Crystal Miller-O’Brien

Crystal Miller-O’Brien is a practicing Labor & Employment law attorney with a career spanning more than two decades. She entered the law profession after graduating from Oberlin College, working in risk management and at Howard University where she performed policy work that was ultimately adopted into the Americans with Disabilities Act. Her practice focuses on Diversity & Inclusion counseling, litigation defense of workplace matters, and tracking legislative changes to California’s dynamic wage and hour laws. While a law student at Willamette University in Oregon (from 1998-2001), she served as a Legislative Law Clerk to Governor John Kitzhaber’s Office of General Counsel. She was responsible for tracking insurance and livability issues. Through law school she clerked for the Department of Justice and City of Portland, and worked as a Summer Associate at the law firms of Stoel Rives, LLP in Portland and at Bullivant Houser Bailey, LLP in Seattle, Washington. After graduating from law school, Crystal served as a Judicial Clerk to Justice Faith Ireland of the Washington State Supreme Court and has worked as a Litigation Associate and as Of Counsel at large and boutique firms. Currently, Crystal works in-house with APL Logistics Ltd.’s North American Legal team as Corporate Counsel leveraging her years of experience giving advice and counsel to businesses managing a myriad of labor and employment law concerns. Throughout her career, Crystal has been a passionate advocate for the “voiceless.” She is committed to assuring practical and speedy resolutions and enjoys providing guidance as to how to navigate through government regulations and forecasting legislative policies. She is an avid volunteer who has worked on a number of pro bono projects that seek improved access to justice and public policy. She has served on numerous boards of directors for legal associations throughout the West Coast. Since 2011, she has actively participated in policymaking as a governor-appointed state commissioner. Since 2019, Crystal has enjoyed carrying out duties as a California Supreme Court appointed panelist to the Office of Legislative Counsel’s Workplace Conduct Unit, where she weighs in on review of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims filed by employees of the Legislature. Crystal enjoys blogging and writing articles about California’s legal landscape. She is a passionate mentor to other first-generation lawyers and loves stepping into the role of a public speaker, sharing her professional experiences in the labor and employment law arena whenever possible