Mr. Sleeth has an impressive background in the area of education and public entity law and has been rated Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest possible rating for legal ethics and ability. Mr. Sleeth is a seasoned trial attorney who has handled the defense of schools, colleges and other public entities in litigation ranging from wrongful death to wrongful termination.  Mr. Sleeth’s trial ability was recently recognized by the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), which inducted him as member in 2018.

Mr. Sleeth is also an experienced appellate lawyer, handling appeals in the California appellate courts, California Supreme Court and the Federal Court from the Ninth Circuit to the United States Supreme Court.  He has a strong background in first amendment issues, including religion in schools, freedom of speech, civil rights and discrimination. He has extensive experience in litigating Brown Act meeting notice and content compliance, as well as the Public Records Act.  Mr. Sleeth was featured in the 2009 HBO documentary “Shouting Fire, Stories from the Edge of Free Speech,” for notable case work representing schools in civil rights matters.

Mr. Sleeth also provides advice to schools and colleges concerning certificated and classified personnel, collective bargaining issues, charter schools, the Brown Act and the Public Records Acts. He has conducted seminars and workshops to help schools and colleges train employees in the eradication of discriminatory practices. Seminar topics also include special education, navigating federal and superior courts, sexual harassment, discrimination, workplace violence, FMLA and ADA compliance training.

• Public Entity
• General Tort Litigation
• Employment
• Education

Mr. Sleeth has had several reported cases, including Olsen by Sheldon v. Government of Mexico 729 F.2d 641 (9th Cir. 1984); Korshak v. Atlas Hotels (1992) 2 Cal.App.4th 1516; Brown v. Poway Unified School District (1993) 4 Cal.4th 820; Harper v. Poway Unified Sch. Dist., 445 F.3d 1166 (9th Cir. 2006), cert. granted and judg. vac., Harper ex rel. Harper v. Poway Unified Sch. Dist., 127 S.Ct. 1484, 167 L.Ed.2d 225 (2007); Shirk v. Vista Unified Sch. Dist. (2007) 42 Cal.4th 201 and Austin B/Jessica B. v. Escondido Elem Sch. Dist. (2007) 149 Cal.App.4th 860; Johnson v. Poway Unified School Dist., 658 F.3d 954. (9th Cir. 2011), cert. den., 132 S.Ct. 1807 (2012).

• Member, San Diego County Bar Association
• Member, American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
• Member, San Diego Defense Lawyers Association
• Member, Morongo Unified School District Board of Education, 1972

• Chapman College, 1975 California
• Western School of Law, J.D., 1983

Bar Admissions

• United States Supreme Court
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
• U.S. District Court: SD Cal., CD Cal., ND Cal.
• State of California