Best Lawyers Near You in Orange, California for Litigation - Labor and Employment
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...
Ryan D. Wheeler is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Litigation - Labor and Employment. Ryan D. practices law in Irvine, California Best Lawyers has recognized Ryan D. Wheeler since 2025. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Ryan D. Wheeler is held by other lawyers.
Morgan Ricketts is a partner at Hadsell Stormer Renick & Dai LLP in Pasadena, California, where her practice focuses on civil rights litigation , labor and employment litigation, police misconduct cases, and trial advocacy. She represents individuals in state and federal courts involving workplace disputes, constitutional rights violations, wrongful arrest, excessive force, and other complex civil litigation matters. Before joining Hadsell Stormer Renick & Dai LLP, Ms. Ricketts worked...
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...
Senior Lawyer Douglas Winter practices in all areas of civil litigation, including employment, personal injury, civil rights, business torts and disputes, consumer litigation, intellectual property and real estate. He has nearly 30 years of trial and appellate experience in both state and federal courts, and has successfully tried dozens of cases to verdict.In the last five years alone, Mr. Winter has obtained, along with Partner Matthew McNicholas, one eight-figure and multiple seven-figure ...
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...
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...
Megan Cooney is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Litigation - Labor and Employment. Megan practices law in Irvine, California Best Lawyers has recognized Megan Cooney since 2025. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Megan Cooney is held by other lawyers.
Michael G. Balmages, Esq. is a mediator and discovery referee with decades of experience in civil litigation, corporate counsel matters, and transactional law. Based in Irvine, California, and serving through ADR Services, Inc. , Mr. Balmages works with parties and counsel to resolve complex disputes across a broad range of matters, including Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Real Estate. He has participated in the resolution of more than 1,500 cases and is known for his practical approa...
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,...
Cheryl Schreck is a partner in the firm’s Los Angeles office. She regularly defends employers in complex employment litigation including class and collective wage and hour and discrimination actions, as well as single and multi-plaintiff actions involving employment discrimination, harassment and retaliation, wrongful termination and wage and hour claims. Cheryl represents employers from case inception through trial or arbitration. She has represented clients in multiple jury and bench ...
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.
