Best Lawyers in California, United States for Labor Law - Management
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Cities
Chris Hoffman is the founding and managing partner of the San Diego office. He has represented hundreds of employers in matters ranging from class action litigation, to traditional labor matters and general employment advice. While litigation remains a significant portion of his practice, Chris also spends a significant amount of time counseling clients regarding day-to-day employment issues and assisting them to find practical and proactive solutions to their legal problems. Chris was select...
Matthew B. Golper serves as a trusted advisor, litigator, and business partner to employers of all sizes, ranging from startups to Fortune 500 businesses, in all aspects of employment law and related litigation. Matt’s litigation practice is focused on providing employers with aggressive, but goal-oriented, representation in complex wage-hour matters, including class, collective, and PAGA representative actions. He also regularly defends employers in discrimination, harassment, retaliat...
James C. Fessenden is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. James C., who practices law in San Diego, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which James C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Judy Keyes is a labor and employment lawyer who partners with employer-clients to navigate the complex system of laws and regulations that govern the California workplace. She is recognized for her "out-of-the-box" thinking and ability to solve complex human resources and labor relations problems in effective and efficient ways. She counsels clients on how to avoid and respond to discrimination, harassment and retaliation claims; comply with wage and hour laws (e.g., exempt vs. nonexempt, ind...
Steven B. Katz is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Steven B., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Steven B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Ivy Kagan Bierman’s practice includes the representation of entertainment and related companies in labor, production, distribution, technology and other business matters. She handles both transactional and litigation matters for clients. Ivy is one of a select few entertainment industry labor lawyers looked to for representation in guild and union matters by film and television production companies, digital companies and networks, cable networks, public broadcasting companies, distribut...
Shannon Bettis Nakabayashi is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. Shannon Bettis, who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Shannon Bettis is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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...
Ms. Kosch joined the firm in 1994 and is a partner in the Employment Law Practice Group. Her practice emphasizes the litigation of harassment, discrimination, wrongful termination, and wage and hour matters, including class action defense. In addition to litigation, she regularly counsels employers on employment-related issues that range from hiring to firing of employees, writing and reviewing policies and handbooks, analyzing adverse impact and advising employers on mass layoffs, conducting...
John Polson is a partner in the Irvine office and a member of the firm's Management Committee. He represents employers and staffing industry clients in all aspects of labor and employment law, including transactional matters, litigation, compliance advice and audits, executive and management training, and other employment related legal matters. John handles administrative and civil employment litigation matters, including arbitrations, in California and elsewhere. John has particular expertis...
Ryan H. Nell is an employment attorney responsible for representing California employers statewide in both counseling and comprehensive litigation support. With the ever-changing landscape of California and federal employment law, Ryan prides himself on assisting clients in staying ahead of the curve in an effort to avoid legal trouble before it arises. He has extensive experience representing clients in harassment, retaliation, and discrimination matters, as well as large-scale wage and hour...
Anthony J. Oncidi is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Anthony J., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2005. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Anthony J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Keith Jacoby represents employers in all types of employment litigation, acting as trial counsel and obtaining defense verdicts in both class action and single defendant cases. He has prosecuted and defended theft of trade secret claims in state and federal court and has extensive experience representing employers and insurers in welfare benefit matters governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. Among his notable successes, Keith obtained defense verdicts in a whistleblower/frau...
Frank M. Liberatore is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Frank M., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Frank M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Cary Palmer is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Cary, who practices law in Sacramento, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Cary is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Corey J. Cabral is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Corey J., who practices law in Sacramento, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Corey J. 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.