Best Lawyers in California, United States for Litigation - Labor and Employment
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Cities
Richard J. Frey is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Labor and Employment. Richard J., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Richard J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Nicole R. McAtee is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Labor and Employment. Nicole R., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Nicole R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Christopher W. Decker is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Labor and Employment. Christopher W., 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 Christopher W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Joan B. Tucker Fife is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Joan B. Tucker, who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Joan B. Tucker is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Steven Alvarado is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Labor and Employment. Steven, who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Steven is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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...
Warren Nelson is a partner in the firm's Irvine and Los Angeles offices. His practice emphasizes collective bargaining, defense of unfair labor practice charges, arbitrations, representation of employers in union organizing campaigns, occupational safety and health, and wage and hour law. Warren has over 30 years of labor and employee relations experience in unionized and non-unionized environments. He has negotiated over 250 labor agreements for employers, covering construction, manufacturin...
Alison Lynch is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Labor and Employment. Alison, who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Alison is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Linda is an experienced trial attorney, having tried close to 100 jury trials. She focuses on defending employers and individuals who are sued for wrongful termination, employment discrimination, and harassment. Linda has represented health care, legal, retail, and public sector employers for over 35 years. She frequently lectures to management groups, administrators, judges, and physician groups as well as various bar sponsored groups. She also serves as a volunteer court appointed mediator ...
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...
Richard S. Falcone is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Labor and Employment. Richard S., who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Richard S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jon Miller represents and counsels employers of all sizes in a range of employment and labor matters, often defending employers against lawsuits filed by former or current employees. He represents clients in the construction, retail, and technology industries before federal and state administrative agencies, including the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, the Department of ...
Randy Renick is a partner at Hadsell Stormer Renick & Dai LLP in Pasadena, California. His practice focuses on complex litigation and class action matters involving wage and hour , antitrust , employment, civil rights, and public interest litigation. His recognized practice areas include Employment Law - Individuals and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Mr. Renick has represented employees, consumers, and individuals in high-stakes litigation in state and federal courts. His experience i...
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...
Kurt A. Kappes is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Labor and Employment. Kurt A., 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 Kurt A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Philip Azzara is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Labor and Employment. Philip, who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Philip 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.