 

Plaintiffs worked; and (b) the Court will decline to conditionally certify this action for FLSA 

collective treatment as to those specific groups within the Tax and Advisory lines of service in 

which the named Plaintiffs did not work; and 

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Case 2:08-cv-00965-TLN-AC Document 141 Filed 06/02/10 Page 2 of 6
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STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER RE

CONDITIONAL COLLECTIVE CERTIFICATION

2:08-CV-00965-LKK-GGH 

WHEREAS, conditional certification motions require the expenditure of significant 

resources of the parties and the court, and the parties recognize the importance of conserving 

judicial and party resources in this matter; 

ACCORDINGLY, IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED AND AGREED by and between 

Plaintiffs and PwC, by and through their respective undersigned counsel, that: 

1. Conditional collective certification shall be granted as to the position of Associate 

in the specific subgroups in PwC's Tax and Advisory lines of service in which the named 

Plaintiffs worked. Accordingly, pursuant to 29 U.S.C. § 216(b), this action shall be conditionally 

certified as a collective action consisting of those individuals who (a) worked in the position of 

Associate in the Disputes, Analysis and Investigations (“DA&I”) group of PwC’s Advisory line 

of service, the Threat and Vulnerability Management (“TVM”) group of PwC’s Advisory line of 

service, and/or the Tax Projects Delivery Group (“TPDG”) of PwC’s Tax line of service 

anywhere in the United States at any point from December 11, 2005 to the present (“Relevant 

Time Period”); and (b) did not possess a CPA license for some or all of the time they worked in 

any of these positions during the Relevant Time Period (the “Stipulated Tax and Advisory 

Groups”). 

2. Conditional collective certification under the FLSA shall not be granted in this 

action as to (a) any other Associate positions in any other subgroups within the Advisory or Tax 

lines of service; and (b) the position of Senior Associate within the Advisory or Tax lines of 

service (collectively, the “Excluded Tax and Advisory positions”). Counsel for Plaintiffs shall 

not seek conditional collective certification of the Excluded Tax and Advisory positions at any 

point in this lawsuit. Notwithstanding this paragraph, nothing in this stipulation shall preclude a 

motion for conditional certification under the FLSA on behalf of a class in the Excluded Tax and 

Advisory positions in a separate action. 

3. The parties’ agreement to toll the running of the FLSA statute of limitations in this 

action, which became effective on December 11, 2008, shall expire as to the Excluded Tax and 

Advisory positions immediately upon entry of the Order set forth below reflecting the terms of 

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Case 2:08-cv-00965-TLN-AC Document 141 Filed 06/02/10 Page 3 of 6
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STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER RE

CONDITIONAL COLLECTIVE CERTIFICATION

2:08-CV-00965-LKK-GGH 

this stipulation. Accordingly, upon entry of the Order set forth below, tolling of the FLSA statute 

of limitations shall cease as to the Excluded Tax and Advisory positions. 

4. This stipulation shall not apply to the proposed nationwide group of Senior 

Associates in PwC's Assurance line of service that Plaintiffs purport to represent. Accordingly, 

should Plaintiffs still intend to seek FLSA conditional collective certification as to the proposed 

nationwide group of Senior Associates in PwC’s Assurance line of service, Plaintiffs shall file a 

motion for conditional certification as to this proposed group no later than the deadline for filing 

that motion. 

5. This stipulation shall in no way affect PwC’s right to file a motion to decertify the 

stipulated, conditionally certified DA&I, TVM and TPDG groups (or any other conditionally 

certified groups), nor shall it in any way prejudice PwC’s substantive arguments in support of 

such a motion. Accordingly, in opposing PwC’s anticipated motion to decertify the stipulated, 

conditionally certified DA&I, TVM and TPDG groups, Plaintiffs shall not make any arguments 

that are based on this stipulation. For example, Plaintiffs shall not argue that because the parties 

stipulated to conditional collective certification of these groups, sufficient similarities exist to 

defeat PwC’s motion to decertify the collective action, nor shall Plaintiffs argue that PwC has 

waived any arguments in support of its anticipated motion to decertify the action based on having 

entered into this stipulation. 

6. This stipulation shall in no way affect Plaintiffs’ right to seek class certification 

under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23 as to a proposed class of individuals who work and/or 

worked in the positions of Associate and Senior Associate in PwC’s Tax and Advisory lines of 

service, and Senior Associate in PwC’s Assurance line of service, in California. Accordingly, in 

opposing Plaintiffs’ anticipated motion to certify under Rule 23 any classes within PwC’s Tax 

and Advisory lines of service, PwC shall not make any arguments that are based on this 

stipulation, nor shall PwC argue that Plaintiffs have waived any arguments in support of their 

anticipated motion to certify under Rule 23 any classes within PwC’s Tax and Advisory lines of 

service based on having entered into this stipulation. Under the current scheduling order, 

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STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER RE

CONDITIONAL COLLECTIVE CERTIFICATION

2:08-CV-00965-LKK-GGH 

Plaintiffs are scheduled to file a motion seeking to certify such proposed California classes of 

PwC employees between August 2, 2010 and October 1, 2010. 

7. This stipulation shall not otherwise be referenced, cited to or used by the parties in 

any manner that would be prejudicial to the other party at any point in this lawsuit. This 

stipulation is not an admission by either party on the merits of Plaintiffs’ claims or of PwC’s 

defenses, nor is it in any way reflective of the merits of whether collective certification is 

appropriate in this action as to the Stipulated Tax and Advisory Positions. This stipulation only 

reflects the parties’ shared interest in advancing this litigation in the most efficient and practical 

manner possible. 

8. With the exception of individual communications with plaintiffs in this action, 

individual communications with members of the Stipulated Tax and Advisory Groups who elect 

to become party plaintiffs to the action, and the filing of necessary papers in this litigation, and as 

otherwise required by law, Plaintiffs and their counsel shall not publicize the existence or terms 

of this stipulation. Thus, for example, Plaintiffs and their counsel may not (a) issue any press 

releases regarding the existence or terms of this stipulation; (b) hold any press conferences 

regarding the existence or terms of this stipulation; and (c) substantively comment in response to 

any media inquiry regarding the existence or terms of this stipulation. 

9. Should the Court enter an order reflecting the terms of this stipulation, the parties 

shall have fifteen (15) days from the date on which the Court enters such an order to submit to the 

Court a joint proposal for notice to the class, or separate statements as to why such a joint 

proposal could not be reached. Plaintiffs shall bear all costs of issuing notice to the conditionally 

certified groups, and provision of notice by mail will suffice. PwC shall not be required to post 

notice at its places of employment. 

10. Should the Court decline to enter an order reflecting the terms of this stipulation, 

Plaintiffs shall not be precluded from filing a motion for collective certification on behalf of the 

Stipulated Tax and Advisory Groups or the Excluded Tax and Advisory positions. Further, 

should the Court enter an order modifying this stipulation in such a way that narrows the scope of 

the Stipulated Tax and Advisory Groups, Plaintiffs shall not be precluded from seeking collective 

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STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER RE

CONDITIONAL COLLECTIVE CERTIFICATION

2:08-CV-00965-LKK-GGH 

certification under the FLSA in a Motion for Collective Certification on behalf of the individuals 

in the Stipulated Tax and Advisory Groups excluded by the entered order. 

Dated: May 28, 2010 

BARROWAY TOPAZ KESSLER 

KESSLER MELTZER & CHECK, LLP 

By: _/s/ Peter A. Muhic _____

Joseph H. Meltzer 

Peter A. Muhic 

Robert J. Gray 

- and – 

MARKUN ZUSMAN & COMPTON LLP 

Jeffrey K. Compton 

William A. Baird 

WYNNE LAW FIRM 

Edward J. Wynne 

LAW OFFICE OF STEVEN ELSTER 

Steven Elster 

Counsel for Plaintiffs 

ORRICK, HERRINGTON & 

SUTCLIFFE LLP 

By:___/s/ Julie A. Totten_______

Norman C. Hile (SBN 57299) 

Joseph C. Liburt (SBN155507) 

Julie A. Totten (SBN 166470) 

David A. Prahl (SBN 233583) 

Andrea L. Brown (SBN 237629) 

 - and - 

Lynne C. Hermle (SBN 99779) 

Sitthikit Chariyasatit (SBN 252028) 

Counsel for Defendant 

SO ORDERED: 

Dated: June 2, 2010 

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