Erin Denniston Leach, Partner at our Orange County law office
Erin Denniston Leach vcard
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Erin Denniston Leach

Partner
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, disciplinary action, employment agreements, independent contract agreements, policy drafting, wage and hour issues, durability accommodations and the interactive process, addressing internal complaints, employee leaves of absence, and employee v. independent contractor clarification. Erin represents employers in state and federal courts and arbitration, as well as before administrative agencies, in disputes regarding wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, unfair competition, trade secrets, reasonable accommodation of disabilities, leaves of absence, wage and hour (individual and class/PAGA actions), misclassification, 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)
  • Harvard University (B.A., Psychology, cum laude)
    • 4 Year Volleyball
Experience

Awards & Recognition

  • Southern California Super Lawyers (2025)
  • 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 manufacturing, service and retail clients
  • Defense of wrongful termination, discrimination, and harassment actions on behalf of manufacturing, service and retail clients and management employees
  • Defense of wage and hour class action/PAGA 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

Representative Presentations and Publications