California Wage and Hour Practice Defense of
Class, Collective and Representative Litigation
The Ongoing Challenge of Wage Litigation in California
High-stakes wage litigation continues to be among the most serious and ubiquitous threats faced by California employers. The number of class, collective and representative wage and hour cases, such as those brought under the California Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) and unfair competition law (UCL), continues to grow exponentially each year. New theories of recovery proliferate and routinely embroil employers in "gotcha" litigation based on obscure provisions of California's voluminous Labor Code and Wage Orders. These cases can pose staggering potential liabilities and involve legal challenges that put the continued viability of an employer's very business model at risk. For these reasons, the defense of such cases requires seasoned counsel with a record of success.
The Holland & Knight Answer: Experience, Knowledge and Efficiency
Holland & Knight attorneys have a well-deserved reputation for preeminence in the defense of high-stakes class, collective and representative wage and hour litigation. The firm's California lawyers have defended more than 200 such cases for some of the largest employers in the state. The many cases our attorneys have handled on appeal have helped shape California's wage and hour laws. We also have extensive knowledge of the courts, judges, plaintiffs' bar and mediators in the state who hear, prosecute and mediate these cases. Our hard-earned knowledge and broad-based experience, acquired over many years and in the defense of numerous matters, are the keys to our regularly achieving positive outcomes for our clients, while delivering real economic value through our use of alternative fee arrangements and state-of-the-art case management services.
The Holland & Knight Difference: What Sets Us Apart
Statewide Experience/Nationwide Support
Holland & Knight lawyers have received numerous honors for their defense of class, collective and representative wage and hour litigation. In fact, the firm's California attorneys have been recognized repeatedly by Best Lawyers in America , Chambers USA, Legal 500 , the Los Angeles Daily Journal and numerous other rating organizations for their abilities in several areas of California employment law. This statewide recognition is backed by the resources of one of the largest law firms in the U.S. Holland & Knight has approximately 2,200 lawyers and other professionals in 34 offices worldwide, and every one of our practitioners is able to call upon the collective wisdom, experience, industry knowledge and resources of the firm as a whole in a seamless and timely manner. Our "one firm" culture of collaboration and collegial support ensures that the full capabilities and resources of one of the nation's largest law firms are always there to support the defense of your lawsuit, wherever that lawsuit may be filed.
Ability to Go the Distance
Holland & Knight attorneys have defended class, collective and representative actions successfully through trial. Our California wage and hour practitioners also include skilled and experienced appellate advocates. These are attorneys who not only know the law but have often made the law relied on by other defense counsel. However short or protracted your case may be, Holland & Knight will work to defend your interests every step of the way.
State -of-the-Art Case Management
Holland & Knight prides itself on state-of-the-art case management in connection with complex litigation. We have made significant investments in technology, staff infrastructure and training to maximize efficiencies and cost savings in "big case" information storage, data searches and retrieval, e-discovery, workflows and advanced analytics. Class, collective and representative wage and hour litigation often involves significant challenges with respect to data retrieval, transmission and storage, and the failure to manage these challenges can result in spoliation controversies, improper disclosures of privileged information/documents, needless discovery disputes and costly inefficiencies. Through the use of our advanced technology stack and skilled support personnel, we are able to provide "in-house" case and data management services at a substantial discount compared to outside vendors, and in a manner that provides clients real-time access to the status, progress and costs of their cases.
Deep Industry Knowledge
Holland & Knight's California attorneys have defended employers in virtually all industry sectors, and we have extensive experience in the construction and infrastructure, energy, financial services, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, retail, gig-economy, technology and transportation industries. This experience translates into deep knowledge of the way in which employers within these industries operate. That knowledge includes the details of employee duties and responsibilities, supervision, timekeeping procedures and recordkeeping, compensation plans and policies, reimbursement protocols and other details no matter how minute. As a result, you won't waste time or resources teaching us about your business – we're likely to know it already inside and out.
Commitment to Value
Holland & Knight is committed to providing maximum value for its services. We often work with clients to customize fee arrangements, billing protocols and litigation budgets to facilitate transparency, predictability and cost efficiency. Our Client Value Team uses advanced metrics and other analytic tools to handcraft alternative fee arrangements for clients, and we can provide you real-time access to our performance against an agreed upon budget. Our No. 1 goal is to develop and maintain long-term relationships with our clients, and we know that a key to achieving this goal is the delivery of exceptional service at a fair price.
Our California Wage and Hour Team
Partners Linda Auerbach Allderdice, Thomas Hill and John Haney serve as the firm's wage and hour team leaders in California. Together, they possess more than 80 years of collective wage and hour experience. They lead a dedicated team of associates, paralegals and support personnel who have worked together on dozens of class, collective and representative actions in California and throughout the U.S.
Thomas E. Hill
Partner
Los Angeles
+1.213.896.2440
tom.hill@hklaw.com
John Haney
Partner | Los Angeles
+1.213.896.2542
john.haney@hklaw.com
Linda Auerbach Allderdice
Partner
Century City
+1.310.201.8917
San Francisco
+1.415.743.6982
linda.allderdice@hklaw.com