Leonard Carder LLP - Oakland, CA

Historic Advocates for Workers and the Labor Movement

For nearly nine decades, Leonard Carder LLP has stood on the front lines of California labor struggles, securing economic justice, workplace safety, and fair treatment for employees across diverse industries. Originally established during the Great Depression by prominent labor attorneys Richard Gladstein and Aubrey Grossman, the firm built an enduring legacy defending workers' rights. Today, operating from downtown Oakland, the firm continues that proud tradition, combining rigorous legal scholarship with passionate advocacy. Whether an employee needs to hire an attorney following an unlawful firing, an individual is finding a lawyer to expose systemic wage theft, or a labor union must consult an employment lawyer for critical collective bargaining, Leonard Carder LLP offers unmatched depth of experience.

Key Employee Rights and Labor Law Practice Areas

The legal team at Leonard Carder LLP represents individuals, employee classes, and labor organizations across state and federal courts, appellate jurisdictions, and administrative tribunals. Their core practice areas include:

• Wage and Hour Class Actions: Spearheading landmark class actions against corporations for unpaid overtime, off-the-clock work, missed meal and rest breaks, and sham independent contractor misclassifications that deprive workers of benefits.
• Labor Union Representation: Providing counsel to local and international labor unions spanning maritime, transportation, hospitality, healthcare, and public education sectors, including grievance arbitrations and unfair labor practice proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board.
• Wrongful Termination and Retaliation: Advocating for workers who have suffered retaliatory discharge or hostile treatment after reporting safety violations, blowing the whistle on illegal corporate conduct, or asserting statutory labor rights.
• Workplace Discrimination and Harassment: Holding employers accountable for civil rights violations under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act and Title VII, addressing discrimination and hostile environments based on race, gender, age, and disability.
• Employee Benefit Plans and ERISA: Advising and representing multi-employer pension plans and health and welfare trust funds in regulatory compliance, fiduciary guidance, and complex ERISA litigation.

Precedent-Setting Litigation and Proven Track Record

Leonard Carder LLP has shaped California employment jurisprudence through numerous precedent-setting decisions. Their trial lawyers have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of tens of thousands of workers across California in high-profile class actions against transportation giants, financial institutions, and retail corporations. Notably, the firm played a groundbreaking role in establishing legal benchmarks regarding worker misclassification, protecting gig-economy and logistics workers. When working individuals face sudden corporate misconduct and need an urgent attorney to preserve their rights within strict legal deadlines, the firm provides aggressive, strategic representation backed by an extraordinary history of courtroom success.

Dedicated Advocacy and Accessible Representation

The firm believes that every worker deserves access to first-rate legal representation regardless of financial resources. For individual employee rights and wage and hour class actions, Leonard Carder LLP frequently represents clients on a contingency-fee basis, ensuring workers pay no upfront attorney fees unless a recovery is achieved. With attorneys recognized across Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America, and the Union Lawyers Alliance, the firm maintains an uncompromising commitment to diversity, equity, and social justice. Prospective clients and labor organizations can reach out to their Oakland headquarters at 1999 Harrison Street to arrange a free case evaluation with a dedicated employment and labor lawyer.