About

Attorney
California State Bar License No. 201053
Association of Workplace Investigator’s Certificate Holder (AWI-CH)

A California attorney for over 20 years, Michelle Regalia McGrath’s impartial investigations practice is a culmination of her deep experience in employment law and fact-finding. Understanding the great responsibility she has when organizations entrust her with this highly sensitive and complex work, she is committed to the standard of excellence.

Since 2012, Michelle has devoted her law practice exclusively to the neutral work of conducting investigations regarding allegations of misconduct. Her workplace investigations practice spans all industries. Michelle also conducts Title IX investigations and other school investigations.

Before beginning her investigations practice, Michelle litigated and advised on the kinds of employment issues that she now investigates. Michelle’s experience with fact-finding in the employment law arena began with her judicial internship at the San Francisco District Office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) when she was in law school. Michelle developed her employment law practice in her work at two San Francisco Bay Area law firms and then as in-house employment counsel for the U.S. Postal Service (Pacific Area) where she handled an exceptionally high volume of Title VII litigation and advised on internal investigations. She also provided advice and training on employment law topics such as FMLA, sexual harassment prevention and disability accommodation. During her tenure as in-house employment counsel at the U.S. Postal Service, Michelle was honored to be recognized for her skillful representation on highly sensitive and complex employment matters.

Michelle is also a trained mediator and conducted mediations for the EEOC at the San Francisco District Office prior to establishing her investigations law firm. She credits her mediation training and experience with the active listening skills that enable her to effectively build rapport with witnesses and collect the facts in her investigations work.

Michelle has been trained by the EEOC on the subject of conducting investigations and has received trauma-informed training specific to Title IX investigations. She is a graduate of the second Association of Workplace Investigators’ (AWI) Training Institute for Workplace Investigators (2013) and subsequently attained the status of AWI Certificate Holder (AWI-CH) through AWI’s accredited examination process. She is a member of AWI’s Institute Committee, and specifically, the Testing Subcommittee. She currently serves as faculty at the AWI Training Institute where she teaches others about how to conduct investigations in accordance with industry standards.

Michelle is a graduate of Saint Francis High School in Mountain View, California (1990). She is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Boston College (1994) and a graduate of Santa Clara University School of Law (1998). While at Boston College, Michelle studied at Mansfield College of Oxford University for 6 months in her junior year. Also while at Boston College, Michelle participated in many volunteer service opportunities, such as being a Big Sister through the PULSE program, The Appalachia Volunteer Program, and a service trip in her senior year where she had the opportunity to live and serve the community in and around Kingston, Jamaica. While at Santa Clara University School of Law, she served as Student Bar Association Treasurer and then President.

Michelle is licensed to practice law in the State of California. In addition to being an active member of the Association of Workplace Investigators, Michelle is a member of ATIXA and her local bar associations.

CV and Rate Sheet Available Upon Request.