Louise Ann “Luzann” Fernandez is co-chair of the Labor and Employment practice group. Luzann is a fierce litigator with more than 30 years of experience who is retained by corporations, hospitals, and celebrities for high profile, high exposure cases. Luzann tackles any challenges facing her clients head on and is known for developing novel and out of the box theories to meet them.

Luzann is also active as an independent investigator, utilizing her litigation experience to investigate claims of discrimination, retaliation, harassment, and other corporate compliance issues.

In addition, Luzann is a volunteer mediator for the Central District of California Mediation/Conciliation program where she leverages her extensive experience to resolve conflicts.

Prior to joining the firm, Luzann was the founder and Chair of the Labor and Employment practice group at Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP. Luzann started her legal career as a field attorney at the National Labor Relations Board.

Education

  • George Washington University Law School, J.D.
  • Stanford University, A.B.

Professional Affiliations

  • Member, Executive Committee, Labor and Employment Law Section, State Bar of California (1987-1989)
  • Member, Labor and Employment Law Section, Los Angeles County Bar Association

Bar Admissions

  • State Bar of California
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • United States District Court for the Northern District of California
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of California
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of California
  • United States District Court for the Central District of California

Honors & Awards

  • Recognized in Best Lawyers in America®, Labor and Employment Law – Management, 2016-2021
  • Named as a “Super Lawyer,” by Los Angeles Magazine, 2004-2023
  • Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review, AV Rating
  • Recognized in “Best Lawyers in Southern California,” Los Angeles Magazine, 2015-2022
  • Recognized in “Women in Law,” Los Angeles Magazine, 2017-2019
  • Included in “Top Women Attorneys in Southern California,” Los Angeles Magazine, 2014-2018
  • Named by the Daily Journal as one of California Top Labor & Employment Lawyers, 2010, 2013

Representative Cases

  • Represented entertainment executive against false accusations of sexual assault. Obtained both a dismissal, seven-figure public settlement on a malicious prosecution case in favor of the executive, and a public apology in the New York Times.
  • Represented technology company in its litigation against C-Suite executives who misappropriated trade secrets and company resources to start a competing venture. Luzann was able to obtain jurisdiction over the foreign nationals which was pivotal to the case.
  • Defeated class certification on behalf of numerous clients.
  • Architect of strategy to hold a California executive of a global cosmetics company to his non-solicitation and non-compete.
  • Obtained judgment against a Plaintiff’s lawyer on behalf of a technology company who failed to return documents to the Company post-litigation.
  • Obtained summary judgment on behalf of a global cosmetics company, thus eliminating the risk of class certification.
  • Argued en banc before Ninth Circuit on National Labor Relations Act preemption issues.

Publications & Speaking Engagements

  • The Twenty Ninth Annual Labor and Employment Law Symposium: Effective Advocacy in Employment Arbitrations: The Experts Tell You What Works and What Works Against You
  • Legal Update for the Professional and Human Resources Association: Contingent Workforce Issues
  • Presentation: Sexual Harassment in the Workplace – Louise Ann Fernandez
  • University of California Los Angeles Entertainment Symposium: Rush to the Future: New Rights and Wrongs in the Entertainment Industry
  • Labor & Employment New Year Round-Up: What to Expect in 2020
  • Labor & Employment 2018 Legislative Round-Up: What to Expect in 2019
  • New Law Prohibits California Employers From Asking Applicants About Salary History
  • CLIENT ALERT: 2017 Criminal Background Laws
  • Corporate Law Winter 2010 Newsletter: Employee Monitoring in an Electronic Age

Practice Areas