Wendy E. Lane is Chair of the Employment Department, focused on employment counseling and litigation on behalf of a variety of clients, including entertainment studios and production companies, celebrities, real estate and investment companies, fashion and apparel companies, restaurants, manufacturers, retailers, and professional service providers (including doctors, lawyers, and accountants).

As a trusted resource on the latest developments in employment law, Wendy has appeared on numerous panels, spoken at seminars, and has been quoted in the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, the New York Times, The Hollywood Reporter, Society For Human Resource Management and California Lawyer. She has also published articles for the Daily Journal, Los Angeles Business Journal, and numerous other human resource and employment law publications.

In the employment litigation arena, Wendy has considerable experience representing employers in cases involving claims of harassment, discrimination, wrongful termination, and wage and hour claims (including class actions). Wendy has also obtained injunctions, drafted countless cease and desist letters, and filed numerous actions to prevent theft of her client’s intellectual property and trade secrets. By strategically using investigations, witness interviews, depositions, and other discovery mechanisms, Wendy has successfully convinced plaintiffs’ lawyers to rapidly dismiss or inexpensively settle their lawsuits on many occasions.

On the employment counseling side, Wendy uses her litigation experience to provide advice and draft policies, handbooks, and other documents that provide the maximum protection for her clients. Wendy knows exactly which facts and evidence will provide the best defense in the event that her client is ever challenged in court, which also leads to earlier and more cost-effective resolutions in the event of an employee dispute. Wendy advises employers on complicated issues including workplace injuries, employee requests for medical leave and/or disability accommodations, investigation of internal employee grievances (such as complaints of harassment and discrimination), terminations and disciplinary actions, employee theft, and employee drug and alcohol use.  Wendy also drafts employment and independent contractor agreements, arbitration agreements, intellectual property agreements, and confidentiality agreements.

Beyond employment litigation, Wendy has handled numerous business litigation cases involving claims for breach of contract, fraud, unfair competition, partnership dissolution, trademark infringement, breach of fiduciary duties, wrongful death/toxic torts (specifically, mold and silica exposure).

Wendy also authored the first edition of a manual on adoption law used by pro bono attorneys and law students in finalizing adoptions of dependent children throughout Los Angeles. As an advocate of children's rights, Wendy has dedicated substantial time as a volunteer and fundraiser for various social service agencies and non-profit, charitable organizations such as the Angeles Girl Scouts, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and the UCLA Gold Shield Alumnae.

Professional Affiliations

Awards

  • Best Lawyers in America - Litigation - Labor and Employment (2020)
  • Southern California Super Lawyers (2011-2020)
  • Best Brief, UCLA Moot Court Competition
  • Foundation of the State Bar Merit Scholarship

Bar Admissions

  • California, 1998

Court Admissions

  • Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
  • U.S. District Court, Central, Eastern and Southern District Courts of California

Education

  • University of California, Los Angeles  (J.D., 1998)
  • University of California, Irvine  (B.A., summa cum laude, 1995)
    • Criminology, Law & Society
    • Phi Beta Kappa

Languages

  • Spanish

Experience

  • Advise on employment matters in connection to sale of Hourglass Cosmetics to Unilever.
  • Advise employers on day-to-day employment matters, draft policies and handbooks, and oversee investigations of harassment and discrimination claims.
  • Defended national food and drug store chains and California fast-casual food chain in wage and hour class actions, efficiently coordinating depositions of hundreds of putative class members and review of thousands of pages of time sheets before settling matter favorably on behalf of clients.
  • Favorably settled discrimination and harassment claims against head of prominent manufacturing company, less than two months after employee filed suit and one day after taking the employee's deposition.
  • Persuaded plaintiff to voluntarily dismiss wrongful termination claims against national landscape company at initial stages of litigation after filing demurrer attacking plaintiff's complaint.
  • Obtained restraining order to prevent former employee from stealing and using company's trade secrets and proprietary information, including client lists and pricing and marketing information.
  • Represented accountant in dispute over the stock ownership of a closely-held corporation, settling case favorably for client after cross-examination of opposing side's key witness on first day of trial.
  • Defended one of world's leading glass and ceramics manufacturers in product liability dispute. Filed motion for summary judgment demonstrating lack of evidence that client's product allegedly caused illness and death of individual who used product, persuading plaintiffs to dismiss case.