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Class Action & PAGA Lawsuit Defense in Los Angeles
Aggressive Class Action & PAGA Defense.
Protecting your business from high-stakes wage-and-hour and PAGA lawsuits with sophisticated, trial-tested defense strategies. A class action is one of the most serious legal threats a California employer can face — we are here to mount your defense.
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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
PAGA “Sue for All” Power
Lab. Code § 2698 et seq.
A single employee can sue on behalf of all current and former employees, turning one complaint into a company-wide crisis.
Discuss it ↗
02
No Certification Needed for PAGA
Contrast: CCP § 382
Unlike class actions, PAGA claims don’t need a judge’s approval to proceed, making them easier and faster for plaintiffs’ attorneys to file.
Discuss it ↗
03
Massive PAGA Penalties
Per employee · per pay period
PAGA focuses on recovering steep civil penalties per employee, per pay period, which can quickly reach catastrophic levels.
Discuss it ↗
04
Systemic Class Action Claims
Code Civ. Proc. § 382
Class actions are typically filed over systemic issues like meal break or overtime policies that affect your entire workforce.
Discuss it ↗
05
High Bar for Class Certification
The pivotal early fight
A judge must certify that all employees have enough in common to sue together, providing a critical early opportunity for a strong defense.
Discuss it ↗
06
“All or Nothing” Financial Risk
Exposure discipline
The potential damages in a certified class action can be immense, creating significant pressure to settle even when the claims are weak.
Discuss it ↗§ 02 — What is at stake
Why this demands an immediate, strategic response
Class action and PAGA lawsuits represent one of the most significant threats to California businesses: systemic claims over policies that touch the entire workforce, with “all or nothing” financial risk.
Unlike class actions, PAGA claims do not require a judge’s certification to proceed — which is why they are the plaintiff bar’s vehicle of choice. The defenses are different, and they are specific.
Our approach is to dismantle these cases structurally: defeat certification, compel individual arbitration where agreements allow, attack standing and notice, invoke cure provisions, and force realistic trial plans — reducing catastrophic exposure to a resolvable number.
Defense goal 01
Defeating Class Certification
Our primary goal is to show that the claims are not suitable for class treatment, stopping the lawsuit before it gains momentum.
Defense goal 02
Limiting Scope and Exposure
We use strategic motions and data analysis to limit the size of the potential class and the number of claims, dramatically reducing your financial risk.
Defense goal 03
Leveraging PAGA-Specific Defenses
We utilize every available defense unique to PAGA, including challenging the plaintiff’s standing and using statutory “cure” provisions to eliminate penalties.
§ 03 — How we defend it
Our strategy on these matters
01→
Emergency Assessment
PAGA notices and class complaints are deadline machines. We assess claims, agreements, and cure windows immediately.
02→
Structural Attack
Certification opposition, arbitration motions, standing and manageability challenges — aimed at the case’s architecture, not just its allegations.
03→
Exposure Discipline
We model penalties realistically and litigate the stacking assumptions, converting headline demands into defensible numbers.
04
Resolution & Prevention
Where resolution is right, we negotiate from the strength the structural attack created — then fix the practices that invited the claim.
§ 04 — Questions
Common questions on this matter
Q.01We received a PAGA notice. How fast do we need to act?+
Immediately. The LWDA notice starts short statutory windows — including cure periods for certain violations that can eliminate penalties entirely if used in time. This is the most deadline-sensitive claim type in California employment law.
Q.02What is the difference between a class action and a PAGA claim?+
A class action seeks damages for a certified class and must pass certification under CCP § 382. A PAGA action seeks civil penalties on the state’s behalf and requires no certification — but carries its own standing, notice, and manageability defenses.
Q.03Can arbitration agreements help against these claims?+
Often, significantly. Enforceable individual arbitration agreements can compel individual claims out of court and reshape representative litigation — though this area of law moves quickly and agreements must be current.
Related practice areas
John FagerholmEmployer defense attorney · Licensed in California since 2001