Best Lawyers Near You in Irvine, California for Labor and Employment Law - Management
Employment Law Legal Guide 2025
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Tim Freudenberger is a Founding Partner at CDF Labor Law LLP (CDF), a California focused labor, employment and immigration defense law firm with five offices throughout the state. Freudenberger represents California and national employers in all aspects of labor and employment law and related litigation, with a special emphasis on defending class action wage and hour lawsuits, class action employment discrimination lawsuits, and other complex employment litigation matters. He heads CDF’...
James P. Carter is a principal in the Orange County, California, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. He counsels and defends employers in all aspects of employment law, including discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, retaliation, wage and hour claims, non-compete and trade-secret issues and claims, class action cases, breach of contract claims, disability accommodation, leave of absence, and workers' compensation issues. James represents clients in many industries including financial, bi...
Marie DiSante is the Firm Managing Partner at CDF Labor Law LLP (CDF), a California focused labor, employment and immigration defense law firm with five offices throughout the state. An employment litigation attorney whose dual role as a California business owner and entrepreneur allows her to understand her clients’ workplace challenges firsthand, Marie DiSante has been resolving and preventing disputes for employers for 28 years. Her active leadership in the business community shapes ...
Michael A. Gregg is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. Michael A., who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Lonnie Giamela is a partner in both the Los Angeles and Irvine offices. He represents a broad range of clients, from small businesses to national companies, in all sectors of manufacturing, retail, wholesale distribution, hospitality, education and the automotive industries. Lonnie has handled a full range of labor and employment matters, from single-plaintiff to multi-plaintiff, in both federal and state courts in California, the California Court of Appeals, the California Supreme Court and ...
Jim McDonald is managing partner of the Irvine office and a partner in the Los Angeles office. He is also the firm's marketing partner and chair of the firm's Development Committee. Jim tries employment cases before juries, judges and arbitrators. His practice especially focuses on executive terminations, workplace harassment and discrimination claims, the Americans with Disabilities Act, mental health issues in the workplace, and trade secrets and unfair competition matters. Jim also advises...
Michele L. Maryott is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Michele L., who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michele L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Leigh Ann White 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. In her two decades of defending and advising employers, White has successfully resolved complex litigation and disputes, ranging from individual claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour class actions, and trade secret allegations. When defending clients against these types of claims, White brings her f...
Samantha Hoffman serves as firm managing principal and is also a member of the board of directors. A long-trusted advisor to her clients and the firm, Samantha believes in mentoring and supporting junior lawyers to grow into leadership positions and continue helping Jackson Lewis be a leader among law firms breaking the “glass ceiling.” Samantha has worn many administrative hats at the firm, including office managing principal of the Orange County office, where she was responsible...
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...
Jonathan A. Siegel is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Labor Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Jonathan A., who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jonathan A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.