Erin Denniston Leach, Counsel at our Orange County law office
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Erin Denniston Leach

Counsel
Biography

Erin Leach’s practice is concentrated in employment litigation and counseling. She provides clients with ongoing counseling on a wide range of personnel matters including hiring and termination decisions, employment agreements, policy drafting, wage and hour issues, and employee medical leave. Erin represents employers in state and federal courts and arbitration, as well as before administrative agencies, in disputes regarding wrongful termination, discrimination, sexual harassment, unfair competition, trade secrets, reasonable accommodation of disabilities, retaliation, wage and hour (individual and class actions), and other types of employment matters.

Credentials

Bar Admissions

  • California


Court Admissions

  • Supreme Court of California
  • United States District Court, All Districts of California


Education

  • University of California, College of the Law, San Francisco (J.D., cum laude)
    • Order of the Coif
  • Harvard University (B.A., Psychology, cum laude)
    • Academic All-Ivy
    • Academic All-District Second Team
    • All-Ivy Second Team
    • Volleyball – Co-Captain
Experience

Awards & Recognition

  • Southern California Super Lawyers®, Rising Stars Edition, Employment Litigation: Defense (2013-2016)
    • “The Top Women Attorneys in Southern California” Los Angeles Magazine (2016)

Representative Litigation

  • Defense of “whistleblower” actions on behalf of service and retail clients
  • Defense of wrongful termination, discrimination, and harassment actions on behalf of service and retail clients and management employees
  • Defense of wage and hour class action litigation on behalf of service and retail clients
  • Binding arbitration experience in retaliation, wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, fraud, and wage claim cases
  • Defended class and individual actions and advised trucking, busing, and logistics companies regarding application of the Federal Motor Carrier Act (FMCA)

Previous Professional Experience

  • Legal Services for Children, Intern (Fall 2004)
  • Adams, Esq., Law Clerk, Oakland, CA (Summer 2004)
  • Public Defender’s Office, Juvenile Division, Intern, San Francisco, CA (Summer 2004)
  • The Help Group, High School Special Education Teacher (2002-2003)

Professional Memberships and Activities

  • Orange County Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section
  • Athletes Touch

Community Involvement

  • Women Helping Women/Men to Work (WHW), Board of Directors

Representative Presentations and Publications