(July 13, 2011, Los Angeles, CA) - Linda S. Husar, a partner in the Los Angeles office of Reed Smith LLP, one of the largest law firms in the world, has earned recognition as one of California's top Labor and Employment attorneys by the Daily Journal, California's largest legal news source. Ms. Husar represents and counsels employers in all aspects of employment law, and specializes in cases involving wrongful discharge, whistleblower claims, employment discrimination, WARN Act and wage and hour class actions.
The honor comes less than two months after Ms. Husar was named to the publication's list of the state's Top Women Litigators.
"Although I am honored to be recognized, much of the credit goes to the outstanding team of litigators I'm fortunate to work with every day," said Ms. Husar.
Notable work in 2010 includes a high-profile class action victory for the largest grocery retail chain store in the United States. The suit arose out of the bitter supermarket strike and lockout that took place in Southern California in 2003-04, which resulted in the lockout of close to 40,000 retail clerks for almost six months. Plaintiffs were seeking multimillion dollars in back pay. In a case of first impression, a judge held that Cal-WARN did not apply to a lockout. After the client's complete victory in the trial court, plaintiffs agreed to forego any right to appeal and to dismiss the case with prejudice in an exchange for a waiver of costs.
Other notable wins include a hotly contested discrimination case in which an employee filed suit seeking millions of dollars in damages for race discrimination, wrongful termination, retaliation and failure to accommodate her disabilities. Ms. Husar and her team succeeded in securing summary judgment in her client's favor on all causes of action. In 2010, the case was won on appeal in the California Court of Appeal, and plaintiff's petition for review to the California Supreme Court was denied.
"This is a well-deserved honor for Linda," said Colleen Davies, head of Reed Smith's Litigation Department. "Linda consistently, and successfully, works on some of the most complex employment cases in the state, and her commitment to her clients is unparalleled."
A 1980 graduate of Loyola Law School, Ms. Husar has been recognized for her leadership in Labor and Employment Law by Chambers USA and is listed among Southern California's Super Lawyers. She has served as counsel of record and/or been responsible for managing hundreds of civil lawsuits and has been responsible for litigation management and strategic partnering programs with several national companies. She is a highly regarded speaker and has lectured throughout the state and country on labor and employment topics.
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is a global relationship law firm with more than 1,600 lawyers in 23 offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Founded in 1877, the firm represents leading international businesses, from Fortune 100 corporations to mid-market and emerging enterprises. Its lawyers provide litigation and other dispute resolution services in multi-jurisdictional and other high-stakes matters; deliver regulatory counsel; and execute the full range of strategic domestic and cross-border transactions. Reed Smith is a preeminent advisor to industries including financial services, life sciences, health care, energy and natural resources, advertising, technology and media, shipping, real estate, manufacturing, and education. For more information, visit reedsmith.com.
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