Corinne Spencer has dedicated two portions of her career at Encino-based Pearlman, Brown & Wax: first as a law clerk and then associate in 2012 and then returning in 2019. In the interim, Spencer worked as counsel for downtown-based Big Law empire Lewis, Brisbois, Bisgaard & Smith.
Back at PBW, she chairs the firm’s labor and employment group, working with employers in compliance, risk assessment and litigation issues. She handles Fair Employment and Housing Act cases, wage-and-hour class actions and Private Attorneys General Act cases.
Tell me about your labor and employment practice and how you built it.
I started my legal career as a law clerk at Pearlman, Brown and Wax many years ago. I quickly knew that I wanted to focus on labor and employment law and spent time shadowing the lawyers in the department.
Fast forward seven years after becoming a lawyer, I was invited back to take on the role as chair of the labor and employment department at PBW the end of 2019. I feel as if this firm has truly helped me grow as a lawyer, and as a person. I am proud to have come full circle and now be a partner and leader within the firm.
What’s a signature legal victory for you?
I have spent many years fighting over arbitration agreements. It is a particularly good feeling to win on a motion to compel arbitration as it is an early triumph for an employer to limit the scope and scale of a lawsuit. I have prevailed on many motions to compel arbitration, but a signature legal victory was prevailing on one at the Court of Appeal a couple of years ago. We knew the trial judge had made an error in his ruling and prevailing at the appellate level was a satisfying victory.
Conversely, is there a loss that was nevertheless formative for your career?
I unsuccessfully opposed a discovery motion for a client where we believed we had proper grounds to withhold the information sought. It really caused me to take a step back and focus on the dispute and the purpose of discovery moving forward. Sometimes, we fight just to fight in litigation. However, winning is often avoiding the smaller fights to accomplish the ultimate goal in the client’s best interest.
What’s it like to work labor and employment in a state like California?
It is a challenge to defend employers in the state of California. Many clients are frustrated by the volume of litigation and employee-friendly laws that make operating in the state very costly. We are constantly looking for proactive measures to keep clients insulated from risk from both the policy and practice standpoints. In addition to drafting and revising policies, we offer trainings to clients to ensure that management and employees understand and follow those policies.
What has kept you busy so far this year?
I have been busy reviewing and revising policies for clients, especially around diversity, equity and inclusion. It has been a challenge navigating the issue when the federal government and California have such polar ideologies. Further, the Private Attorneys General Act, or PAGA, landscape has been keeping me busy coming up with new ways to defend clients following the PAGA reform in June of last year and evolving case law.
In the sense that rising operating costs can result in cutbacks, do you anticipate the Trump Administration’s tariffs to add your workload at all?
Yes, I think businesses and clients will be taking a hard look at how to juggle operating costs and how to reduce overhead with the economy and global affairs in flux. I anticipate many discussions with clients about how to avoid risk from employees and former employees.
What are unique challenges to the labor and employment landscape in Los Angeles?
Los Angeles is a very diverse, populous city and employers need to be mindful of what might be considered progressive rules, regulations and guidelines at the county and city levels. We also have a significant entertainment industry so navigating the employment issues arising out of film and television, such as misclassification or contractor issues, is a unique challenge.
How has your firm empowered your career and practice?
My firm has really empowered me to take the department to new heights and has allowed me the space to expand our expertise into environmental and corporate law. This has helped me offer holistic solutions to clients that not only mitigate and eliminate risk as employers, but as business owners as well.
