California Disability Lawyers

Southern California
Employee Disability Lawyers
Pension Benefits
Disability Accommodations

The California firm of Faunce, Singer, Oatman & Woodson was established in 1971, specializing in public employee labor law. Over the years the firm's emphasis has evolved to focus on public employee disability retirement and disability discrimination law. Our disability lawyers have successfully represented thousands of California State, County, City, School, and District employees in their disability claims and disputes.

Serving Public Workers Throughout California

Although our offices are located in Southern Califonia and we serve hundreds of clients there, we handle cases throughout the state. Why? Because the two principle pension systems involved are statewide systems. Those two pensions systems are the County Employees Retirement Law (CERL, covering 20 California counties) and the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS, covering all State employment, non-teacher school employees, and employees in over 2,000 local government agencies including most counties, cities and special districts). We represent all CalPERS personnel, including sworn employees (safety workers) and non-sworn employees (clerical, labor and “miscellaneous” staff.)

Our scope of representation covers the entire range of services for the public employee with a disability claim.  We handle applications, administrative hearings, superior court proceedings, and appellate court review. Over the years, we have participated in numerous Supreme Court and Court of Appeal cases that have helped to shape the field of California labor law.

California’s Leading Disability Attorneys

Edward L. Faunce is considered a leading authority in California in the field of disability retirement law. He has participated in hundreds of disability claims and numerous appellate cases for disabled public employees. Practicing law since 1968 in California, he is a member of the California Employment Lawyers Association, the California Applicants Association, and the American Bar Association.

Mark Ellis Singer graduated from the University of California Santa Cruz, Cowell College, in 1971, with a Bachelor of Arts in Politics. In 1974, Mark graduated from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. He is a member of the American Bar Association, as well as the Los Angeles County Bar Association. Mark has helped thousands of California employees have a better quality of life by winning their disability pension cases at all levels: at Retirement Board meetings, administrative hearings, superior court, courts of appeal, and the California Supreme Court. He has represented disability applicants before County Retirement Boards and before CalPERS hearing officers throughout the State of California. Mark has also won many labor law cases before the courts and administrative tribunals throughout California. Mark believes in communicating with his clients and actively involving them in the processing of their cases.

Jane Oatman has successfully represented California state, county and city employees statewide in disability pension matters, Workers' Compensation cases, and Fair Employment and Housing Act cases as they relate to disability retirement. Practicing since 1992, she is a member of the American Bar Association, Workers' Compensation Section, and the California Applicants Attorneys Association.

William N. Woodson III is a graduate of Stanford University, class of 1972, and Golden Gate University School of Law, class of 1976. He has focused his practice on litigation matters since becoming an attorney in December 1976. Mr. Woodson has successfully tried numerous jury trials, including race, sex, and age discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination in violation of public policy, and sexual harassment cases, several resulting in substantial verdicts. Mr. Woodson's current focus remains on litigation, with a specific emphasis on disability discrimination, failure to accommodate, failure to engage in the interactive process, and retaliation cases.


Don’t delay! Contact Faunce, Singer, Oatman & Woodson today to discuss the merits of your retirement disability claim with a Southern California employee disability lawyer. We offer free consultations and take most cases on a contingency fee.

California's Disability Attorneys
Faunce, Singer, Oatman & Woodson