Professional Experience
Darryl C. Hottinger represents and counsels employers of all sizes in a variety of matters. He litigates a broad range of employment and business matters in courts and administrative proceedings, including:
- Wrongful termination
- Discrimination
- Harassment
- Retaliation
- Wage and hour claims
- Breach of contract
- Defamation
- Protection of employer trade secrets and confidential information
- Unfair business practices
Darryl has over 25 years of experience handling complex civil litigation, appeals, writs, and trials in a variety of matters, including employment, elder abuse, sexual abuse, wrongful death, and personal injury claims. He has tried cases in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Bernardino, and San Diego Counties. He began his legal career as a Deputy Attorney General, where he successfully defended the State of California in more than 40 criminal appeals.
Darryl has a track record of obtaining successful results in difficult, high-stakes cases, including:
- Obtained a defense verdict for a general contractor in an eleven-week jury trial in San Francisco involving construction defect and insurance bad faith claims that was included in the Daily Journal’s top ten defense verdicts of the year.
- Obtained a defense verdict for a general contractor in a four-week jury trial in Alameda involving a concrete subcontractor who suffered serious personal injuries on the general contractor’s worksite.
- Obtained summary judgment for a luxury resort sued by a laundry worker who lost his arm in an accident involving an industrial washing machine.
- Obtained summary judgment for a regional center sued by a facility employee who was assaulted by a developmentally disabled consumer. Successfully defended the appeal, resulting in a published decision significantly limiting regional centers’ duties to protect facility employees.
- Obtained summary judgment for a regional center sued by a developmentally disabled consumer who was raped and impregnated by a vendor’s employee. Successfully defended the appeal, resulting in a published decision significantly limiting regional centers’ duties to protect against sexual abuse committed by vendors’ employees.
- Obtained judgment following the sustaining of a demurrer without leave to amend for a counselor who was alleged to have negligently contributed to the death of a four-year-old boy who was physically abused and murdered by his parents.
- Obtained judgment following the sustaining of a demurrer without leave to amend for an interventionist who was sued for wrongful death after a man committed suicide following an unsuccessful intervention. Successfully defended the appeal, resulting in the judgment being affirmed.
- Obtained summary judgment for a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center that was sued after a resident smuggled heroin into the center and overdosed. Successfully defended against the plaintiff’s appeal, resulting in the judgment being affirmed.
Community
Darryl is a member of the Ventura County Bar Association. He and his wife have been involved in local charitable organizations supporting the American Cancer Society and Casa Pacifica Center. Darryl was previously active in AYSO as a coach and referee.
Education
Darryl received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science/Criminal Justice from the University of Arizona. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Arizona College of Law, where he was the recipient of the Dean’s Achievement Award and a member of the Arizona Journal of International and Comparative Law. He is licensed in California and Arizona.
Personal
Darryl and his wife live in Ventura. They have three children.