I would be so happy to be able to say California is number one with reference to The University of California Golden Bear football team. But since the Bears have 14 straight conference losses and had one win this last season (over a Division II opponent), that’s still a ways off.

However, the California Chamber of Commerce reported today that, according to a group called the American Tort Reform Association, California is the number one “judicial hellhole” in the country. Since employment litigation has been rated as the number one fear of in-house counsel, then employment litigation in California must be especially hellish!

Mandatory employment arbitration isn’t a perfect solution. But if it keeps you out of court and insulates you from class actions, it’s certainly worth some serious consideration.