Fired for the wrong reason in Anchorage? Know your rights.
Top 7 Wrongful Termination Lawyers in Anchorage, AK (2026)
Alaska is at-will, but a firing can still be illegal — for discrimination, for retaliation, or under the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing that Alaska courts uniquely recognize. An Anchorage wrongful-termination lawyer can tell you which side of that line your case falls on, often on contingency.
Updated October 25, 202512 min readEditorially independent
Alaska is an at-will state, which means an employer can usually end the relationship without giving a reason. But at-will has real limits in Alaska — more than in many states. If you were fired for reporting discrimination or a safety violation, for taking protected leave, for filing a workers' compensation claim, or because of your race, sex, age, disability, religion, marital status, or pregnancy, that firing may be illegal, and an Anchorage wrongful-termination lawyer can take it on.
Two bodies of law do most of the work here. The Alaska Human Rights Act (AS 18.80) bars discrimination and retaliation and is enforced by the Alaska State Commission for Human Rights. And Alaska is one of a handful of states whose courts read an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing into every employment relationship — so a termination that is dishonest, or that treats you unequally compared with similar employees, can cross the line even without a written contract. Damages can include lost wages, emotional distress, and in serious cases punitive damages.
Deadlines are short. A complaint with the Alaska State Commission for Human Rights generally must be filed within 300 days of the firing, and tort claims carry a two-year statute of limitations, so the firms below urge fired workers to call early while evidence and witnesses are fresh. Every firm listed is confirmed through Super Lawyers, Justia, Avvo, or its own verified Anchorage practice and case record.
How we picked these 7: We cross-referenced peer rankings and directories (Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell, Justia, Expertise.com, FindLaw) and each firm's own published practice pages. Every firm below appeared in at least two independent sources and has a verifiable Anchorage-area wrongful termination practice. We do not accept payment for placement, and we do not write sponsored reviews. More on our methodology →
1
Dillon Findley & Simonian, P.C.
Anchorage, AK – 1049 W 5th Ave, Ste 100Founded 1990$2.3M retaliation verdict
Practice focus: Wrongful termination, employment discrimination and harassment, retaliatory discharge, Alaska Wage and Hour Act claims, and labor grievances
Dillon Findley & Simonian was founded in 1990 as an Alaska litigation firm and handles employment cases in state and federal court, including a $2.3 million verdict for a fired Anchorage police lieutenant on a retaliation claim. Shareholders Jessica Dillon, Margaret 'Meg' Simonian, and John Wood lead a practice with deep familiarity with local courts and judges.
Why they made the list: A proven trial firm with an eight-figure employment verdict on the board — the kind of record that moves settlements.
Practice focus: Wrongful termination, employment discrimination and harassment, breach of employment contract, and labor disputes
Guess & Rudd P.C. is an Anchorage firm whose lawyers represent clients in a wide range of employment and labor litigation, including wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, and breach of contract. The firm offers confidential consultations on Alaska employment matters.
Why they made the list: A long-established Anchorage firm covering the full sweep of employment and contract disputes.
Practice focus: Wrongful termination, retaliation, hostile work environment, discrimination, sexual harassment, and breach of employment contract
Cusack Law helps Anchorage residents with employment disputes and represents plaintiffs in claims ranging from breach of contract and retaliation to hostile work environment, discrimination, and sexual harassment. The firm focuses on the employee side of these disputes.
Why they made the list: A plaintiff-side practice built around fired and mistreated workers, not employers.
Practice focus: Wrongful termination, employment discrimination, retaliation, and labor and employment disputes
JDO Law represents plaintiffs in Alaska employment matters and obtained a jury verdict in excess of $750,000 for a former airline pilot who suffered gender discrimination. The firm litigates discrimination and termination claims for Anchorage workers.
Why they made the list: A plaintiff firm with a six-figure discrimination verdict — willing and able to take a case to a jury.
Anchorage, AKFounded 1975Employment & union matters
Practice focus: Wrongful discharge, employment law, union and personnel-policy issues, and related labor matters
Founded in 1975, Kemppel, Huffman and Ellis is a long-running Anchorage firm that handles employment law, including wrongful discharge, union issues, and personnel policies. The firm brings decades of Alaska labor and employment experience.
Why they made the list: One of Anchorage's oldest firms, with deep roots in Alaska labor and employment law.
Practice focus: Wrongful termination, workplace discrimination, unpaid compensation and overtime, and employment class actions
Seaver & Wagner has represented Anchorage clients since 2002, offering counsel to employees denied compensation such as overtime, litigating workplace-discrimination matters, and pursuing class actions against employers. The firm handles both individual and group employment claims.
Why they made the list: Useful where a firing overlaps with unpaid wages or a broader pattern affecting multiple employees.
Practice focus: Employment law, wrongful termination, discrimination, and labor matters
Landye Bennett Blumstein LLP maintains a labor and employment practice in Anchorage, handling employment disputes including wrongful termination and discrimination. The established regional firm represents clients across Alaska employment matters.
Why they made the list: A full-service regional firm with a dedicated labor and employment group.
Tell us how you were fired and what led up to it, and we'll connect you with one of these Anchorage employment attorneys for a confidential review.
How to choose between them in Anchorage
Hire a firm that tries employment cases. Wrongful-termination claims settle in the shadow of trial. An Anchorage firm with real jury and arbitration results gets an employer's attention in a way a firm that only sends letters does not. Ask about verdicts and awards, not just filings.
Confirm the firm represents employees. Some Anchorage firms defend employers. You want one that regularly represents fired workers, knows the Alaska Human Rights Act, and understands how local companies and the State defend these cases.
Ask about the fee structure up front. Employee-side termination cases are often taken on contingency or a hybrid hourly-plus-contingency arrangement, with costs advanced. Get the percentage and any hourly component in writing, and confirm what you owe if the case is lost.
Look for Alaska Human Rights Commission experience. Most claims pass through the Alaska State Commission for Human Rights or the EEOC before any lawsuit. A firm that handles these filings routinely will protect your deadlines and build the administrative record correctly.
Ask how they read your facts. A candid lawyer will tell you early whether your firing looks illegal or merely unfair — at-will means many bad firings are still legal. You want that honest read before you invest months, not after.
Judge responsiveness and trust. These cases run a year or more and involve painful workplace details. Choose a firm that returns calls, explains each stage, and treats you as a person rather than a file number.
What wrongful termination help typically costs in Anchorage
Most Anchorage wrongful-termination lawyers structure fees so you are not paying out of pocket while the case is pending. Here is how the money typically works:
Free or low-cost consultation: Most employee-side firms review your firing at no charge or for a modest fee. Bring your offer letter, handbook, termination notice, and any emails or texts.
Contingency fee: Commonly around 33% to 40% of any recovery, with the percentage sometimes rising if a lawsuit is filed or the case goes to trial. You pay the fee only from money the firm collects for you.
Hybrid or hourly: Some Alaska firms charge a reduced hourly rate (often $300 to $450) against a retainer, sometimes combined with a smaller contingency. Ask which model a firm uses for a case like yours.
Costs advanced: Filing fees, depositions, and experts are usually fronted by the firm and repaid from any recovery. At reputable firms you owe nothing if there is no recovery.
What you can recover: Lost wages and benefits, emotional-distress damages, and — where the employer acted with malice or reckless indifference — punitive damages. Some claims also allow recovery of attorney's fees.
The cost of waiting: Missing the 300-day window to file with the Alaska State Commission for Human Rights, or the two-year tort deadline, can end a claim before it starts. The real risk here is delay, not legal fees.
Be wary of any lawyer who promises a specific dollar figure at the first meeting. Value depends on why you were fired, your documentation, your lost income, and how hard the employer fights.
How long it takes
Every case is different, but an Alaska wrongful-termination matter generally follows this path:
Consultation and case review: Days. The firm reviews your firing and evidence, identifies whether you have a discrimination, retaliation, or implied-covenant claim, and decides whether to take the case.
Preserve evidence: Early on, your lawyer helps secure emails, texts, your personnel file, the handbook, and witness names. This evidence often decides the case.
Administrative complaint: Most discrimination and retaliation claims start with a filing at the Alaska State Commission for Human Rights or the EEOC, generally within 300 days of the firing.
Investigation and right to sue: The agency investigates or issues a notice that lets you proceed to court. This stage can take several months to over a year.
Negotiation, lawsuit, and discovery: Many cases settle through a demand. If not, a lawsuit is filed in Alaska Superior Court or federal court, and both sides exchange evidence and take depositions over 6 to 12 months.
Mediation or trial: Courts often order mediation, and most cases settle there. If yours does not, trial usually comes 1.5 to 3 years after filing. Few cases reach a jury, but readiness to try the case drives settlement value.
Red flags to watch for when hiring a wrongful termination lawyer in Anchorage
Guaranteed outcomes. No ethical attorney can promise a specific result. If a firm guarantees a win, a number, or a court ruling, walk away.
The disappearing senior partner. You meet a named partner at intake, then never hear from them again while an unsupervised junior runs the file. Ask in writing who handles your matter day to day.
Pressure to sign on the spot. Reputable firms give you the engagement letter in writing and time to read it. High-pressure intake is a volume-mill signal.
No verifiable track record. Look for named results, peer rankings, board certifications, or bar recognition — not "we have helped thousands of clients."
Vague fees. Every legitimate firm will put the fee structure, what is covered, and what triggers extra charges in a written engagement letter.
10 questions to ask in your free consultation
Most of the firms on this list offer a free or low-cost initial call. Use it. Bring a written list and write down the answers, then compare across two or three firms before you sign anything.
Who, specifically, will handle my matter day to day? Get a name and a direct email, not just the firm.
How many matters like mine have you handled in the last three years? You want a number, not a brochure line.
What is your fee, and what does it cover? Get the structure in writing before you sign.
What out-of-pocket costs am I responsible for, and when? Filing fees, records, and experts add up - ask now.
What is the realistic range of outcomes? A good lawyer gives a range; a weak one promises the high end.
How long will this take? An honest estimate, with the assumptions stated.
What is my deadline, and is it at risk? Many wrongful termination matters carry hard filing deadlines.
How often will I hear from you? Set the communication cadence now.
What can I do to help my own case? The best lawyers will give you homework.
What is the worst-case outcome? A lawyer who refuses to discuss downside risk is selling you something.
What to bring to your Anchorage consultation
You will get more out of the first call if you arrive organized. For most wrongful termination matters, gather:
A short written timeline. Dates, names, and what happened, in order.
The key documents. Any contracts, letters, agreements, court orders, or filings you have received.
Your correspondence. Relevant emails, texts, or messages - and do not delete anything.
Any deadlines you know about. A court date, a signing deadline, or an agency notice.
Your questions. The 10 above are a good place to start.
If you are not sure whether something is relevant, bring it anyway. It is easier for a lawyer to set aside what does not matter than to chase down what you left at home.
Talk to a vetted Wrongful Termination attorney in Anchorage
Tell us about your situation. We'll match you with one of these firms or a similar one. Free, confidential, no obligation.
Frequently asked questions about wrongful termination lawyers in Anchorage
Can I be fired for no reason in Alaska?
Usually yes — Alaska is an at-will state, so an employer generally does not need a reason. But a firing is illegal if it is based on a protected trait, retaliates for protected activity, breaks a contract, or violates the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing that Alaska courts recognize.
What makes a firing 'wrongful' under Alaska law?
The common grounds are discrimination (race, sex, age, disability, religion, marital status, pregnancy and more under the Alaska Human Rights Act), retaliation for reporting illegal conduct or filing a workers' comp claim, breach of an employment contract, and violation of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.
What is the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing?
Alaska is one of the few states whose courts read this duty into every employment relationship. In plain terms, an employer cannot fire you dishonestly or treat you unequally compared with similar employees. It gives Alaska workers a claim that does not exist in most other states.
What does a wrongful-termination lawyer in Anchorage cost?
Many work on contingency — roughly 33% to 40% of any recovery, nothing if you lose, with costs advanced. Some use a reduced hourly rate (about $300 to $450) or a hybrid. The first consultation is usually free or low cost.
How long do I have to act?
Generally 300 days to file a discrimination or retaliation complaint with the Alaska State Commission for Human Rights, and two years for most tort claims. These windows are short, so talk to a lawyer promptly after a firing.
Do I have to file with a state agency before suing?
For most discrimination and retaliation claims, yes — you typically file with the Alaska State Commission for Human Rights or the EEOC and obtain the right to proceed before filing a lawsuit. Contract and implied-covenant claims can sometimes go straight to court. A lawyer will map the right path.
What can I recover if I win?
Lost wages and benefits, compensation for emotional distress, and in egregious cases punitive damages. The exact mix depends on which laws your claim is built on and the facts of your firing.
What should I bring to a consultation?
Your offer letter, employee handbook, the termination notice or final emails, any performance reviews, the names of witnesses, and a short written timeline of what happened. Documentation turns your account into a provable case.
One last thing. Choosing a lawyer is personal. Read the reviews. Call two or three firms before you sign. Ask each one: How many matters like mine have you handled in the last three years? The answer tells you a lot. — The LawFirmSquare team
LawFirmSquare is a directory. We do not represent clients or refer cases for a fee.
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