McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP Opens Oakland Office, Led by Employment Litigator Jeff Ponting

Los Angeles-based plaintiff-trial law firm McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP is expanding its presence in California with the opening of a third office in Oakland. The firm has also hired seasoned employment litigator, Jeff Ponting, to lead operations. In addition to representing first responders in employment matters, the Oakland office will provide a range of legal services, including catastrophic personal injury, auto accidents, product liability, wildfire litigation, mass actions, sexual abuse and wrongful death. Since 2019, McNicholas & McNicholas’ staff has grown by nearly 30%, and the firm opened two offices - Santa Ana in 2022 and Oakland in 2024.

“For over six decades, the partners at McNicholas & McNicholas, a family of trial lawyers, have been rooted in California with founder John McNicholas trying cases in the early 1960s. The opening of the Oakland office extends our commitment to the state and serving its constituents in personal injury and employment matters,” said partner Matthew McNicholas. “We are equally thrilled to bring on Jeff, who we’ve had a two-decade relationship with when he was at California Rural Legal Assistance. He is ingrained in the Northern California market and throughout California, and we know his exceptional leadership skills, combined with his decades of experience advocating for individuals struggling in the fields throughout California, bring value to our team and clients. He will also help our ability to work with legal rights groups throughout the state.”

“McNicholas & McNicholas has a longstanding commitment to championing justice throughout California, and I’m honored to lead its expansion into an Oakland office and join this incredible firm,” said senior lawyer Jeff Ponting. “The new office will allow McNicholas & McNicholas to better serve its clients in the northern part of the state and deepen our impact in the Bay Area.”

Ponting brings nearly three decades of broad-spectrum civil justice experience, representing workers throughout California in discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour, and other employment and civil rights matters. Prior to joining McNicholas & McNicholas, he held various positions with California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc., a nonprofit law firm that provides civil legal services to low-income residents of California’s rural counties.