Find Lawyers in Los Angeles, California for Litigation - Labor and Employment
Practice Area Overview
Often, these employment disputes culminate in a lawsuit, which can be costly, time-consuming, and damaging to employee relations. The number of employment-related litigation filings has been steadily increasing over the last decade, ranging from large-scale class actions to individual complaints. Employers are facing greater challenges and financial exposure from both current and former employees than ever before.
Employment litigation covers many types of claims, including discrimination; harassment; wage-hour pay, classification, and overtime violations; wrongful discharge; entitlement to employee benefits; misappropriation of trade secrets and confidential information; unfair competition; enforcement or avoidance of restrictive covenants; labor union disputes; workplace safety violations; defamation and other employment-related torts. These claims often involve the many laws governing employee relations, which are often referred to as “employment law alphabet soup.” These include Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), whistleblower claims under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) or Dodd-Frank Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) and the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
Resolving employment litigation requires knowledge of these laws and regulations, the applicable case law, and a careful case analysis and strategy. More so than in other less personal litigation, a perceptive understanding of the people involved is essential for success. Often, suits will be settled among parties or ended before trial through summary judgment based on the facts of the case. When early resolution is not achieved, however, the case will go to trial in court or before an agency tribunal. Verdicts in employment-related cases can be enormous, especially in wage-hour and other class actions, creating a high-stakes situation for employers.
Leslie Abbott is a partner in the Los Angeles Employment Law Department of Paul Hastings LLP, where she has practiced since 1991. She previously served as Global Employment Law Department Vice Chair-West Coast, and Chair of the Los Angeles Employment Law Department. Her practice includes the representation of employers in all aspects of employment law. Ms. Abbott is Chair of the firm’s PAGA Practice Group. She focuses her practice on defending complex class, collective and representativ...
Elena Baca is the Global Chair of the Paul Hastings Employment Law Department and leads a diverse group of more than 80 lawyers in 10 offices around the world. Ms. Baca is a first-chair litigator who regularly navigates high-stakes litigation, conducts sensitive investigations and advises C-suite executives and corporate boards on compliance and regulatory issues involving human capital. In her role as practice Chair, Paul Hastings’ Employment Department has anticipated and led the resp...
Jennifer S. Baldocchi is Co-Vice Chair of the Paul Hastings Employment Department and the Chair of the International Employee Mobility and Trade Secrets practice. Her practice focuses on employee mobility and intellectual property, including trade secrets, covenants not to compete, unfair competition, and fiduciary duties. She is ranked by Chambers USA, recognized by The Legal 500 US for trade secrets litigation and non-contentious matters, and recognized as both a Top Labor and Employment La...
Robert S. Blumberg represents and advises employers in a wide variety of labor, employment and business law matters, including in the following types of litigation: Wrongful discharge Discrimination Harassment suits Retaliation Wage and hour class actions Unfair competition and misappropriation of trade secrets Robert spends the majority of his time litigating matters in state and federal courts and before various administrative agencies. He has been lead counsel in both jury and bench trials...
Ellen E. Cohen is a principal in the Los Angeles, California, office of Jackson Lewis P.C., providing comprehensive representation for management in employment disputes. She handles cases involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination in state and federal courts, as well as arbitration and administrative hearings. Ellen takes a proactive approach in supporting her clients, providing valuable advice on a host of employment-related issues including employee discipli...
James E. Curry is a partner in the Entertainment, Technology and Advertising Practice Group in the firm's Century City office. Areas of Practice Mr. Curry has represented companies in commercial trial litigation for 25 years, with an emphasis in the entertainment area. He has represented three of the four U.S. Broadcast television networks, and five of the seven major studios, in addition to a myriad of other entertainment companies. In the television area, he has substantial experience in te...
Cynthia J. Emry is a principal in the Los Angeles, California, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. She focuses her practice in the areas of employment litigation, benefits litigation, and litigation avoidance within the labor and employment law sector. Cynthia represents employers, including public entities, and individuals in a wide range of employment matters, including employment discrimination actions, misappropriation of trade secrets actions, and wage and hour class actions. She has significan...
Jim handles complex disputes in line with the business goals of his clients. He approaches cases efficiently, using preventive measures to keep litigation in check, including ADR. When high-stakes litigation is unavoidable, Jim's 30 years of trial experience in state and federal courts enables him to fight for the best results possible, now and in the future. James Evans is a highly skilled trial attorney with decades of experience handling complex cases in state and federal courts. Jim is al...
Mia Farber is a principal in the Los Angeles, California, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. and a former member of the firm's Board of Directors. She is co-leader of the Class Actions and Complex Litigation practice group and has extensive experience in all facets of employment litigation. Mia has represented employers in all types of employment litigation, including sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination. She also has vast experience in the area of wage and hour ...
Louise Ann “Luzann” Fernandez is co-chair of the Labor and Employment practice group, with more than 30 years of experience. Luzann is a fierce litigator who is hired by corporations, hospitals, and celebrities for high profile and exposure cases. Luzann does not back down from challenges facing her clients and comes up with out of the box and novel theories. Luzann is also active as an independent investigator. Using her litigation experience, Luzann investigates claims of discri...
Cameron W. Fox is the Chair of the Los Angeles Office and Chair of the firm’s Traditional Labor Practice Group. She works in the firm’s Los Angeles and San Francisco offices. Ms. Fox represents employers in all aspects of employment law and labor relations, with a particular emphasis in the technology industry. Employment Law. Ms. Fox has successfully defended employers in numerous jury trials and bench trials, in arbitration, and on appeal against claims of discrimination, harass...
Yesenia M. Gallegos focuses her labor and employment practice on a wide range of matters, including restrictive covenants, wage and hour law, discrimination and harassment claims, executive employment agreements, leaves of absence, employee terminations and reductions in force. Yesenia represents employers in employment litigation—including class actions—pending in both state and federal court. She also represents employers in actions against former employees in trade-secret and e...
Brent Giddens is a Partner at CDF Labor Law LLP (CDF), a California focused labor, employment and immigration defense law firm with five offices throughout the state. A labor and employment attorney experienced in litigation, strategic and operational issues, Giddens helps California employers advance their business goals, representing clients in all facets of the employer/employee relationship. He has extensive background and experience in defending class actions, as well as individual actio...
John has been practicing labor and employment law for over 40 years. Even in college, John was focused on labor-management relations matters, having written his senior honors thesis (later published) on the role of central labor bodies within the AFL-CIO hierarchy. His published article gained national attention, such that he was hired as an expert witness while still in law school to testify in a National Labor Relations Board trial on whether a central labor council violated the National La...
Paul Grossman is a partner in the Employment Law practice of Paul Hastings and is based in the firm’s Los Angeles office. Mr. Grossman represents major private employers in all aspects of employment law, including class action, wage and hour, wrongful discharge, discrimination, sexual harassment, and whistleblower cases. He is the general counsel of the California Employment Law Council (CELC), an organization of approximately 70 of California’s largest employers. Its mission is t...
Trial attorney Genie Harrison is recognized by opposing counsel and her peers as a dogged advocate on behalf of her clients. Ms. Harrison provides aggressive representation in every case she litigates and she is truly a resource for her clients as they are navigating the disconcerting waters of employment troubles. Where possible, Ms. Harrison relishes the opportunity to bring institutional change, which she has been fortunate to accomplish a number of times in her career. This type of change...
Mira Hashmall is an accomplished trial lawyer with a record of success in federal and state courts, and in arbitration. She is recognized by the Best Lawyers in America® in the areas of Appellate Practice and Litigation – Labor and Employment. She has been honored by the Daily Journal on its lists of Top 100 Lawyers in California, Top Women Lawyers, Top 40 Under 40, and Top Labor and Employment Lawyers. Los Angeles Business Journal has recognized Mira on its lists of Top Litigators,...
CHRISTOPHER A. LILLY Litigation T: 310.789.1265 F: 310.789.1465 clilly@troygould.com Related Practice Areas: Consumer Class Actions Employment Litigation Entertainment & IP Litigation Securities , Shareholder, Partnership Litigation Speech & Communications BIOGRAPHY Mr. Lilly has extensive trial, arbitration, and appellate experience in employment, securities, entertainment litigation, consumer class actions, and first amendment litigation. Mr. Lilly is also chair of the firm’s ...
Steve focuses his practice on labor and employment law and related litigation on behalf of management. He represents employers in all facets of labor and employment, particularly in the areas of labor negotiations, arbitrations, wage and hour matters, and before the National Labor Relations Board. Steve also has extensive experience in advising employers on the labor/employment aspects of mergers and acquisitions, particularly in the hospitality industry. He held a number of positions with th...
Thomas G. Mackey is a principal in the Los Angeles, California, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. He joined the firm in 2002. Tom exclusively represents employers in all types of employment litigation, including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, disabilities and reasonable accommodation, wrongful termination, wage and hour disputes, and matters involving competition and restrictive covenants. Tom specifically focuses his practice on trials and arbitrations. He has substantial jury trial exp...
Justin F. Marquez, Esq. is a Senior Partner of Employment Class Actions and Complex Litigation at Wilshire Law Firm. A steadfast advocate for consumers and employees in litigation, Justin specializes in wage and hour claims, consumer protection, data breach, whistleblowers actions concerning false claims and SEC matters, qui tam claims, and more . Justin holds countless landmark victories on behalf of his clients, and his extensive work, including in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, has be...
Founding Partner John McNicholas has more than five decades of experience representing plaintiffs in the areas of catastrophic personal injury, employment law, class actions, sexual abuse and other consumer-oriented matters. He is a recognized leader with more than 150 jury verdicts and 20 reported appellate decisions in copyright infringement, breach of contract, medical malpractice, pharmaceutical and aviation cases. Mr. McNicholas has obtained millions in verdicts and settlements. His clie...
As one of the leading trial lawyers in California, Partner Matthew McNicholas represents victims in a range of areas, including catastrophic injury, wrongful death, employment law, maritime law, landlord-tenant habitability, product liability, sexual assault and other consumer-oriented matters, such as civil rights and aviation disasters. As Panel Counsel to the Los Angeles Police Protective League and the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, Mr. McNicholas also has an emphasis in represe...
With more than 25 years’ experience as a trial lawyer, Partner Patrick McNicholas exclusively represents victims in catastrophic injury, product liability, sexual assault and other consumer-oriented matters, such as civil rights and aviation disasters. Mr. McNicholas has tried and settled numerous noteworthy cases, including a $44 million settlement for air crash victims, a $10.8 million jury verdict awarded to a minor molested by a school teacher, a $10 million jury verdict to a constr...
Mr. Nguyen is a distinguished Shareholder at Shegerian & Associates, with a rich background in employment law. With previous representation of Fortune 500 companies in labor and employment disputes, Mr. Nguyen has garnered extensive experience on both sides of the litigation field in matters relating to workplace discrimination, harassment, and retaliation on state and federal levels. He also possesses significant expertise in entertainment business and legal affairs. At the firm, Mr. Ngu...
One of the country’s leading trial attorneys, Brian Panish has obtained some of the most significant jury verdicts in United States history on behalf of plaintiffs. His courtroom victories include a $4.9 billion verdict in the landmark products liability case Anderson v. General Motors, over 100 verdicts and settlements in excess of $10 million in personal injury and wrongful death cases and six verdicts in excess of $50 million. Mr. Panish consistently serves in a leadership role in th...
Kevin’s experience includes the resolution of contractual disputes and business torts, partnership and fiduciary litigation, consumer class action defense, multidistrict litigation, product liability and toxic torts. He has an active trial practice and has served as trial counsel for both plaintiffs and defendants in numerous high-stakes jury trials, bench trials and arbitrations. In addition to serving as a persuasive and dedicated advocate, Kevin is appreciated by clients and colleagu...
Maria C. Rodriguez advises US and international corporations with regard to employment law compliance and mergers and acquisitions; and defends employment cases and class action litigation. She is a trusted advisor to clients helping them avoid or resolve disputes and protect resources through proactive and strategic planning. She is experienced working with clients in the sports, media and entertainment, technology, food and restaurant, airline, transportation and distribution, health care a...
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