California Labor Lawyers

Labor Law

13263 Ventura Blvd suite 203, Studio City, CA 91604, USA

Area of Practice: Employment Law Aaron Colby is a California employment lawyer who knows how to resolve disputes. After 15 years representing companies, he started Colby Law Firm to represent employees. Aaron’s perspective and experience from being “on the other side” gives him an edge. Aaron brings his practical, focused, and relentless approach to helping employees protect their rights. Aaron graduated University of Michigan-Ann Arbor in 2003 and returned to Los Angeles to pursue a law degree at Southwestern Law School. After clerking for a judge and graduating in the top of his class in 2006, Aaron entered “BigLaw” and began representing companies. Aaron became one of the youngest equity partners at the national law firm of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, where he represented businesses of all sizes across all industries in single-plaintiff and class action employment litigation. He fought and settled all types of employment claims (harassment, discrimination, wrongful termination, unpaid wages) in all contexts.

Labor Law

450 N Brand Blvd suite 900, Glendale, CA 91203, USA

Area of Practice: Class Actions and Employment Litigation Arby is a shareholder of Lawyers for Justice, P.C. Multilingual in English, Armenian, and Spanish, Arby speaks for those who haven’t been heard. Arby’s discipline and determination have enabled him to successfully obtain class and representative action resolutions in over 500 cases. Under his guidance and supervision, Lawyers for Justice, P.C. has recovered millions of dollars for thousands of individuals. Arby is always working to help clients recover what’s rightfully theirs. A winner through and through, Arby’s hard work has been recognized multiple times, including: Super Lawyers, Rising Stars by Super Lawyers, TopVerdict.com, Best of the Bar, and Pasadena Magazine. Notably, Arby’s passion for class action litigation led to him being selected, as the only attorney in private practice, to participate in the Impact Fund’s Class Action Training Institute.

Labor Law

2760 Mission Street, San Francisco, 94110, United States

Arlo Uriartes law practice has been focused on serving the underserved population who clamor for justice. These include victims of employment situations where hard working members of our Bay Area are subjected to difficult working conditions. As an attorney since 2004, Arlo has been successful in litigating, settling and obtaining judgments for workers in the Bay Area. Arlo is a first generation immigrant who understands the experiences and struggles of hardworking people. Arlo is the managing attorney of Liberation Law Group, P.C., located in San Franciscos Mission district. The firm also represents clients in personal injury. Arlo is also a trial attorney who fights for the rights of victims of personal injury. Arlo has worked in the Bay Area legal community since 1991, first as a legal assistant for various personal injury firms. He has extensive experience settling claims with insurance companies. While most cases settle, Arlo has experience taking cases to trial.

Labor Law

725 S. Figueroa Street, Suite 3065, Los Angeles, CA 90017

Ashley J. Lee is a Los Angeles attorney whose California bar registration lists WK Lee Law Offices. Her license is active, with admission recorded on June 4, 2019. She reports litigation, commercial law, labor and employment, and class actions as her practice areas.

Labor Law

1112 Montana Ave suite 315, Santa Monica, CA 90403, USA

Benjamin J. Treger is a distinguished employment attorney with over a decade of experience in successfully defending employers against a broad spectrum of employment-related claims, including discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, wage and hour violations, intellectual property claims, and more. Renowned for his analytical prowess in wage and hour lawsuits, effective employee relations, and strategic early dispute resolution, Mr. Treger has become a trusted legal advocate for employers, and has been consistently recognized as a top attorney in the field. Beyond litigation, Mr. Treger excels in advising on compliance with state and federal labor laws, focusing on the implementation of best practices to optimize operational efficiency while minimizing legal risks. He also conducts large-scale, independent investigations and serves as a Title IX hearing officer for multiple University of California campuses. In these roles, Mr. Treger applies the same rigor and analytical precision that define his litigation practice. His investigative work encompasses complex allegations of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and other forms of workplace or campus misconduct, often involving sensitive, high-stakes matters. Known for his meticulous fact-finding and impartial judgment, he ensures every investigation is comprehensive, procedurally sound, and defensible under applicable law and policy. Whether acting as a neutral third-party investigator or adjudicator, Mr. Treger's work is distinguished by its fairness, attention to evidentiary integrity, and unwavering commitment to objectivity, qualities that have earned him the trust of institutions and counsel alike.

Labor Law

249 E Ocean Blvd #814, Long Beach, CA 90802, USA

Berkeh Alemzadeh is a California attorney affiliated with Mahoney Law Group, APC in Long Beach whose work includes employment litigation and personal injury matters. The firm presents her professional biography under the name Beyonca Alem. Her employment practice encompasses both individual disputes and class actions, with subjects including wages and hours, discrimination, wrongful termination, sexual harassment, and retaliation. Her firm biography also identifies unfair business practices and statutory compliance among the issues in that practice. Alemzadeh was admitted to the State Bar of California on November 27, 2018, and her license is listed as active under bar number 324834. Her firm biography states that she is also admitted to the federal district court for the Central District of California. She earned her Juris Doctor at Chapman Fowler School of Law in 2017. Before law school, she studied at the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business, where her biography lists a 2013 degree. Her State Bar address is Mahoney Law Group’s office at 249 East Ocean Boulevard, Suite 814, in Long Beach. The firm’s broader practice includes individual and class action employment cases, personal injury litigation, and consumer class actions. Those are firm-wide practice areas, distinct from the employment and personal injury work identified in her own biography.

Labor Law

2801 sunset place, 525, Los Angeles, 90005 California

Briana’s practice centers on defending employers against Labor Code, Wage Order, and PAGA claims, as well as discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and failure to accommodate allegations under the Fair Employment and Housing Act. She combines litigation strategy with internal workforce systems design to reduce recurring risk and position companies for defensible decision making.

Labor Law

980 9th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814

Mr. Chang is dedicated to helping individuals protect their rights in the workplace, in housing, and in public accommodations.

Labor Law

101 West Broadway, Suite 1500, San Diego, CA 92101

Charles Whitman is a Shareholder in Buchalter’s San Diego office. He is a member of the Litigation, Labor & Employment, and White Collar & Investigations practice groups. Mr. Whitman focuses his practice on representing employers and business in workplace law matters, business disputes, and government investigations. Mr. Whitman represents employers in all aspects of state and federal employment litigation, including wage and hour class and representative actions, Private Attorneys General Act (“PAGA”) litigation, single plaintiff wage and hour disputes, as well as federal and state discrimination, hostile work environment, bullying, sexual harassment wrongful termination, and retaliation cases. Mr. Whitman also advises employers on protecting proprietary trade secrets, drafting comprehensive employee handbooks, personnel policies, navigating the complicated array of state and federal leave laws, and employment-related agreements to ensure compliance with California and federal law. Additionally, he conducts workplace investigations and management training on a wide array of employment law matters. Further, Mr. Whitman defends companies facing government enforcement actions, administrative inquiries from state and federal agencies, and white-collar criminal proceedings. He also has previous experience litigating securities fraud class actions and other complex business litigation. Prior to joining Buchalter, Mr. Whitman worked for a national employment law firm and was a highly decorated judge advocate in the U.S. Marine Corps. In 2018, Mr. Whitman was awarded The Commandant’s Award for Excellence in Legal Assistance, as the top legal assistance attorney in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was appointed as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona and the Southern District of California, during which time he assisted federal law enforcement agencies during investigations, prosecuted cases occurring on Marine Corps property, prosecuted border crime cases, and tried cases in federal district court. As a trial defense counsel in the U.S. Marine Corps, Mr. Whitman, represented numerous Marines at courts-martial and administrative discharge trials. Between his time as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and defense counsel, Mr. Whitman tried dozens administrative, bench, and jury trials to verdict—the vast majority of which he was the lead trial defense counsel. Most of Mr. Whitman’s cases involved serious felony level offenses. Mr. Whitman received the Navy Commendation Medal while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. In 2023, Mr. Whitman was recognized as a “Rising Star” in San Diego by Super Lawyers Magazine.

Labor Law

29 Orchard Rd, Lake Forest, CA 92630, USA

Prior to forming Wesierski and Zurek LLP, Mr. Wesierski was the managing senior partner at the Orange County office of a large defense firm. He also served on the executive management committee for that firm. Mr. Wesierski attended California State University at Long Beach, where he graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1975. He studied law at the University of San Diego and graduated with a Juris Doctor degree in 1978. Mr. Wesierski was admitted to the California State Bar in 1979. Mr. Wesierski has successfully tried numerous cases to verdict in both state and federal court in such diverse areas of law as wrongful termination, medical malpractice, premises liability, insurance coverage bad faith, products liability, defamation, breach of contract, sexual harassment, 17200 claims, agent malpractice, malicious prosecution, appraiser malpractice, and auto liability. Mr. Wesierski has also arbitrated numerous cases to a successful conclusion. He has achieved the highest status in ABOTA with over 100 trials to verdict.

Labor Law

550 S. Hope Street, Ste 750, Los Angeles, CA 90071

Area of Practice: Employment Law Danielle G. Eanet is an experienced labor and employment attorney who counsels and vigorously defends clients in California and Federal courts on a wide range of employment law matters involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, reasonable accommodation, wrongful termination, wage & hour, PAGA and trade secret issues. Danielle has significant litigation experience including complex-designated litigation and arbitration and has a demonstrated record of obtaining success for her clients before trial via law and motion, mediation, and settlement. She also handles disputes involving wage and hour claims, employee misclassification, termination appeal and disciplinary proceedings before state administrative agencies, arbitrators, and commissions. Among her notable successes, she has successfully tried employment cases in Los Angeles Superior Court obtaining verdicts in favor of her clients. Danielle also assists clients before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), Employment Development Department (EDD) and the Department of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE). She regularly drafts and negotiates employment, commission, arbitration, separation, proprietary information, non-solicitation, independent contractor and settlement agreements. Prior to joining Eanet, PC, Danielle was an attorney with the Los Angeles Office of Littler Mendelson P.C., the world’s largest employment law firm.

Labor Law

25 N. Lima Avenue, Sierra Madre, CA 91024

Area of Practice: ESOPs, Equity Compensation, and Litigation David assists clients in general corporate matters and in employee ownership, benefit, ERISA, and related business matters, with an emphasis on executive compensation, equity incentive plans, non-qualified deferred compensation, employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), ESOP transactions, mergers and acquisitions (and related tax planning), and business succession and estate planning. David has served as outside general counsel to numerous corporate clients over the past 32 years. He also frequently appears on behalf of clients in business and employment-oriented defense litigation in state and federal courts throughout the country, before regulatory agencies (e.g., U.S. Department of Labor, California Labor Commissioner, and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission), in tax controversies before the Internal Revenue Service and comparable state regulatory agencies, against felony criminal indictments in U.S. Federal Court, and in dispute resolutions of various kinds. David represents corporations in shareholder and non-competition disputes. David has defended ERISA fiduciaries, plan sponsors, selling shareholders, and investment advisers in ERISA litigation matters involving ESOPs and business transactions in federal and state courts throughout the country in a wide range of controversies covering ERISA fiduciary responsibilities, ESOP valuation disputes, disclosure obligations, investment issues, and tax matters. He has extensive experience in negotiating ESOP, ERISA, and other issues with government regulatory agencies and in representing ERISA fiduciaries in litigation. Recognized nationally for his experience and expertise in the ESOP and executive compensation field, David is a past chair (1993-1995 and 2005-2007) of the legislative and regulatory advisory committee of The ESOP Association. He also is a past chair of The ESOP Association’s advisory committee chairs council and is a former member of its board of directors. David was honored at the 17th annual conference of The ESOP Association as the outstanding committee chair for 1993-94. He also served for more than ten years as General Counsel to The National Center for Employee Ownership and on its board of directors.

Labor Law

2650 Camino Del Rio North, Suite 302, San Diego, CA 92108

Area of Practice: Employment Law David Mara is the founding member and president of Mara Law Firm, PC. Mr. Mara has devoted his many years of practice to representing employees in all aspects of California wage and hour law, including, but not limited to, class representation of employees seeking unpaid wages, unpaid overtime, unfair business practices, and meal and rest period violations. California Employment Attorney David Mara also specializes in representing injured civilians working abroad pursuant to a U.S. defense contract. Over the course of his career, Mr. Mara has obtained tens of millions of dollars on behalf of California and Defense Base Act workers. A long-standing member of Consumer Attorneys of California, Mr. Mara is on the shortlist of lawyers the organization selects in California to author briefs in support of workers in California Courts of Appeal and the California Supreme Court. Mr. Mara was co-counsel in the seminal California Supreme Court decision, Brinker Restaurant Corp. v. Superior Court, in which the Court articulated the standards on employee entitlements to and employer obligations for providing meal and rest breaks in California and the availability of class action treatment for those claims. In addition to his trial and appellate work on behalf of California workers, Mr. Mara is also on the cutting edge of shaping California laws, as he is frequently asked to review and offer counter proposals to laws affecting California workers proposed in the California legislature and Congress.

Labor Law

450 N Brand Blvd suite 900, Glendale, CA 91203, USA

Edwin Aiwazian is all-in when it comes to fighting for those who need him the most. Fighting for California workers and victims of personal injuries is both an art and a science he has mastered. With his modern, sophisticated approach, he is the strongest advocate and voice for the people in need of justice. He believes the truth always wins and should never be compromised. Edwin believes in treating everyone with humanity and the utmost respect. He isn’t afraid to take any case to trial or prosecute companies who’ve exploited California workers. Edwin has been a game changer in the practice of law. Continually evolving and learning, he sets a standard for determination and has a proven track record of achieving incredible results in the most difficult cases. Under his leadership, Lawyers for Justice, PC has recovered millions of dollars for thousands of individuals in California. Edwin leads by example in a powerful effort to maximize the recovery for his clients.

Labor Law

1900 Main Street, Suite 700, IRVINE, CA 92614

Erica M. Sorosky is a litigator whose practice consists of a wide range of business, employment and other civil litigation matters. Ms. Sorosky practices in both state and federal court. She handles all aspects of the litigation process, including pre-filing strategy and counseling, discovery, substantive pre-trial law and motion, mediation, arbitration, trial preparation and representation, post-judgment law and motion, and appellate work. Ms. Sorosky was named a Super Lawyers Rising Star for 2013 – 2021, as published in Los Angeles Magazine and Super Lawyers Magazine. Los Angeles Magazine also named her as one of the Top Women Attorneys in Southern California for 2013 – 2021.

Labor Law

11520 San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049, USA

Gevik Yenoki is a Trial Attorney with Shegerian & Associates. His work as an employment discrimination attorney includes all aspects of trial and pre-trial litigation, including taking and defending depositions, pre-trial motions, discovery, mediation, and arbitration. ? His significant interest in litigation developed while volunteering at the Office of the District Attorney as a Certified Law Clerk in law school — also as a Post-Bar Law Clerk. Appearing on the record at preliminary and evidentiary hearings, he grew adept in the courtroom. Honing strong research and writing skills, he drafted trial briefs and opposed evidentiary motions. Also, while still in law school, he enrolled in Loyola’s Hobbs District Attorney Clinic because of its classroom component that significantly prepared him with the practical skills he used daily as a certified law clerk at the District Attorney’s Office.

Labor Law

301 N Lake Ave ste 600, Pasadena, CA 91101, USA

Gregory graduated from Whittier Law School in 2001 and has been a licensed attorney since 2002. He has dedicated his career to advocating for justice and ensuring that the rights of individuals are upheld. Gregory’s commitment to the legal profession is evident in his tireless efforts to bring about positive change and make a meaningful impact in the lives of those he serves. His specialization in Class Action Cases within California Employment Law underscores his commitment to protecting employee rights. This commitment forms the foundation of his law firm and employees who work along aside him. Gregory’s focuses on holding corporations accountable and ensuring employees receive the compensation they deserve.

Labor Law

620 Newport Center Dr, Suite 1100, Newport Beach, CA 92660

Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice: California, 1998 United States District Court, 1998 Education Whittier Law School - J.D. - 1997 University of California, Irvine - B.A. - 1992

Labor Law

15615 Alton Pkwy, Irvine, CA 92618, USA

Mr. Whitehead primarily represents employees in all aspects of employment litigation, which include claims for wrongful termination, discrimination, wage and hour violations, retaliation and harassment. Mr. Whitehead has broad employment law experience in every area of the law. He also has extensive experience in mediation, arbitration, settlement negotiations and trial law. He has won numerous multi-million dollar verdicts for employees in race discrimination, sex discrimination, sexual harassment and tort cases. He has also settled numerous cases on behalf of employees in age, race, sex, and national origin discrimination claims for six-figure sums and has obtained favorable court orders for employees who have been treated unfairly in the workplace. Mr. Whitehead received his law degree from Whittier Law School where he was a member of the Law Review. He received his Bachelors of Arts in Spanish with a minor focus in International Studies from the University of Utah. Mr. Whitehead is currently an active member of the American Association for Justice and the Orange County Bar Association. He is admitted to practice in the state of California as well as Washington D.C.

Labor Law

9880 Research Drive, 200, Irvine, CA 92618

James Hawkins is an employment attorney at James Hawkins APLC in Irvine, California. His California license is active under the name James Ross Hawkins. Wage-and-hour class actions have been part of his work since 2002; in a July 2023 declaration, he described those cases as making up the vast majority of his practice since then. That work began during his years at Hawkins & Sofonio, where he was a named partner from 1997 through 2007. At the Irvine firm, he litigated employee claims involving wrongful termination, age discrimination, disability, wages and hours, and sexual harassment. In 2007, he incorporated his wage-and-hour class action practice as James Hawkins APLC. His declaration lists both federal and state court matters in which he served as lead or co-lead counsel, including cases against 3M, Kmart and Aramark Campus. Before entering practice, Hawkins studied at the University of California, Los Angeles, receiving a bachelor's degree in 1993, and at Whittier Law School, graduating in 1997. His law-school years included two externships: one with U.S. District Judge Consuelo B. Marshall in 1996, followed by another with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California. Each lasted approximately five months. California admitted him to the bar on December 9, 1997. Today, James Hawkins APLC describes its work as employment and labor law in California and Washington. The firm's listed services include employment class actions, unpaid-overtime disputes, wrongful termination, workplace discrimination and retaliation.

Labor Law

3160 Camino Del Rio South, Suite 207, San Diego, CA 92108

Area of Practice: Employment Law Jill Vecchi, a senior associate in Mara Law Firm, is a 2010 graduate of University of California, Riverside with a degree in Communications. She graduated in 2014 from Santa Clara University School of Law with a JD in 2014 and distinction in Mediation Theory and Practice. Ms. Vecchi joined the firm in 2015, specializing in the counseling and representation of employees in nearly every phase of California employment law, including, wage and hour class and representative actions, wrongful termination, discrimination, and sexual harassment. California Employment Attorney Jill Vecchi primary focus in the firm has been on the class representation at the trial and appellate level of workers throughout the state of California in their fight for fair and lawful wages and working conditions. During her tenure with the firm, Ms. Vecchi has recovered tens of millions of dollars for California workers in wage and hour class and representative actions.

Labor Law

16133 Ventura Blvd, Suite 1200, Encino, CA 91436

Attorney Kelsey M. Szamet is a Partner of the firm. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, from the University of California San Diego, where she majored in Human Development and minored in Communications. She received her law degree from UCLA School of Law. While in law school, Ms. Szamet was active in the Women's Law Journal and various community-based legal clinics. Ms. Szamet has been honored with several prestigious awards, including the 2023 Women in Law Award and recognition as a 2023 "Super Lawyer". She has also been named one of "America's Top 50 Lawyers" and is a recipient of the "Lawyers of Distinction" accolade.

Labor Law

6355 Topanga Canyon Blvd Ste, Woodland Hills, CA 91367

Area of Practice: Employment Law & Civil Litigation

Labor Law

870 Market Street, Suite 544, San Francisco, CA 94102

Lawrence Organ is an employment civil rights attorney and founding partner of California Civil Rights Law Group, with a State Bar address in San Anselmo, California. He represents plaintiffs exclusively in employment civil rights cases. His practice centers on presenting cases to juries and arbitrators, as well as assisting other attorneys with trials. According to his firm biography, he has tried more than 40 cases. Organ earned his law degree at Duke University School of Law in 1994, graduating cum laude. At Duke, he chaired the Moot Court Board and served as an editor of the Duke Environmental Law and Policy Forum. His earlier education includes a 1988 master’s degree in politics with honors from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1984, where his listed distinctions include Phi Beta Kappa. He was admitted to the California bar on December 30, 1994, and the State Bar lists his license as active. His firm biography also lists admission to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018. His federal admissions include the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Northern, Eastern and Central Districts of California, all in 1996. California Civil Rights Law Group maintains a San Francisco office at 870 Market Street, Suite 544. The firm also lists offices in Oakland, San Anselmo and Los Angeles.

Labor Law

3632 Cedarbrae Ln, San Diego, CA 92106, USA

Madison Alvarez is an Associate in Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP's San Diego office. She is a member of the firm’s Tort & Catastrophic Loss, Labor & Employment Law and Commercial Litigation/Directors & Officers Practice Sections. She represents clients in a wide range of civil litigation matters, including personal injury defense, employment disputes, complex commercial litigation and homeowners association and real estate cases. Ms. Alvarez is experienced in managing all phases of civil litigation, from early case assessment and strategic planning through discovery, motion practice and trial preparation. Her work includes developing comprehensive case strategies, preparing detailed witness and evidence summaries and crafting persuasive legal arguments to position cases for favorable resolution, whether through settlement or in the courtroom. She prioritizes efficiency and clear communication to advance her clients’ objectives while minimizing risk and disruption. Ms. Alvarez earned her Juris Doctor from California Western School of Law. She also holds a Master of Arts in environment, culture and media with an emphasis on environmental communication from the University of Miami.

Labor Law

680 E Colorado Blvd ste 180, Pasadena, CA 91101, USA

Michael Carlin is an employment attorney and workers’ rights advocate based in Southern California. He is the founder and president of Workers Rights Law Firm, APC, where he represents employees in cases involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and wage-and-hour violations. Before founding his firm, Michael represented major national and multinational employers in high-stakes workplace disputes. His experience on both sides of employment litigation gives him valuable perspective for how workplace decisions are made and what workers can do to pursue maximum compensation. Michael has handled matters at the trial and appellate levels. His work has included individual lawsuits, class actions, Private Attorneys General Act claims, internal investigations, administrative proceedings, and appeals in California and federal courts. He has published works relating to race discrimination, disability discrimination, and federal wage and hour protections.

Labor Law

9777 Wilshire Blvd suite 400, Beverly Hills, CA 90212, USA

Myrna Castañón is a labor and employment attorney with 20+ years of experience. Ms. Castañón has litigated federal, state and administrative cases in Northern and Southern California. Shortly after graduating from law school, Ms. Castañón worked as an associate at Kazan, McClain, Edises, Simon & Abrams, where she practiced products liability litigation. After working in the private sector, she worked in the public sector and specialized in Labor & Employment. Ms. Castañón started working for the federal government in 2000. While at the U.S. Postal Service, she also served as an Acting Deputy Managing Counsel and in that capacity she managed attorneys in the area of Labor & Employment. During her tenure with the Postal Service, she had a 90+% success rate in handling cases. She was lead counsel in a multi-million dollar class action (race discrimination case) and was solely responsible for preparing the case for trial. This was the largest case handled by the U.S. Postal Service in the Pacific Area. Not only did she obtain a successful verdict, but she also received one of the highest awards in the organization and recognized for her outstanding litigation skills. Ms. Castañón also served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the United States Attorneys Office in the Northern District of California. She trained federal agents and prosecuted white-collar offenses, such as mail fraud and worker’s compensation fraud. She successfully defended a $600,000 dollar disability discrimination case in U.S. District Court for the Northern District and obtained a jury verdict in less than 30 minutes. From 2010-2012, Ms. Castañón served as Special Counsel to the City of West Covina. In this capacity, she advised the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tern, and the members of City Council on high profile labor and employment cases. In January 2012, she served as lead counsel in a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the City of West Covina. She successfully obtained a jury verdict on behalf of the City of West Covina. Since 2014, Ms. Castañón has served as Special Counsel to the City of Montebello. In this capacity, she defends the City on high profile labor and employment cases. Ms. Castañón has represented management before the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, California Department of Industrial Relations, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board, Los Angeles Superior Court, and the United States District Courts in the Northern and Central Districts. In addition to litigating cases, Ms. Castañón advises and counsels management on various labor and employment matters, including wage and hour matters. She has trained management in the areas of sexual harassment, disability discrimination, reasonable accommodation, the interactive process, and FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act). She received her undergraduate degree in History at the University of California, Los Angeles. At UCLA, she received an academic scholarship and was on the Dean’s Honor List for four terms. Ms. Castañón received her law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. She is licensed to practice law before the State of California and the United States Court for the Central and Northern Districts, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Ms. Castañón is a native of East Los Angeles and is fluent in Spanish. She has used her language skills to assist low-income Spanish speakers. She was profiled in the San Francisco legal periodical, The Recorder, for outstanding pro bono services. She is also a member of the American Bar Association, the State Bar of California, the Mexican American Bar Association, and the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Lawyers Association.

Labor Law

11661 San Vicente Blvd suite 710, Los Angeles, CA 90049, USA

Area of Practice: Employment Civil Rights As the founding partner of Chesler Law PC, Natasha Chesler represents clients throughout Los Angeles in employment and labor law matters, including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, disability rights, and wage-and-hour violations. Ms. Chesler began her career at O’Melveny & Myers LLP, one of the nation’s premier law firms, representing large employers in state and federal court. That early defense-side experience gave her an insider’s understanding of how companies and their counsel think, prepare, and negotiate—insight she now uses to anticipate their strategies and advocate more effectively for employees and individuals. Ms. Chesler earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California School of Cinema-Television, where she studied writing and production for film and theatre. That creative foundation continues to shape her work as a litigator. She believes that, at its heart, every case is a story—one that deserves to be told with truth and clarity. Grounded in deep compassion for her clients, she approaches each matter with empathy and dedication, ensuring their voices are heard and their experiences understood. With more than two decades of litigation experience, Ms. Chesler has achieved significant verdicts and settlements, including one of the top ten employment verdicts in California in 2019. Much of her work focuses on advancing the rights of women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities, and on creating safer, fairer workplaces. In addition to her litigation practice, Ms. Chesler conducts workplace investigations and serves as a mediator on the panels for the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and Los Angeles Superior Court. She has been ranked among the nation’s Top Employment Lawyers by eBossWatch and selected for inclusion by Super Lawyers. Ms. Chesler also remains active in the legal community through the State Bar of California, the American Bar Association, and the Los Angeles County Bar Association, where she previously served on the Board of Trustees.

Labor Law

225 Ave I, Redondo Beach, CA 90277, USA

Pamela Teren founded Teren Law Group in October 2008. Pam graduated from UCLA in 1985 with a B.A. in political science. In 1987, Pam obtained an M.A. in history from California State University, Fullerton, while at the same time pursuing teaching credentials and substitute teaching at local high schools. She attended Loyola Law School from 1987-1990, obtaining her Juris Doctor in 1990 and graduating cum laude and order of the coif. Pam began her law career at Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker in its employment law department. At Paul Hastings, she learned to defend employment cases, representing only employers who had been sued. This experience has been critical to Pam's subsequent work representing employees. Pam was able to observe traps many employee plaintiffs enter, which lead to devastating results in their cases. She also learned strategies for defending cases, which allows her to approach the prosecution of employee's claims with the knowledge of how they will be defended. In all battles, knowing your opponent is essential to victory. Pam's experience representing both defendants and plaintiffs in employment litigation gives her and her clients this edge in litigation. In 1995, she co-founded the law firm Abrolat & Teren, LLP, which she co-operated until she opened Teren Law Group in October 2008. Pam enjoyed great success representing employees in employment litigation, achieving a success rate of over 90 percent in her cases. She also enjoys a perfect, zero losses record in defending motions for summary judgment on plaintiff's cases and has received plaintiff's verdicts in all but two of her trials. Pam's high energy and intensity, balanced with reasonableness and realism, and her ability to stay focused on the end result has been the formula to her success. Ms. Teren's aggressive but practical approach to her cases has created her excellent reputation for results-oriented representation and given her a wide referral base. Her referral base includes not only colleagues and former clients, but court personnel and most of her opposing counsel and their staff alike. Pam has also been a speaker/trainer for various seminars and training sessions on employment issues, including "Sexual Harassment Update" for the Lorman Business Center and "The Seven Deadly Sins of Sexual Harassment Investigations" for the California Employment Law Council. Pam has also testified as an expert witness in the area of employment litigation. She has the distinction of being selected for inclusion in California Super Lawyers annually since 2012, has been identified as a "Top Employment Attorney" by the Daily Journal and was named on of California's Top Women Attorneys by the Los Angeles Magazine.

Labor Law

500 Capitol Mall #2350, Sacramento, CA 95814, USA

Area of Practice: Employment & Discrimination Law Mrs. Kanda draws on experience to give plaintiffs strategic advantage in even the most complex employment discrimination cases. Parveen’s practice areas include employment discrimination and harassment claims, as well as cases involving wage and hour violations. Mrs. Kanda is committed to bringing excellent results to individuals who have been mistreated in the workplace. Parveen has represented clients who have recovered millions of dollars arising out of unpaid wages, workplace discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Mrs. Kanda received her B.A. from San Francisco State University and her J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law. During law school, she received multiple awards for her academic achievements. She interned with a non-profit organization specializing in civil rights and immigration in San Francisco where she was proud to engage members of the local community. Mrs. Kanda’s passion for employees began after she interned at the EEOC and participated as part of the EEOC’s outreach programs where she developed a desire to represent those who had been seriously injured or whose civil rights had been violated.

Labor Law

2292 Faraday Ave, Suite 100, Carlsbad, CA 92008

Patrick Keegan, the co-founder and managing partner of Keegan & Baker, LLP, has specialized in complex commercial litigation, including employment, securities, antitrust, consumer fraud litigation, identity theft, illegal telephone recording, Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Confidentiality of Medical Information Act, medical identity theft, wildfire & property damage, metal-on-metal hip implants & personal injury, and has successfully handled numerous complex commercial litigation matters for over 20 years. Mr. Keegan has also acted as co-class counsel and co-trial counsel, in a class action entitled Jason A. Park v. Cytodyne Technologies, Inc., Case No. GIC 768364, California Superior Court, San Diego County, (Judge Ronald L. Styn), asserting false advertising claims under the Unfair Competition Laws (California Business and Professions Code Sections 17200 and 17500) and the Consumer Legal Remedies Act (California Civil Code Section 1750). In Jason A. Park v. Cytodyne Technologies, Inc., Mr. Keegan brought a successful motion for class certification and, along with his co-counsel, obtained a judgment of $12,536,820.00 in restitution and additional prohibitive injunctive relief on behalf of the certified class after a 7 week trial in 2003.

Labor Law

3646 Long Beach Blvd, Suite 203, Long Beach, CA 90807

Paul Gleason has worked as an employment law attorney since receiving his law license in 1991. Mr. Gleason represents plaintiffs and defendants in employment related disputes involving all forms of discrimination (physical and mental disability, gender, sex, sexual orientation, age, race, pregnancy, and national origin), harassment, sexual harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, wage theft, wage and hour violations, and claims under California’s Private Attorney General Act (“PAGA”). Mr. Gleason is an experienced trial attorney and member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (“ABOTA”). Mr. Gleason routinely represents clients in state and federal court and has served as lead counsel in numerous jury trials on behalf of employers and employees. Before co-founding Gleason & Favarote, LLP, Mr. Gleason practiced at several large law firms including Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison, LLP, where he became a partner in 1988. Mr. Gleason was also a founding shareholder of the Los Angeles office of Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, LLC. Mr. Gleason received his law degree in 1991 from Loyola Law School and his undergraduate degree from California State University, Long Beach.

Labor Law

801 S Garfield Ave, 101, Alhambra, CA 91801-4440

Ray Hsu is an Alhambra employment attorney whose work at RH Labor Law Group PC includes representation of workers and employers. His practice centers on litigation under California and federal employment law, including jury trials. Unpaid wages and wage-and-hour disputes are among the matters he handles, alongside wrongful termination, sexual harassment and workplace discrimination. His practice description also covers trade-secret misappropriation, workplace privacy violations and retaliation for workplace injuries. Two entries in his firm biography identify matters in which Hsu served as both trial and appellate counsel: Cruz v. Fusion Buffet, Inc., in San Diego County, and Li v. CA Department of Industrial Relations, in Los Angeles County. The firm lists published appellate decisions from 2020 in both cases. Outside his casework, Hsu has spoken at employment-law seminars and volunteered in student mock trials. His biography records Zoom speaking engagements for the University of Southern California’s Bridges to Business Program during 2023–2025. It dates his service with the Constitutional Rights Foundation in Los Angeles to 2018–2025, when he scored mock trials and served as a mock-trial judge for senior and junior high divisions. That service included remote participation during COVID and in-person judging at Stanley Mosk Courthouse. Hsu’s listed professional affiliations include the Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association and the American Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Law Section. California admitted him to the bar on June 1, 2011; his State Bar profile lists his license as active.

Labor Law

2164 Brittan Avenue, San Carlos, CA 94070

Rebecca Stuart is a partner in Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati's employment law practice. Rebecca represents employers in federal and state court litigation and before administrative agencies regarding discrimination (including race, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, and disability), harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, wage and hour, wrongful termination, and numerous other types of employment law matters. In addition to her litigation practice, Rebecca consults with human resources professionals, executives, and board members on a daily basis regarding all aspects of the employment relationship. These issues include preventive personnel practices, enforceability of covenants not to compete, hiring practices, employee classification issues, employment contracts, wage and hour matters, independent contractor audits, family and medical leaves, workplace investigations (including those involving sexual harassment), terminations, and reductions in force. She also routinely advises companies on trade secret misappropriation issues—including employee raiding and solicitation matters and anti-competitive activity by former employees or company competitors—as well as counsels clients with respect to preventive measures designed to minimize the risks associated with hiring competitors' employees or addressing those employees who are leaving to join a competitor. She has reviewed and drafted numerous employment policies, including employee handbooks, vacation policies (both traditional and "unlimited" time off policies), and family and medical leave policies, as well as other standard employment documents, such as employment, release, and confidentiality agreements. In addition, Rebecca has considerable merger and acquisition experience, assisting clients in structuring corporate transactions to minimize employment-related risks and maximize the value of the transaction from an employment perspective, and has advised on more than 500 transactions ranging in value from $20 million to $19 billion. Her merger and acquisition practice consists of representing both buyers and sellers in large and small transactions, including cross-border and other complex transactions. Her practice includes mergers, acquisitions, IPOs, asset purchases, and financing. Rebecca also has significant international experience pertaining to employment issues in the M&A context, and she regularly represents buyers and sellers in transactions involving non-U.S. employees. Rebecca is a frequent speaker on employment matters, routinely providing training for clients and local bar associations on matters such as anti-harassment, bias in the legal and technology sectors, use of social media in employment, general management skills, and employment law in the M&A context.

Labor Law

9845 Erma Rd, San Diego, CA 92131, USA

Rene Potter is an attorney at PotterHandy – Employment Law Group, LLP, where she has dedicated her entire legal career to the representation of employees who have been discriminated or retaliated against, harassed, or otherwise denied their rights in the workplace. She received her B.A. in Psychology locally from California State University, San Marcos with a 4.0 before attending California Western School of Law on scholarship and earning her law degree, Magna Cum Laude, in 2014, winning oral argument competitions and receiving many honors and awards along the way. Ms. Potter has successfully litigated numerous cases, including: discrimination and harassment (involving race, gender, age, pregnancy, and others), sex harassment and assault in the workplace, retaliation, violations of medical leave law, disability discrimination in the workplace, wrongful termination, unfair business practices, and wage and hour (including unequal pay and PAGA).She is a member of NELA and CELA.

Labor Law

44 Montgomery Street, 38th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94104

Mr. Robert Carrol is a partner at Arent Fox and specializes in California Labor & Employment with an emphasis on several areas including the defense of complex wage-hour class actions, employment discrimination, unlawful harassment, unfair competition and non-competition, ADA Title III access, and trade secret and restrictive covenant matters. Mr. Carrol is affiliated with many professional associations and organizations including the International Wine Laywers Association (AIDV) where is a Board Member, as well as the Bar Association of San Francisco. In addition to being recognized for excellence in the practice of law by Lawyers of Distinction, Mr. Carrol has also earned any honors, awards and accolades including being acknowledged in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business for his employment and labor work and has earned an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale Hubbell. Mr. Carrol is admitted to The State of California Bar, The State of Texas Bar and The State of Washington Bar. He received his Juris Doctorate degree from Southern Methodist University School of Law.

Labor Law

27001 Agoura Rd suite 350, Calabasas, CA 91301, USA

Robert began his career by championing the rights of California employees as a Plaintiff’s-side employment law litigator. After gaining numerous years of experience as a litigator, winning numerous jury trials as a prosecutor, and recovering millions of dollars for California’s working class, Robert founded Payaslyan Law, P.C. in order to offer and provide a personalized approach to employment law litigation.

Labor Law

402 W Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101, USA

Since 2000, Ryan Blackstone-Gardner has practiced law in state, federal, bankruptcy and tribal courts in the areas of employment, business, intellectual property, and general civil litigation. He has extensive experience in every aspect of these areas of law, including all areas of discovery, mediation, law and motion, trial preparation and the trial of cases, as well as defending matters through binding arbitrations. The primary focus of Mr. Blackstone-Gardner’s current practice is the provision of wide-ranging legal services to employers, including publicly-traded and privately-owned businesses and public entities, defending businesses and helping them navigate against an array of legal claims involving wrongful termination, retaliation, harassment, discrimination, individual and class action wage and hour claims and claims brought under the Private Attorney General Act. He provides interactive counsel and training to clients regarding compliance with wage and hour laws, employee discipline, leaves of absence, and the creation and maintenance of company handbooks and policies to promote workplace cultures free of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. Mr. Blackstone-Gardner also assists employers and businesses in responding to agency charges and investigations, including those conducted by the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission, Department of Fair Employment &Housing, Labor Workforce Development Agency, Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, Employment Development Department, Franchise Tax Board, Department of Labor, Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board, and Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. He also provides guidance to clients to ensure compliance with public contracting, the Brown Act, HIPAA, Stark and anti-kickback statutes. As a registered patent attorney before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Mr. Blackstone-Gardner represents clients in preparing and prosecuting provisional and non-provisional patent and trademark applications and represents clients in trademark infringement and cancellation proceedings. Outside of the law, Mr. Blackstone-Gardner is actively involved with the Immaculata Parish on the University of San Diego Campus and the Notre Dame Club of San Diego and enjoys playing golf and watching college football and basketball with his friends and family.

Labor Law

28632 Roadside Drive, Suite 100, Agoura Hills, CA 91301

Timothy B. Sottile is an experienced litigator and trial attorney with the firm Sottile Baltaxe. Mr. Sottile has utilized his diverse background in complex business and employment litigation to obtain excellent results for his clients in difficult employment cases. Since 1994, Mr. Sottile's practice has focused on employment law. Mr. Sottile has published numerous legal articles, and served as a lecturer at the USC School of Law on trial advocacy, as well as making presentations to other attorneys regarding employment law. From 1997 to 2000, Mr. Sottile served on the Executive Committee of the California State Bar Labor and Employment Law Section. Mr. Sottile is active in the legal community, and is a member of the California Employment Lawyers Association, the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Bar Association, Ventura County Bar Association, and the Italian American Lawyers Association. He earned his B.A. from the University of British Columbia before attending Loyola Law Schoo, where he earned his J.D.

Labor Law

402 W Broadway ste 2600, San Diego, CA 92101, USA

Area of Practice: Labor and Employment Law Vincent Paul Sorrentino obtained his Bachelor's of Science in Civil Engineering from UCLA, where he played club baseball, leading the nation in regular season stolen bases and placing top 10 in multiple other stats. After trying his hand at some low-level pro baseball, he started his professional career as an engineer in San Diego, California. Vinny found he wanted to be able to help people more than he could as an engineer, so with the top scholarship--The Justice Anthony Kennedy Scholarship--at California Western School of Law, Vinny went on to graduate a semester early as Magna Cum Laude in the top 8 of his class. While attending law school, Vinny received the highest grade in the class in approximately 30% of his classes, wrote for his school’s Law Review Journal, and appeared in trial competitions as well as Superior Court trials as a Certified Law Clerk where he interned ? Vinny has worked for a Federal Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California and for attorneys in various practices ranging from Patent Prosecution to Personal Injury Litigation. The bulk of Vinny's early legal career was spent at a large firm in San Diego doing Labor & Employment defense litigation. ? Vinny is a licensed attorney in California, Arizona, and Nebraska as well as with the United States Patent & Trademark Office. ? Vinny has been a part of leadership of multiple firms and practicing at a high level in all areas of civil litigation since founding Sorrentino & Associates PC