Kate Zemlo Rivas

Attorney Investigator

Kate is an Attorney Investigator for Van Dermyden Makus Law Corporation.

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Kate is a licensed California attorney with a diverse background in law, human resources, and cross-cultural communication.

Kate specializes in conducting impartial workplace investigations into allegations of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, policy violations, and other forms of misconduct. Prior to focusing on investigations, she practiced as an employment defense attorney, representing both public and private employers.

Before entering the legal profession, Kate spent over a decade as a human resources specialist in both the private and public sectors, including at the UC Davis School of Medicine. Her extensive HR experience informs her sensitive and thorough approach to investigations, particularly when working with individuals in distress or who have experienced trauma.

Deeply committed to supporting immigrant and multilingual communities, Kate provides pro bono legal services and serves on the board of International House Davis (I-House). She is fluent in Polish and Spanish, and actively collaborates with the UC Davis Department of Spanish and Portuguese’s Latine Co-Lab, focusing on applied linguistics and cultural competency for legal professionals.

Kate holds law degrees from the University of California, Davis School of Law (King Hall) and the Nicolaus Copernicus University Faculty of Law in Toruń, Poland.

CA State Bar No. 337856


+ Professional Degrees, Certifications, Awards and Organizations

  • Juris Doctor, University of California Davis School of Law, LL.M.
    • Witkin Awards for Academic Excellence (Human Rights and Torts)
  • Nicolaus Copernicus University, Faculty of Law, Master of Law (J.D. equivalent
    • cum laude
  • Association of Workplace Investigations (AWI) – Sustaining Member
  • Schwartz-Levi Inn of Court – Member
  • International House Davis (I-House) – Board Member
  • Women Lawyers of Sacramento – Member
  • Sacramento Bar Association – Member
  • California Lawyers Association, Labor and Employment Law Section – Member
  • Clarity (International association promoting plain legal language) – Member
  • Opening Doors, Inc. – Volunteer