Los Angeles Employment Law 

Representation from a Civil Rights Firm

Founded in 1991 by Barbara Hadsell and Dan Stormer, Hadsell Stormer Renick & Dai LLP has spent over three decades litigating employment and civil rights cases against California’s most powerful employers and institutions. Our Los Angeles office serves employees throughout the region, and we exclusively represent workers, not the corporations or public entities on the other side.

We’ve served as lead counsel in more than 100 jury trials in state and federal courts and have recovered over one billion dollars on behalf of clients nationwide. U.S. News-Best Lawyers Best Law Firms ranks us Tier 1 in our fields. If you’re facing a workplace rights violation in Los Angeles, CA, our employment lawyers are prepared to take your case seriously.

Contact our Los Angeles employment lawyers at (626) 775-7870 to schedule a consultation and find out whether you have a claim.

Employment Law Cases We Handle in Los Angeles

California employees have strong protections under both state and federal law. The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) prohibits discrimination by employers with five or more employees and prohibits harassment in all workplaces, regardless of size. The California Family Rights Act (CFRA) protects leave rights. Federal statutes like Title VII provide an additional layer of coverage. When any of these laws are violated, we’re prepared to act.

We handle the full range of employment claims, including:

• Employment discrimination based on race, national origin, age, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and pregnancy
• Workplace harassment, including sexual harassment and race-based harassment
• Wrongful termination, including constructive discharge and severance negotiations
• Whistleblower retaliation in both private and public sector employment
• FMLA and CFRA violations, including denial of leave and retaliation for taking leave
• Wage and hour litigation
• Breach of employment contract, including for corporate executives and officers
• Class action lawsuits on behalf of groups of affected employees

Credentials & Recognition

Many of our attorneys hold AV Preeminent peer review ratings through Martindale-Hubbell, the highest available rating for professional excellence. Several have clerked for federal district or circuit court judges and graduated from top law schools. Our attorneys have been recognized by Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Employment Lawyers, and the National Trial Lawyers Top 100.

Our work extends beyond individual cases. We’ve litigated cutting-edge issues, including discrimination based on transgender status and on behalf of domestic violence victims, and we engage in community and educational efforts to advance civil rights alongside our litigation practice. Cases we’ve handled have contributed to lasting policy changes at major institutions.

Selected Results for Los Angeles Employees

Our track record in Los Angeles County courts reflects decades of work against major employers and public entities. These are some of the cases that define our practice:

• Martin v. Texaco Refining and Marketing, Inc. (Los Angeles County Superior Court, 1991): Dan Stormer obtained a $20.3 million verdict in a single-plaintiff gender discrimination case. The result remains one of the largest of its kind more than 30 years later.
• Tostado v. City of Los Angeles (2003): $1.3 million settlement for an LAPD officer wrongfully demoted on the basis of gender. It was described at the time as the largest such settlement in the City’s history.
• Schell v. City of Los Angeles (U.S. District Court, Central District, 2001): $4.3 million verdict for a civilian LAPD employee in a whistleblower case, with punitive damages awarded against the Chief of Police.
• Confidential arbitration (2020): $3,069,729.84 award, including $1,000,000 in punitive damages, for a senior global sales executive terminated for whistleblowing.
• Booker v. County of Los Angeles (Los Angeles County Superior Court, 2021): Settlement including payment and a full pension valued at over $1,500,000 for a fired Black employee.
• Murphy v. West Los Angeles College (Los Angeles County Superior Court, 2020): $795,000 settlement for a student worker with a disability who was sexually assaulted and harassed by a supervisor.
• Duchan v. Los Angeles Unified School District (Los Angeles County Superior Court, 2019): $499,999 settlement for an LAUSD art teacher who was suspended and publicly defamed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Does It Cost to Hire an Employment Lawyer in Los Angeles?

Employment attorneys who represent workers typically handle cases on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay nothing unless we recover money for you. There are no upfront fees to get started.

How Do I Know If I Have a Claim?

Not every unfair workplace situation is illegal. A valid claim generally requires that your employer violated a specific law, such as FEHA, Title VII, the CFRA, or a wage and hour statute. A consultation with our Los Angeles employment lawyers can help clarify whether what happened to you crosses a legal line.

Can I File a Claim After Leaving My Job?

Yes. California employees can pursue employment claims after their employment ends, provided the filing falls within the applicable statute of limitations. Deadlines vary by claim type, so it’s worth speaking with an attorney as soon as possible.

What’s the Difference Between Wrongful Termination and an Unfair Firing?

California is an at-will employment state, which means a termination can be unfair without being unlawful. Wrongful termination requires a legal violation, such as firing based on a protected characteristic or in retaliation for protected activity like reporting safety violations or discrimination.

Talk to a Los Angeles Employment Lawyer

We take on powerful wrongdoers on behalf of employees who’ve been discriminated against, harassed, retaliated against, or otherwise denied their legal rights. When you contact Hadsell Stormer Renick & Dai LLP, you’ll speak with attorneys who have litigated these cases at every level, from Los Angeles County Superior Court to the federal courts of appeal.

Call (626) 775-7870 or reach out online to schedule a consultation with our Los Angeles employment law attorneys. We’re ready to evaluate your situation, explain your options, and discuss how we can move your case forward.