Defending California employers against employment claims.
Wrongful termination, retaliation, wage-and-hour, whistleblower, discrimination. Phase-priced flat fees so the defense isn't more expensive than the underlying claim.
California's employment-claim landscape is the most aggressive in the country. The FEHA, the Cal Lab Code, PAGA, the EEOC, the DLSE — there are more ways for an employee or former employee to bring a claim against a California employer than anywhere else. Most employers eventually face one.
We defend employment claims with the same phase-priced model as our civil-litigation work: pre-filing assessment, pleadings, motion practice, trial prep, trial. Each phase scoped, quoted, and only billed if the matter reaches it.
Where transactional work pays off
If you came in for handbook drafting, contractor classification, or termination structuring before the claim was filed, the defense is faster. Documentation that exists is more useful than documentation that has to be reconstructed under deposition pressure.
What we handle.
Wrongful termination
Defense against wrongful-termination and constructive-discharge claims. At-will doctrine, public-policy exceptions, and where California courts have moved.
See the serviceRetaliation claims
FEHA, Cal Lab Code, and federal-statute retaliation claims. The protected-activity prong is where most retaliation claims live or die.
See the serviceUnpaid wages claims
DLSE wage-and-hour claims, meal/rest break litigation, off-the-clock work claims, misclassification disputes. PAGA exposure when applicable.
See the serviceWhistleblower claims
Cal Lab Code §1102.5 whistleblower claims and federal Sarbanes-Oxley / Dodd-Frank claims. Strict California protections and short windows.
See the serviceEmployment discrimination
FEHA discrimination defense — race, sex, age, disability, pregnancy, religion. EEOC right-to-sue letters and the path through DFEH.
See the serviceWork the math yourself first.
Quick-and-honest answers before the conversation starts. Free, no email required.
Wizard
1099 vs. W-2 — ABC test wizard
California's ABC test (Lab. Code § 2775) plus the AB 5 / AB 2257 carve-outs to a recommendation.
OpenCalculator
Final paycheck deadline & waiting-time penalty
Cal. Lab. Code §§ 201–203 — when wages are due and what § 203 penalties apply if late.
OpenEstimator
PAGA exposure estimator
Estimate Private Attorneys General Act exposure under Lab. Code § 2699 (post-2024 reform).
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Civil deadline calculator
Forward + motion modes. Court holidays, weekend roll-forward, and CCP citations on every step.
OpenReference
Statute of limitations finder
Search 22 California civil claim types for the filing deadline, with CCP citation and clock-trigger rule.
Open
Tell us what you're facing.
Litigation matters use the case-evaluation form so we can run conflicts before you share anything confidential. Transactional matters start with a short discovery call.