3,400+
Completed legal matters
California Labor Law Attorney for Businesses & Employers
Comprehensive Labor & Employment Counsel for California Employers.
Running a business in California means facing some of the nation’s most complex labor laws. We provide the sophisticated, employer-only counsel you need to protect your business, manage risk, and resolve disputes efficiently.
Employers only — never employees
1,520+
Businesses helped
20+
Lawyers & attorneys
96%
Client satisfaction
Trusted by 1,500+ companies in California. · Google reviews — 4.8 · Employers only — never employees
§ 01 — Claims we defend
Common claims we defend for California employers.
Our attorneys are adept at dissecting the nuances of each type of claim to build the strongest possible defense for your business.
01
Labor Board Hearings
Lab. Code § 98 (DLSE)
Representing employers in DLSE conferences and hearings to contest wage claims and minimize penalties.
Discuss it ↗
02
Harassment & Discrimination
Gov. Code § 12940 (FEHA)
Handling sensitive claims of illegal workplace conduct and defending your company’s reputation.
Discuss it ↗
03
Wrongful Termination
At-will · documented reasons
Building a strong defense to prove that termination decisions were lawful and based on legitimate business reasons.
Discuss it ↗
04
PAGA & Class Action Defense
Lab. Code § 2698 · CCP § 382
Implementing sophisticated strategies to defeat class certification and minimize exposure in high-stakes lawsuits.
Discuss it ↗
05
Compliance Counseling
Handbooks · policies · audits
Providing proactive advice on handbooks, policies, and audits to prevent legal problems before they arise.
Discuss it ↗
06
Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Courts · arbitration · mediation
Representing your interests in court, arbitration, or mediation to resolve disputes efficiently and effectively.
Discuss it ↗§ 02 — What is at stake
Why this demands an immediate, strategic response
For employers in Los Angeles, Orange County, and Riverside, staying compliant while managing a workforce effectively is a significant, everyday challenge.
Our firm is dedicated exclusively to representing employers — providing proactive counsel that prevents claims, and decisive representation when an agency notice or lawsuit arrives.
A notice for a hearing from the California Labor Commissioner’s Office (DLSE) is a serious matter that can lead to significant penalties if not handled correctly. Our firm defends employers in these critical proceedings — preparation and documentation decide them.
Lab. Code § 98
Berman hearings move fast
DLSE wage-claim hearings are informal, quick, and evidence-driven — employers who arrive unprepared lose winnable cases.
Prevention economics
Counsel is cheaper than claims
A handbook review or classification audit costs a fraction of defending a single claim it would have prevented.
One firm, one side
Employer-only counsel
We only represent management — every policy, agreement, and strategy is built from the employer’s side of the table.
§ 03 — How we defend it
Our strategy on these matters
01→
Risk Assessment
We map where your practices sit against current California requirements — classification, breaks, pay practices, leaves, and agreements.
02→
Fix & Document
We cure the gaps with compliant policies, agreements, and records — built to be evidence, not just paperwork.
03→
Represent
When an agency notice or claim arrives, we take over the response — DLSE hearings, CRD charges, and litigation.
04
Ongoing Counsel
We stay on call for the terminations, accommodations, and policy questions that arise every month in a California workforce.
§ 04 — Questions
Common questions on this matter
Q.01What is a Labor Commissioner (Berman) hearing?+
An administrative wage-claim proceeding under Labor Code § 98 — faster and less formal than court, but with real monetary consequences and a short appeal window. Employers should be represented; preparation and records usually decide the outcome.
Q.02How often should our handbook be reviewed?+
Annually. California adds or amends employment statutes almost every legislative session, and an out-of-date policy can convert a defensible situation into a violation.
Q.03Do you help before problems exist?+
That is most of what this practice area is: audits, handbooks, agreements, and day-to-day counsel that keep issues from ripening into claims at all.
Related practice areas
John FagerholmEmployer defense attorney · Licensed in California since 2001