Holly R. Lake

• Obtained a complete defense verdict in a jury trial involving claims of disability discrimination
• Successfully negotiated resolution of many class, collective and representative actions throughout California
• Marshalled evidence and developed a strategy to negotiate a favorable resolution of a race discrimination class action in the face of significant media attention
• Successfully represented a global pharmaceutical company in misclassification collective action with wage and hour issues of first impression
• Successfully first-chaired multiple labor arbitrations
• Obtained several summary judgments in single-plaintiff and multiple-plaintiff cases
• After obtaining summary judgment several matters, successfully argued before the California Court of Appeal, after which summary judgment was affirmed each time
• Successfully argued before the California Court of Appeal in a matter related to issues of first impression governed by the California Education Code
• Supported during audits by the Department of Labor/Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs
• Worked with clients to navigate pay equity issues, including those related to personnel movement and selection
• Prepared initiatives with public and private employers on programs and analyses related to diversity, equity and inclusion
• Partnered with clients on enhancing strategies related to S-ESG initiatives

The Legal 500 United States

• Recommended, Labor and Employment Disputes (including Collective Actions): Defense, (2019 – 2021)

Additional Recognitions

• Named, Leaders of Influence: Minority Attorneys, Los Angeles Business Journal, (2025)
• Named, Top Labor and Employment Lawyer, Daily Journal, (2021 – 2023)
• Named, Thriving in their 40s, Los Angeles Business Journal, (2020)
• Named, Labor and Employment Lawyer of the Year, Century City Bar Association, (2020)
• Named, Top Monthly Attorneys, Los Angeles Business Journal, (2020)
• Named, Top Verdicts of 2011, Los Angeles Daily Journal, (2011)
• Named, Top Verdicts of 2011, San Francisco Daily Journal, (2011)
• Southern California Rising Star, Super Lawyers, (2004 – 2009)
• Southern California Rising Star, Los Angeles magazine, (2004 – 2009)

• "NLRB's new joint employer rule impact on the franchisor-franchisee relationships," April 30, 2020
• "New obligations targeting human trafficking for employers in California – and across the US," February 11, 2020
• "Coronavirus: key employment legal issues for US employers (United States)," February 10, 2020
• Author, "#MeToo Movement's Impact on Law and Policy in Hollywood," Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine, May 2019
• "A reminder on California #MeToo legislation," February 27, 2019
• Co-author, "Settling The Matter Of Meal, Rest Breaks In California," Law360, May 2012
• Contributor, "Annual Review of Developments in Business and Corporate Litigation, Employee Mobility, Restrictive Covenants, and Trade Secrets," American Bar Association Business Law Section, March 2012
• Co-author, "Gimme 5: Five Things Every Lawyer Should Know About the Difference Between Employees and Independent Contractors," Vol. 28, No. 11, An E-Publication of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, December 2008
• Co-author, "Gimme 5: Five Things Every Lawyer Should Know About Contracting with the Federal Government and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs," Vol. 28, No. 9, An E-Publication of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, October 2008
• Co-author, "Gimme 5: What Every Lawyer Should Know about Non-Compete Agreements in California," Vol. 28, No. 7, An E-Publication of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, August 2008
• Co-author, "Meeting the Diversity Challenge: Race and Gender-Conscious Decisions in Recruiting," Practicing Law Institute, 36th Annual Institute on Employment Law, October 2007
• Co-author "Traditional Labor Law and the Sports Industry: Selected Recent Developments," ABA Forum on the Entertainment and Sport Industries, August 2004

Holly is a frequent speaker on a variety of employment matters for human resource organizations and other employer/management groups. Among her recent speaking engagements are the following:

• "Board diversity: What mechanisms are there to bring about change, and how effective are they?" July 29, 2021
• "Employment Law During Covid-19: Social Media, Politics & The Remote Workplace," Women Lawyers of Los Angeles, November 10, 2020
• "COVID-19: What Does Doing Business as Normal Mean Now? The Top 5 New Normals for Law Firms and Corporations," Corporate Counsel Women of Color 16th Annual Career Strategies Conference, October 3, 2020
• "Navigating COVID-19: The latest guidance for US employers," National Bar Association, May 4, 2020
• "California Employment Law Briefing," January 30, 2020
• "Independent Contractors and the Gig Economy: What Happens Next?" National Bar Association, Miami, Florida, October 25, 2019
• "Employment Litigation and Labor Law in 2030: Anticipation of the Changing Dynamics," National Employment Law Council, Palo Alto, California, October 4, 2019
• "California Employment Law Briefing," January 15, 2019 (San Francisco), January 17, 2019 (Silicon Valley) and January 31, 2019 (Los Angeles)
• "Sense on the Dollar: Pay Equity Trends and Strategies for Compliance," August 2018
• "ACC-SoCal: Harassment Prevention 2.0 – Best Practices for the #MeToo Era," March 2018
• "ACC-SoCal: Employment Law Toolkit for Startups," September 2017
• "ACC-SoCal: From Body Art to Unisex Bathrooms," April 2017
• "Business and Legal Resources (BLR): FMLA/CFRA Master Class," June 2014
• "The Latest on Background Checks and 'Ban the Box' – What Employers Need to Know," Professionals in Human Resources Association (PIHRA) Mid-Year Legal Update, June 2014
• Panelist, "Independent Contractors, Interns, and Volunteers: The High Price of Misclassification," National Employment Law Council (NELC) 2014 Annual Conference, April 2014
• Panelist, "Ethics: Navigating Multiple Representations and Other Choppy Seas," National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF) 2013 Annual Meeting, September 2013
• "The Start of a Beautiful Relationship? Hiring in California," Professionals in Human Resources Association (PIHRA) 2013 Mid-Year Legal Update, June 2013
• "Employee Compensation and Pay Equity: The Impact of The Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and Ricci v. DeStefano," Los Angeles County Bar Association, Employment Law Section Annual Retreat, April 2010

• "OFCCP Seeks Input on Proposed Affirmative Action Program Initiative," SHRM.org, October 16, 2020
• "OFCCP's Coronavirus Exemption Has Supporters and Critics," SHRM.org, April 15, 2020
• "Coronavirus Concerns in the Workplace," SHRM.org, January 27, 2020
• "OFCCP Will Cooperate with Federal Contractors Ahead of Pay Audits," SHRM.org, July 29, 2019

• Advisory Board Member, Teach for America Los Angeles, (2022 – present)
• President of Advisory Board, Bel Air Preschool, (2020 – present)
• Board of Directors, Goodwill Industries of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, (2019 – present)
• Corporate Secretary and Board of Directors, Junior League of Los Angeles, (2012 – 2013)
• Board of Directors, Upward Bound House, (2007 – 2013)
• The Links, Incorporated, an international public service organization, (2000 – present)
• Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., an international public service organization, (2000 – present)

• Global Advisory Board Member, Women in Law Empowerment Forum LLC, (2020 – present)
• Member, Law360 Employment Editorial Advisory Board, (2020)
• Member, American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Sections
• Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association, Labor and Employment Sections
• Faculty Member, National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA), teaching trial advocacy at the Northwest Regional Trial Training Program in Seattle, in 2009, 2010 and 2012 − "Building Trial Skills: Southern California," for practicing attorneys in Southern California − "Effective Advocate Training Program," for practitioners in dependency court funded by the Sargent Shriver Civil Counsel Grant to teach trial skills to attorneys in California
• Volunteer Settlement Officer, Civil Referee Assisted Settlement Hearing Program of the Los Angeles Superior Court
• Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference Lawyer Representative, (2012 – 2016)
• Board of Directors, Alumni Association for the University of California at Berkeley, (2005 – 2009)
• Vice President, Alumni Association for the University of California at Berkeley, (2007 – 2008)