IRVINE, Calif. /California Newswire/ — CDF Labor Law LLP (CDF) proudly congratulates seven partners who were recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© for 2022 and four associates who were recognized in the 2022 Best Lawyers in America© “Ones to Watch” for various employment-related practice areas from metropolitan areas throughout California. In addition, Founding Partner Tim Freudenberger was named by Best Lawyers as the 2022 “Lawyer of the Year” in Class Actions – Defense, in Irvine, California for the third time.
Attorneys on the Best Lawyers list are divided by geographic region and practice areas. They are reviewed by their peers on the basis of professional expertise and undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in good standing.
According to Best Lawyers, recognition by “Ones to Watch” is also based entirely on peer review for attorneys who are in their earlier stages of their careers and have achieved outstanding professional excellence in private practice.
Only one lawyer is recognized by Best Lawyers for “Lawyer of the Year” based on the highest overall peer-feedback in their specific practice area and geographic region.
CDF’s 2022 Best Lawyers in America (in alphabetical order):
Marie D. DiSante (Employment Law – Management and Litigation – Labor and Employment, Irvine, CA). Marie co-founded CDF in 1994 and has helped grow the firm to five offices throughout California – supported by close to 45 attorneys. Marie continually positions her clients at the forefront of emerging and unprecedented class action litigation in the state, and her dual role as a California business owner and entrepreneur allows her to understand client workplace challenges firsthand.
Tim M. Freudenberger (Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Class Actions – Defense, Irvine, CA and Lawyer of the Year in Class Actions – Defense, Irvine, CA). Tim leads the firm’s class action practice with a focus on wage and hour issues and PAGA actions. Tim helped shape class certification and trial principles in exemption cases with a successful California Supreme Court decision in the case of Duran v. U.S. Bank Nat. Assn., 59th Cal. 4th 1 (2014). He cemented this victory when he again defeated class certification after the case was remanded to the trial court, which was affirmed on appeal in a decision that discussed the weaknesses and unreliability of survey methodology in these types of exemption cases, Duran v. U.S. Bank, 19 Cal.App.5th 630 (2018). Tim was also named the 2022 “Lawyer of the Year” in Class Actions – Defense in Irvine, CA for the third time by Best Lawyers.
Brent M. Giddens (Litigation, Labor & Employment – Los Angeles, CA). Brent’s practice focuses on defending employers in class actions, as well as individual actions, before California state and federal courts. His clients cover a wide variety of industries and include large national employers as well as small businesses. He has also served as lead defense counsel in numerous NLRB trial proceedings, organization drives, and has extensive experience negotiating collective bargaining agreements.
Mark S. Spring (Employment Law – Management and Litigation – Labor and Employment, Sacramento, CA). Mark leads the firm’s traditional labor law practice and his practice focuses on management representation in union-management relations and employment-related litigation. He has successfully battled and negotiated against a variety of unions, including Teamsters, UFCW, IBEW, Laborers, SEIU and Stationary Engineers. Additionally, he has a successful record representing elected officials, public figures, athletes and executives in sexual harassment lawsuits and other high-profile matters. In 2021, Mark was named by Best Lawyers as Sacramento “Lawyer of the Year” in the Employment Law – Management category.
Leigh A. White (Class Actions – Defense, Irvine, CA). Leigh focuses her practice on complex litigation and dispute resolution, ranging from workplace discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wage and hour class actions. With over 25 years defending California employers, she has a proven record of defeating class certification, obtaining favorable settlements, and representing employers at high-stakes trials. She partners with clients in developing business goals and strategies and works closely with employer human resources departments to navigate multifaceted employment law issues in California. In 2020, Leigh was named by Best Lawyers as Orange County “Lawyer of the Year” in Class Actions – Defense category.
Joel M. Van Parys (Employment Law – Management and Litigation – Labor and Employment, Sacramento, CA). Joel represents management in all aspects of the employer/employee relationship. This includes litigation defense of claims for wrongful termination, discrimination and harassment, retaliation, wage and hour violations, employee misclassification, with an emphasis on independent contractor claims and Unfair Competition.
Nicole A. Legrottaglie (Employment Law – Management and Litigation – Labor and Employment, Sacramento, CA). Nicole’s practice focuses on defending a broad range of employment claims, including class actions and single plaintiff claims of discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wrongful termination, and wage and hour litigation. Additionally, Legrottaglie has significant experience in traditional labor law.
CDF’s 2022 Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch” (in alphabetical order):
Allison O. Chua (Litigation – Labor and Employment, Los Angeles, CA). Allison represents and advises employers in all areas of labor and employment law. In particular, she has extensive experience defending employers against claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and wage and hour disputes in state and federal courts and before administrative agencies. Allison also has experience litigating cases involving misappropriation of trade secrets and unfair competition.
Brian E. Cole II (Labor and Employment Law – Management and Litigation – Labor and Employment, Irvine, CA). Brian has extensive experience with employment litigation involving claims of wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, unfair competition, and wage and hour violations. He also has experience in defending companies of all sizes against class and PAGA actions.
Cody T. Stroman (Labor and Employment Law – Management and Litigation – Labor and Employment, San Francisco, CA). Cody’s practice focuses on representing employers in class, collective, and representative actions. In addition to Cody’s litigation practice, he advises clients on ways to proactively avoid litigation and comply with California’s complex employment laws.
Alessandra C. Whipple (Labor and Employment Law – Management, Irvine, CA). Alessandra is experienced in advising and defending various employment disputes involving claims of wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination and retaliation, breach of contract, unfair competition, trade secrets, and whistleblower claims. Her practice includes providing significant pragmatic day-to-day advice and counseling to companies on how to navigate California’s ever-changing labor and employment law landscape.
About CDF Labor Law LLP
For over 25 years, CDF Labor Law LLP has distinguished itself as one of the top labor, employment and immigration law firms in California, representing employers in single-plaintiff and class action lawsuits and advising employers on related legal compliance and risk avoidance. The firm has five offices throughout California – in Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego. For more information, visit: http://www.cdflaborlaw.com/ and find CDF on LinkedIn or Twitter to learn more about how the firm protects California employers. For access to timely alerts on the latest California labor and employment law developments, sign-up for the firm’s blog by visiting: http://www.cdflaborlaw.com/.
Learn More: https://www.cdflaborlaw.com/
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