Our Team
John E. FitzGerald III, Esq.
Jack FitzGerald is a partner of FitzGerald & Mulé LLP. He is an “AV” (highest) rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell and has been selected annually for the Register of Pre-Eminent Attorneys. Mr. FitzGerald has been a practicing attorney since 1975 and has been admitted to the bars of California, Pennsylvania, New York and the United States Supreme Court, as well as numerous federal district and appellate courts. For 39 years, Mr. FitzGerald has been lead counsel in many of the Coachella Valley’s major employment cases.
Mr. FitzGerald is active in his community and served multiple terms as President of the Board of the United Way of the Desert, where he is currently President Emeritus. He served on the Board of Trustees of the Palm Springs Art Museum for many years and is a Life Board Member and former President of the Palm Springs Boys and Girls Club. He is past President of the Board of Trustees of the Desert Bar Association. Mr. FitzGerald has been honored with numerous awards in the Coachella Valley, including “Distinguished Citizen of the Year, “Distinguished Eagle Award,” the “Jefferson Bronze Award,” the “President’s Award” and, in April 2022, the “Community Hero Award.”
Mr. FitzGerald is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and served as a Captain in the United States Army. Upon receiving his Honorable Discharge, Mr. FitzGerald participated in a joint program at the University of Pennsylvania Law School and the Wharton Graduate School, where he was awarded both J.D. and Masters degrees.
David B. Mulé, Esq.
David Mulé is a partner of FitzGerald & Mulé LLP. For more than 25 years, Mr. Mulé has practiced labor and employment law in the Coachella Valley. Mr. Mulé serves his clients well by bringing a breadth of experience that comes from representing both individuals and management clients his entire career. He has litigated cases in all aspects of the field, such as wrongful termination, discrimination, sexual harassment, wage and hour class actions, trade secrets, NLRB matters, tribal labor relations and contract disputes. He also regularly assists employers in developing sound policies and practices to help them comply with the numerous labor and employment laws that affect their businesses.
Mr. Mulé has represented employers of all sizes and enjoys working with the firm’s HR team to help employers solve workplace problems with a view toward establishing best management practices and avoiding litigation. He has a “Superb” AVVO rating and has been recognized as a Top Lawyer by Palm Springs Life Magazine. In addition to practicing law, Mr. Mulé enjoys speaking on the topic of labor and employment law on behalf of numerous business and human resources organizations. Mr. Mulé is a Past President of the Desert Bar Association and served for many years on the Board of Trustees for the Palm Valley School in Rancho Mirage.
Mr. Mulé received his undergraduate degrees from the University of San Diego, graduating with honors in English and Philosophy. He received his J.D. from Seattle University School of Law.
Jana B. FitzGerald, Esq.
Jana Balik FitzGerald is a senior associate at FitzGerald & Mulé LLP. Her practice includes all aspects of labor and employment law. She has worked on the defense of class actions, representative actions, and single-plaintiff lawsuits involving federal and California anti-discrimination and equal pay laws; California wage-and-hour laws; the Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act, and others. She regularly advises employers on legal compliance and best practices. She has spoken to employers and HR professionals on a variety of topics, including pay equity, wage-and-hour updates, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Since 2022, she has been a member of California Lawyers Association's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.
Prior to joining FitzGerald & Mulé LLP, she practiced at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, as a litigation associate, and at Paul Hastings, LLP, as an associate in the Employment Law Department.
Ms. FitzGerald received her undergraduate degree in Comparative Literature from the University of California, Berkeley, and her law degree, cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Ms. FitzGerald was born and raised in Palm Springs, where she currently lives with her husband and children.
Dale Olansky
Dale Olansky has been the office manager at FitzGerald & Mulé LLP for twenty years. Ms. Olansky is responsible for all of the administrative aspects of the office. She brings a wealth of administrative and client relationship skills to the firm.
Ms. Olansky earned her undergraduate degree in English from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Monica A. Celis
Monica A. Celis, Employment & HR Paralegal, has 17 years of human resources experience, in a wide range of HR functions, including recruiting, onboarding, employee relations, conflict resolution, training and development, compensation and benefits, legal compliance, payroll, and leadership. Her approach aims to synchronize common sense and logic with a sense of compassion and human kindness, while also keeping in mind legal requirements and the organization’s mission, goals and objectives. She is committed to perpetual learning and enjoys partnering with clients to reach the best solution to any HR situation.
Ms. Celis was part of the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) and its Los Angeles Chapter (GLA ALA) for over 10 years, serving on the board for 4 years supporting the magazine and community connection team. She moved to the Coachella Valley in 2019 and is now also involved with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and Professionals in Human Resources (PIHRA). Ms. Celis holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Resources Management and a certification in the same field, as well as a minor in Sociology and Information Technology.
Lisa Plasencia
Lisa Plasencia, Employment & HR Paralegal, brings more than 30 years of human resources experience to FitzGerald & Mulé LLP. Ms. Plasencia’s professional background includes Director and VP-level HR roles in finance, healthcare and manufacturing industries. She has a depth of experience from Fortune 500 to smaller employers, ranging in size from 50 to 20,000 employees.
Her hands-on expertise includes employee relations, organizational development, recruitment, training and human resources information system (“HRIS”) implementation. Ms. Plasencia holds certifications in Employee Mediation, Sexual Harassment and Human Resources Management.