About John F.
John F. McCarthy built a law practice in small, steady steps. He earned a political science degree from UC Davis in 2000 and completed his J.D. at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in 2004. A decade later he returned to study mediation, completing Pepperdine University School of Law’s Mediating the Litigated Case program in 2016.
McCarthy began his legal work in private practice as an associate in 2007. Three years after that he opened his own office. Since 2010 he has been the proprietor of the Law Offices of John F. McCarthy. That move gave him control over his caseload and the chance to handle matters from initial filings through settlement or appeal.
He is admitted to practice in California and Wisconsin, and he holds admissions to the Ninth Circuit and the Federal Circuit. Those credentials allow him to appear in state-level matters while also handling federal appellate filings when cases move beyond trial court.
Employment law and dispute resolution have shaped much of his career. McCarthy belongs to several organizations connected to those areas, including the California Employment Lawyers Association and the National Employment Lawyers Association, both since 2011. He has been a member of the California Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Section since 2007. He also joined the San Diego County Bar Association in 2011.
Training and mediation work factor into his practice style. He completed mediation training at Pepperdine in 2016 and is a member of the Association for Conflict Resolution and the Southern California Mediation Association, both from 2016 onward. He serves the community in unpaid roles as well, listed as a pro bono lawyer for Stand Down since 2011 and holding a board membership with Kiwanis of Ocean Beach beginning the same year.
Clients that come to him for employment disputes find someone who combines courtroom experience with alternative dispute resolution skills. His background in appeals and federal practice influences how he assesses cases early. That often informs decision-making about settlement versus litigation.
McCarthy runs a solo practice and manages client work, filings and court appearances personally. He handles matters at trial and on appeal and conducts mediations that arise out of workplace disputes. He currently practices employment law and mediation.
