Anticouni & Ricotta | Leaders In Employment Litigation Serving Clients Throughout California.

Attorney Endorsements

“Having been in the same field as Bruce for years, I have always appreciated his good humor, practical approach, and deep expertise in the field of employment law. If you want candid and expert advice, I can’t think of anyone more qualified.”

-Eric Kingsley


“Having worked with Bruce for over a decade, he is a tireless advocate on behalf of his clients and thoroughly prepared to handle anything thrown at him. He is a pleasure to work with.”

-Katherine Edwards


“Bruce Anticouni has been a successful, top-echelon labor and employment lawyer for decades. He is very well respected by his peers, and does a great job for his clients.
As an attorney who has opposed Bruce on many occasions, I have always appreciated his approach, which relies on professionalism, intelligence, deep experience and keen detail to detail. Bruce is a very zealous advocate, yet never uncivil or one for gamesmanship. Instead, he gets things done without standard lawyering. I recommend Bruce Anticouni in the highest possible terms.”

-Steven Chanley


“I have worked with Bruce for close to 30 years, I have always found him to be professional and trustworthy. I would hire Bruce if I had a problem or someone else in my family did. That is the highest praise one attorney can give another.”

-Gary Bethel


“I endorse this lawyer. I worked for Bruce Anticouni for eight years as an associate attorney in the area of employment law ending in 2008. It was a pleasure working for him and he was a great mentor for me in all areas of practice. He is excellent with his clients, is professional in running his business, has an incredible legal mind, and is a highly-skilled negotiator. I learned a great deal from him and often ask myself what he would do when presented with challenging issues in my practice since working there.”

-Heather Quest


“I do not hesitate to give Nicole my highest endorsement. I have both litigated against and worked together with her on numerous employment matters. Nicole not only has a superior understanding of employment law, she also goes above and beyond to advocate for her clients. She knows her clients well and advises them exactly of what to expect. Further, she is extremely skilled in the courtroom and it appears nothing phases her. This was evident when I worked as a co-counsel with her. I also do not hesitate to use Nicole as a resource on complex matters. You can’t ask for a better attorney to represent you or your business needs.”

-Garry Tetalman


Great Advocate

“I have been retained by Bruce to handle a number of cases referred to Alternative Dispute Resolution. He has always been tough, fair, and mindful of his client’s best interests. If a relative came to me and needed a good lawyer in Santa Barbara, Bruce would top my list.”

-A Mediator


“I recently had the pleasure of working with Nicole on an employment matter, and found her to be is a tenacious and passionate advocate for her clients. Her knowledge and expertise in employment matters, including wrongful termination and wage and hour cases, make her a formidable force to be reckoned with. I highly recommend this lawyer.”

-Ilya Frangos


“I endorse this lawyer without qualification. I have known about Bruce’s practice since I started practicing law in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties in 1984. A significant percentage of my own practice for private and public offices has involved employment, labor, and civil rights, representing employers and employees. I have been adverse to him or his associates and aware of many cases he handled. My conclusions: Bruce is a formidable adversary and advocate for the cases he accepts; he is tenacious; he shows good and gutsy judgment and commitment when assessing case merits and taking cases. Finally, I’ve been long impressed with Bruce’s and his wife Judy’s generous and enthusiastic support of and interest in local community and bar efforts, leaders, and civil and legal rights organizations.”

-Janet McGinnis


“Nicole Ricotta is an exceptional employment & labor attorney to whom I have referred several clients. The feedback I have received from them after her representation has been positive.”

-John Thyne


“Bruce Anticouni is one of the most knowledgeable and distinguished employment attorneys in California. His concern for each client and case is the gold standard of how every attorney should be with their clients. Bruce is an absolutely brilliant attorney.”

-Lorraine Woodwark


“Nicole time and time again gets results for her clients. I have and continue to refer clients to her for complicated employment matters and the results have been nothing but excellent.”

-Brian Raft


“I had the opportunity to work with Bruce on a litigation matter that had been pending for several years. Bruce was a relatively recent participant in the proceedings and accordingly had to process significant quantities of information to get up to speed in what was a very complex, multi-party litigation matter. Notwithstanding the complexity of and substantial history surrounding this matter, Bruce was able to quickly get up to speed, separate the pertinent information from the voluminous materials generated, and immediately focus on the major issues. Bruce’s participation was indispensable in terms of facilitating client communications, specifically with regard to communicating complex litigation proceedings, important developments and case analysis to the client and facilitating the attorney/client relationship. In addition, Bruce was always courteous, prompt and professional. I would not hesitate to retain Bruce personally or refer others to him.”

-Gregory Lew


“Nicole is an excellent communicator, effective negotiator, skilled litigator and competent attorney who is dedicated to her clients and cordial with attorneys.”

-Ernesto Verburgt


“There is nobody in the Santa Barbara area who knows more about representing plaintiffs in employment law matters than Bruce Anticouni. I have been adverse to Bruce on more matters than I can count over the years and while he is an fierce advocate for his clients, I can also rely on him to exercise the judgment and professionalism that allows us to have a positive relationship despite our passionate disagreements.”

-Paul Wilcox


“I endorse Nicole for representation of plaintiffs in labor and employment matters.”

-Paul Wilcox


“Bruce and I have worked together on several wage and hour class actions. He is extremely knowledgeable about employment law and an excellent attorney and advocate for his clients.”

-Brent Clemmer


“I endorse this lawyer. Nicole is highly professional and always has her clients’ best interests in mind.”

-Judy Irive


“I have worked with Bruce Anticouni several times during the 32 years that I worked as General Counsel for a $100,000,000.00 company. He was always an excellent source of information; has a perfect demeanor and achieved great results.”

-Betty Jeppesen


“I highly endorse this lawyer. Nicole worked in my office from November 2010 through March 2014. She was diligent, skilled, and effective in her representation of her clients, and I will continue to recommend her services.”

-Robert Landheer


“Over the years, Bruce’s firm has been opposing counsel on 3 or 4 employment matters. Bruce and his partners/associates provide conscientious, strategic representation for their clients. I have been impressed with the quality of their papers and their focus on the client’s best interests, while having professional, courteous relationships with opposing counsel.”

-Karen Dinino


“Nicole is a good lawyer and she truly cares about her clients. It is with great enthusiasm that I endorse this lawyer.”

-Rabiah Rahman


“Terrific firm. Highly recommend for any employment matter.”

-Eric Woolsey


“I have been an attorney and mediator for over 20 years and have conducted over 2,000 mediations. Bruce Anticouni has represented his clients in at least 10 mediations with me over the years. He is one of the best attorneys I have ever worked with. He advances his arguments with rare insight and with total preparation. I am frequently asked which attorney I would recommend when they have a legal issue. I always recommend Bruce when employment issues are present.”

-David C. Peterson


“Nicole is an excellent plaintiff’s side employment lawyer. She is knowledgeable, persistent, and always professional.. In the last case that I had against her, she obtained an excellent result for her client.”

-Rafael Nendel-Flores


“Mr. Anticouni is one of the best lawyers with whom I have worked as a mediator. He was prepared, sensitive to his client’s needs and desires. His experience, knowledge and masterful approach in representing his clients in mediation is admirable. I hope more lawyers will be as effective and reasonable as Mr. Anticouni has been. It renders it most likely for reasonable settlements to occur more often.”

-David A.


“I have worked with Nicole for several years. She is always professional and collegial. She was an excellent paralegal while putting herself through law school, and is establishing herself as an accomplished attorney in employment law matters.”

-Kristi Rothschild


Employment Defense Lawyer/Peer

“Bruce is an extremely knowledgeable and highly experienced individual claim and class action lawyer. An individual with an employment-related issue could do no better in the Santa Barbara area or anywhere else in California.”

-Stephen


“I endorse this lawyer.”

-Kelsey Peterson-More


“I endorse this lawyer.”

-Henry Bongiovi


“I endorse this lawyer.”

-Peter Merrigan

Our firm filed the first successful California WAGE AND HOUR CLASS ACTION more than 40 years ago.

Here are some of our overtime compensation class action judgments and settlements.

$1,250,000.00

AMERICAN TITLE

$140,000.00

Ampersand Holdings

$7,000,000.00

Andrews International

$24,000,000.00

Bank of America

$360,000.00

Big Dog USA

$1,343,654.00

Bombay Company

$4,400,000.00

California Federal Bank

$7,000,000.00

CVS

$1,000,000.00

Don Roberto Jewelers

$1,500,000.00

Eddie Bauer

$2,700,00.00

Foss Maritime

$180,000.00

Fox Transport

$600,000.00

GSM

$1,650,000.00

H.F. Ahmanson & Company

$300,000.00

Home Closets

$85,000.00

Case Detective

$3,250,000.00

J.C. Penney Corporation

$475,000.00

Jordano’s

$985,000.00

Manufacturing (Confidential)

$600,000.00

Manufacturing (Confidential)

$1,985,000.00

Sansum Clinic

$100,000.00

Metson Marine

$300,000.00

Natural Cafe

$1,700,000.00

Nextel Communications

$3,300,000.00

Phillips-Van Heusen

$2,400,000.00

Protiviti Corporation

$3,125,000.00

Seacor Marine

$210,000.00

Spectrum Apple

$1,500,000.00

Sunglass Hut

$7,400,000.00

Tidewater #1

$2,500,000.00

Tidewater #2

$145,000.00

Time Warner Telecom

$1,030,000.00

Too

$4,250,000.00

Victoria’s Secret

$6,500,000.00

Walgreens

$1,463,700.00

Wells Fargo #1

$4,500,000.00

Wells Fargo #2

$525,000.00

Wells Fargo #3

$1,500,000.00

Western States Wireless

$2,500,000.00

Wilson’s Leather