Whitnee Goins

Whitnee Goins is Of Counsel in the Sacramento, California, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. Once referred to as a ‘bulldog’ in court by a state judge, Whitnee strives to help employers confront compliance challenges and mitigate risks by achieving successful outcomes in litigation and providing effective counsel.

A zealous advocate, Whitnee partners with employers through every stage of litigation to ensure their approach is consistent with overall business goals. Whitnee defends employers against claims involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, failure to accommodate, whistleblower activity, wrongful termination, and wage and hour disputes.

Whitnee is equally passionate about providing employers with preventative advice to ensure workplace compliance. Her interpersonal skills and experience in investigations, allow her to provide employers with comprehensive advice and counsel on common workplace issues.

Prior to joining Jackson Lewis, Whitnee served as an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) in the Eastern District of California. As an AUSA, she primarily investigated and prosecuted complex white-collar crime cases, including those cases involving multi-million-dollar employee embezzlement from their employers. Notably, Whitnee was co-counsel to a billion-dollar Ponzi scheme case—the largest criminal fraud scheme in the history of the Eastern District of California.

Whitnee also served as a Supervising Deputy District Attorney at the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office, where she provided training, guidance and supervision to junior attorneys.

Equally notable are Whitnee's trial skills—she has served as both sole and lead counsel in 29 jury trials to verdict in state and federal courts. She has also actively supervised junior attorneys in more than 15 jury trials to verdict, underscoring her commitment to developing legal talent.

During law school, Whitnee interned for the Honorable Martin J. Jenkins at the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco, California and was President of her law school class. She currently serves as an active board member of the Charles Houston Bar Association.