Littler Mendelson PC - The Who's Who Legal 100 2012

What is the Who's Who Legal 100?

In 70 years the firm has built up a sterling reputation and it now counts 790 full time lawyers among its ranks – making it the largest US-based law firm practising management labour and employment exclusively. The sheer size of the firm offers clients an unsurpassed breadth of expertise and it is continually developing its practice groups in line with new technologies and current issues. Currently the firm aims to develop its practice groups for e-discovery, healthcare, ERISA litigation, class actions and whistleblowing.

With 56 offices including offices in Venezuela and Mexico, the firm is committed to growing in size and international reach to meet client demands for multinational labour and employment advice. The past year alone saw the firm open four more offices in the US, two offices in Mexico and form a strategic alliance with TransAsia Lawyers in China.

The San Francisco office emerges as the best represented in our research with five of its lawyers selected for inclusion. Garry Mathiason is chairman of the board at Littler and supervises employment and labour litigation matters. His recent work has included defending lawyers in wage and hour and discrimination class actions cases and he is noted in our research for his “impressive abilities”. Margaret Hart Edwards is also a “talented litigator” with a vast range of experience covering discrimination, retaliation and class action cases. In addition to her contentious work, she is “valued” by clients for her compliance counselling. Wesley Fastiff is a “notable practitioner” and chairman emeritus of the board. Fastiff is “well known” in the field and his expertise covers union representation and recognition, discrimination, wrongful terminations as well as arbitration and litigation.

In the New York office, Philip Berkowitz is co-chair of the firm’s international employment law practice group and specialises in advising multinational companies regarding their global employment practices. Johann Lubbe is “excellent” according to our sources and focuses on providing strategic advice and counselling to multinational companies. He is particularly known for his data privacy “know-how”.

In Chicago, Barry Hartstein is a “pre-eminent” practitioner with a longstanding reputation for his contentious and non-contentious work. Hartstein heads the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s core practice group at the firm. Grady Murdock focuses his practice on clients in the transportation, health-care, retail, distribution and manufacturing industries and has more than 35 years’ experience representing clients in individual and class actions.

Peter Susser, based in Washington, DC, is a “great talent” and “highly valued” by clients. He specialises in advising global companies on their HR policies and workplace issues and is chair of the international employment and labour law practice group at the firm.

Two lawyers represent the Mexico offices. Oscar de la Vega Gomez is a “distinguished practitioner” in the field with a “far-reaching” reputation while Enrique Garcia-Conde is “top notch” and specialises in labour litigation, social security and immigration.

Littler is an active member of its local communities and its lawyers take pride in helping those who cannot afford legal assistance. In addition, lawyers at the firm are involved in a variety of not-for-profit organisations and bar associations, including Design That Matters, which creates products to improve the services of social enterprises in developing countries, and Life Skills which serves individuals with mental disabilities.

Littler Mendelson PC is a premier labour and employment boutique. The firm has enjoyed an impressive rate of growth and success over the past 70 years and looks set to continue apace with its determined commitment to serving clients and increasing its international reach.