You were fired, harassed, denied wages, or you run a business and need to handle a worker issue without triggering a lawsuit. California has some of the strongest workplace laws in the country, which cuts both ways: it protects employees hard and it holds employers to strict rules. Below are vetted Long Beach employment attorneys who handle wrongful termination, discrimination, wage claims, and employer-side counsel and defense.
Updated June 2, 2026
Employment law covers the relationship between workers and the people who employ them, and in California that relationship is heavily regulated. For employees, the common reasons to call a lawyer are getting fired for an illegal reason, facing harassment or discrimination, being denied overtime or meal and rest breaks, or being misclassified as a contractor. For employers, it is the opposite side of the same coin: writing policies that comply, classifying workers correctly, handling a layoff or a firing without creating a claim, and defending one when it comes.
The stakes are higher in California than in most states. The state allows penalties that pile up quickly, including under the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), and Long Beach has its own minimum wage ordinance on top of state law. That is why both sides benefit from advice early: an employee learns fast whether they have a real claim, and an employer fixes a problem before it becomes a class action.
Talk to a Long Beach employment lawyer if any of the following fits your situation.
For an employee claim, step 1 is a review of what happened, your records, and your timeline, because deadlines matter. Many discrimination claims must first go through the California Civil Rights Department, and wage claims can go to the Labor Commissioner or to court. Step 2 is a demand or a filing, which often opens settlement talks. Step 3, if needed, is a lawsuit in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, frequently at the Deukmejian Courthouse in Long Beach. For an employer, the lawyer's job is usually to prevent all of this: clean policies, correct classification, and a defensible process. Most cases on both sides resolve through settlement or an agency before trial.
Cost depends on which side you are on. Most employee-side cases, wrongful termination, discrimination, unpaid wages, are handled on contingency, so you pay nothing unless you recover, usually 33 to 40 percent of the result. Employer-side advice and defense are billed hourly, commonly $300 to $550 an hour in the Long Beach area, and routine work like a handbook review or a single-document review may be a flat fee. A severance or agreement review for an employee is often a modest flat fee. Ask at the first meeting which model applies to your matter.
Updated June 2, 2026. Verified across Super Lawyers, Expertise, Justia, and firm records. We do not accept payment for placement. Where a firm's aggregate client rating is not yet compiled, we say so rather than invent one.
An employment-law practice led by Natasha Chesler serving the Long Beach area, handling workplace disputes for workers facing termination, discrimination, and wage issues. A strong fit for employees who want experienced, focused representation on a serious claim.
A California employment firm led by Matthew J. Matern, known for representing employees in wage-and-hour, discrimination, and class and PAGA matters. A fit for workers with a wage or systemic claim that may affect more than one employee.
A Los Angeles-area employment attorney with more than 15 years of experience serving Long Beach clients on workplace disputes. A fit for employees and small employers who want a lawyer comfortable on both the employment and business sides of a problem.
A firm assisting Long Beach clients with California employment matters, from wage disputes to discrimination and termination claims. A practical fit for workers who want a consultation to find out quickly whether they have a case.
A Long Beach-area employment attorney handling workplace disputes for employees, including termination, discrimination, and wage matters. A solid choice for a worker who wants a straightforward case evaluation. Ratings not yet aggregated here; check Super Lawyers and Justia for current reviews.
Tell us briefly what happened at work. We route a confidential request to a best-fit Long Beach firm in this directory. No obligation, and most offer a free first consultation.