Eric M.Steinert
Partner
Labor & Employment
esteinert@seyfarth.com
Eric represents employers in a wide range of state and federal employment law disputes.
More About Eric
Eric has defended large, complex class actions involving alleged wage-and-hour violations under both state and federal law. Eric also represents employers in single-plaintiff litigation involving wrongful discharge, discrimination, retaliation, and harassment claims—including extensive experience with various whistleblower claims (including Sarbanes-Oxley).
Eric is also an experienced employment mediator, handling fee-based private mediations and mediations for various state and federal court panels. Eric is also a panel arbitrator for AAA and FINRA.
Eric is co-chair of the firm’s Financial Services practice group. He focuses on representing financial-services clients in FINRA arbitrations, wage-and-hour class actions, and single-plaintiff employment litigation (particularly whistleblower cases). Eric has also worked as in-house counsel in the financial services industry, managing litigation and advising various lines of business, including retail brokerage, wealth management, retail, wholesale, and commercial banking, mortgage and consumer finance, and insurance.
Eric has traditional labor experience which includes union-organizing campaigns, collective bargaining negotiations, arbitrations, representation cases, and defending ULP charges before the NLRB. He also advises clients on labor relations matters pertaining to corporate campaigns, labor disputes, contract interpretation, and negotiations. Eric has experience in ERISA litigation, representing ERISA plans in breach of fiduciary duty litigation, as well as fraud claims under the California Insurance Frauds Prevention Act.
Eric also provides advice and counsel with respect to state and federal wage-and-hour laws, leave and disability issues, WARN requirements, employee termination issues, and drafting employee handbooks, policies, and employment contracts.
Eric has written and lectured on various employment law topics, including CLE panels on legal ethics, wage and hour litigation, traditional labor and disability law. He is a former law clerk for District Court Judge Lawrence T. Lydick of the US District Court, Central District of California, Southern Division, and served as the law clerk for the Central District Local Rules Committee.
Eric is also an experienced employment mediator, handling fee-based private mediations and mediations for various state and federal court panels. Eric is also a panel arbitrator for AAA and FINRA.
Eric is co-chair of the firm’s Financial Services practice group. He focuses on representing financial-services clients in FINRA arbitrations, wage-and-hour class actions, and single-plaintiff employment litigation (particularly whistleblower cases). Eric has also worked as in-house counsel in the financial services industry, managing litigation and advising various lines of business, including retail brokerage, wealth management, retail, wholesale, and commercial banking, mortgage and consumer finance, and insurance.
Eric has traditional labor experience which includes union-organizing campaigns, collective bargaining negotiations, arbitrations, representation cases, and defending ULP charges before the NLRB. He also advises clients on labor relations matters pertaining to corporate campaigns, labor disputes, contract interpretation, and negotiations. Eric has experience in ERISA litigation, representing ERISA plans in breach of fiduciary duty litigation, as well as fraud claims under the California Insurance Frauds Prevention Act.
Eric also provides advice and counsel with respect to state and federal wage-and-hour laws, leave and disability issues, WARN requirements, employee termination issues, and drafting employee handbooks, policies, and employment contracts.
Eric has written and lectured on various employment law topics, including CLE panels on legal ethics, wage and hour litigation, traditional labor and disability law. He is a former law clerk for District Court Judge Lawrence T. Lydick of the US District Court, Central District of California, Southern Division, and served as the law clerk for the Central District Local Rules Committee.
- JD, University of California, Berkeley School of Law
- BA, Rice University
Cum laude
- Universitat Heidelberg, Germany
- California
- US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- US District Court, Central District of California
- US District Court, Eastern District of California
- US District Court, Northern District of California
- US District Court, Southern District of California
Related Key Industries
Summary Judgments/Trials/Arbitrations
- Obtained summary judgments in race discrimination cases on behalf of health insurance and industrial manufacturing clients.
- Obtained summary judgment, upheld on appeal, in breach of implied contract and age discrimination case on behalf of national insurance company.
- Successfully tried to verdict six-week jury trial, winning a majority of causes of action and receiving low-damages verdict in disability discrimination, failure to accommodate, harassment and retaliation case on behalf of national insurance company.
- Successfully tried whistleblower claims to administrative law judge on behalf of defense contractor.
- Successfully defended financial-services clients in over 30 FINRA arbitrations involving wrongful termination, whistleblower and retaliation claims, failure to pay incentive compensation, age discrimination, and sex harassment.
- Successfully vacated adverse FINRA arbitration award in US District Court.
- Successfully defended financial-services client in whistleblower arbitration brought by former mortgage originator.
- Prevailed in arbitration on behalf of broker-dealer against licensed banker alleging whistleblower and retaliation claims.
- Prevailed in arbitration on behalf of independent film producer regarding alleged breaches of collective bargaining agreement during principal photography of feature film.
- Prevailed in multiple grievance/discharge arbitrations on behalf of clients in hospitality, entertainment, and manufacturing industries.
Wage-Hour Class Actions
- Represented national insurance clients in multiple wage-hour class actions involving alleged misclassification of claims adjusters.
- Represented national broker-dealer in federal multi-district class action litigation involving alleged misclassification of financial advisors.
- Represented national insurance broker in wage-hour class action involving alleged misclassification of telesales employees.
- Represented national insurance company in wage-hour class actions alleging misclassification of IT employees, including help desk, testers, and web server administrators.
- Represented multiple banks in wage-hour class actions regarding alleged misclassification of retail bank, mortgage, and trust employees.
- Represented numerous clients in financial-services and insurance industries in off-the-clock and meal-period class actions.
Traditional Labor
- Represented numerous hotel and hospitality clients in organizing campaigns, grievance arbitrations, and collective bargaining negotiations.
- Represented two major Southern California newspapers in multiple organizing campaigns by press operators.
- Represented national media corporation in unfair labor practice litigation arising from successful decertification petition by cable installers against CWA.
- Represented logistics company in disputes with ILWU at Port of Long Beach regarding subcontracting, picketing, and secondary boycotts.
- Represented major entertainment studio in litigation with screenwriter regarding merchandising rights under Writers’ Guild collective bargaining agreement pertaining to NHL franchise.
ERISA Litigation
- Represented Taft-Hartley plan in litigation against third-party administrators and vendors for breach of fiduciary duties under ERISA.
- Represented Taft-Hartley plan in litigation against fraudulent providers for damages and penalties under California Insurance Frauds Prevention Act.
- Defended Taft-Hartley plan in litigation brought by providers for unpaid fees and termination of relationship with Plan.
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08/17/2023
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Aug 18, 2022
Seyfarth Attorneys Named in The Best Lawyers in America 2023
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Recognition
Aug 19, 2021
Seyfarth Attorneys Named in The Best Lawyers in America 2022
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.) for Litigation - Labor and Employment (2022-2025)
- Listed in San Francisco Super Lawyers for Employment & Labor (Thomson Reuters) (2019-2021)
- Rated AV Preeminent (5 out of 5), Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings
- Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association – Compliance and Legal (SIFMA-CL)
- German-American Chamber of Commerce
- German-American Business Association
- California State Bar Labor and Employment Law Section
- American Bar Association
- Co-Author, "SEC Claws Back Award for Dawdling Whistleblower, as Feds Signal Changes in Award Eligibility," One Minute Memo, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 9, 2017)
- "Retail Workers’ Bill of Rights set to take effect," Daily Journal (June 5, 2015)
- Co-Author, "The Unique Role of Expert Witnesses in FINRA Employment Arbitrations, Part II," Financial Services Employment Arbitration Q&A, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (January 27, 2015)
- Co-Author, "The Unique Role of Expert Witnesses in FINRA Employment Arbitrations, Part 1," Financial Services Employment Arbitration Q&A, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (January 14, 2015)
- Co-Author, "Understanding FINRA Panel Composition," Financial Services Employment Arbitration Q&A, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 14, 2014)
- Co-Author, "Compelling FINRA Arbitration for Dodd-Frank Whistleblowers," Financial Services Employment Arbitration Q&A, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 6, 2014)
- "Does My Case Qualify For Simplified Arbitration?," Financial Services Employment Arbitration Q&A, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (October 31, 2013)
- "What Are Acceptable Workplace Conditions?," Los Angeles Daily Journal (December 1, 2010)
- "Managing Internal Investigations: Lessons from U.S. v. Ruehle," Bloomberg Law Reports, Vol. 4, No. 43 (October 26, 2010)
- "Forced Patronage: No Longer the Wage and Hour Bridesmaid?," Los Angeles Daily Journal, (August 27, 2010)
- "So Long, Stray Remarks Doctrine," The Recorder, (August 16, 2010)
- "Plaintiff’s Bankruptcy and Judicial Estoppel of Employment Litigation," BNA Employment Discrimination Report, Vol. 22, No. 5, p. 133 (February 4, 2004)
- "Rules Revision," (Federal Civil Procedure) Los Angeles Daily Journal (February 21, 2001)
- Co-Presenter, "Moving Forward: Employer Considerations and Obligations, and other Workplace Tips," Webinar, EmployBridge (August 27, 2020)
- "San Francisco Retail Workers Bill of Rights: New Burdens for San Francisco Employers," Bar Association of San Francisco (August 20, 2015)
- "The SF Retail Workers Bill of Rights: New Burdens for Financial-Services Employers," San Francisco Bank Attorneys Association (July 6, 2015)
- "SF Retail Workers Bill of Rights: New Burdens for SF Employers Starting July 3rd," Northern California Human Resources Association (June 12, 2015)
- "SF Retail Workers Bill of Rights: New Burdens for SF Employers Starting July 3rd," Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (June 3, 2015)
- "Recent Developments in Federal Qui Tam, False Claims Act and Whistleblower Litigation," Breakfast Briefing, Seyfarth Shaw LLP, San Francisco, CA (June 6, 2013)
- "Sarbanes-Oxley Whistleblower Litigation," Advanced Labor and Employment Law Conference, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 8, 2011)
- "Ethics for Employment Lawyers," Bar Association of San Francisco (April 6, 2011)
- "Employers Hold On To Your Seats! A New Wave of PAGA Litigation Is Coming," Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 15, 2011)
- "Legislative and Wage & Hour Law Update For California Employers," Breakfast Briefing, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 1, 2011)
- "Independent Contractors: The Steep Costs of Misclassification in California," Legal & Legislative Conference, Northern California Human Resources Association (January 27, 2011)
- "Ethical Considerations for Companies and Candidates Before, During and After a Job Search," Association of Corporate Counsel, San Francisco Bay Area Chapter (January 22, 2010)
- "Avoiding Legal-Ethics Traps in Managing Internal Investigations, Government Inquiries, and Litigation," Advanced Labor and Employment Law Conference, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 10, 2010)
- "Ethics Issues for In-House Counsel," Advanced Labor and Employment Law Conference, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (October 15, 2009)
- "Managing Class Actions: What In-House Counsel Need to Know," Association of Corporate Counsel, Southern California Chapter (April 19, 2006)
- "Cutting Edge Employment Compliance Issues," Association of Corporate Counsel, Southern California Chapter (April 20, 2005)
- Quoted, "Bringing Predictability to Scheduling," Human Resource Executive Online (September 18, 2017)
- Quoted, "Brokerages can require advisers to trade with the 'company store' attempt to apply Depression-era forced patronage law fails," Los Angeles Daily Journal (April 10, 2013)
- Quoted, "Wave of Lawsuits Over Seats Hit Retail Stores," Associated Press (July 25, 2011)
- Interview, "A Slew of ‘Suitable Seating’ Lawsuits," Fox Business Channel with David Asman (June 22, 2011)
- Quoted in San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News, the Daily Journal, MSNBC.com, CNET.com, E-Commerce Times, NewsFactor.com, and Business Insurance discussing Reid v. Google California Supreme Court Decision (August 23, 2010)
Eric represents employers in a wide range of state and federal employment law disputes.
More About Eric
Eric has defended large, complex class actions involving alleged wage-and-hour violations under both state and federal law. Eric also represents employers in single-plaintiff litigation involving wrongful discharge, discrimination, retaliation, and harassment claims—including extensive experience with various whistleblower claims (including Sarbanes-Oxley).
Eric is also an experienced employment mediator, handling fee-based private mediations and mediations for various state and federal court panels. Eric is also a panel arbitrator for AAA and FINRA.
Eric is co-chair of the firm’s Financial Services practice group. He focuses on representing financial-services clients in FINRA arbitrations, wage-and-hour class actions, and single-plaintiff employment litigation (particularly whistleblower cases). Eric has also worked as in-house counsel in the financial services industry, managing litigation and advising various lines of business, including retail brokerage, wealth management, retail, wholesale, and commercial banking, mortgage and consumer finance, and insurance.
Eric has traditional labor experience which includes union-organizing campaigns, collective bargaining negotiations, arbitrations, representation cases, and defending ULP charges before the NLRB. He also advises clients on labor relations matters pertaining to corporate campaigns, labor disputes, contract interpretation, and negotiations. Eric has experience in ERISA litigation, representing ERISA plans in breach of fiduciary duty litigation, as well as fraud claims under the California Insurance Frauds Prevention Act.
Eric also provides advice and counsel with respect to state and federal wage-and-hour laws, leave and disability issues, WARN requirements, employee termination issues, and drafting employee handbooks, policies, and employment contracts.
Eric has written and lectured on various employment law topics, including CLE panels on legal ethics, wage and hour litigation, traditional labor and disability law. He is a former law clerk for District Court Judge Lawrence T. Lydick of the US District Court, Central District of California, Southern Division, and served as the law clerk for the Central District Local Rules Committee.
Eric is also an experienced employment mediator, handling fee-based private mediations and mediations for various state and federal court panels. Eric is also a panel arbitrator for AAA and FINRA.
Eric is co-chair of the firm’s Financial Services practice group. He focuses on representing financial-services clients in FINRA arbitrations, wage-and-hour class actions, and single-plaintiff employment litigation (particularly whistleblower cases). Eric has also worked as in-house counsel in the financial services industry, managing litigation and advising various lines of business, including retail brokerage, wealth management, retail, wholesale, and commercial banking, mortgage and consumer finance, and insurance.
Eric has traditional labor experience which includes union-organizing campaigns, collective bargaining negotiations, arbitrations, representation cases, and defending ULP charges before the NLRB. He also advises clients on labor relations matters pertaining to corporate campaigns, labor disputes, contract interpretation, and negotiations. Eric has experience in ERISA litigation, representing ERISA plans in breach of fiduciary duty litigation, as well as fraud claims under the California Insurance Frauds Prevention Act.
Eric also provides advice and counsel with respect to state and federal wage-and-hour laws, leave and disability issues, WARN requirements, employee termination issues, and drafting employee handbooks, policies, and employment contracts.
Eric has written and lectured on various employment law topics, including CLE panels on legal ethics, wage and hour litigation, traditional labor and disability law. He is a former law clerk for District Court Judge Lawrence T. Lydick of the US District Court, Central District of California, Southern Division, and served as the law clerk for the Central District Local Rules Committee.
- JD, University of California, Berkeley School of Law
- BA, Rice University
Cum laude
- Universitat Heidelberg, Germany
- California
- US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- US District Court, Central District of California
- US District Court, Eastern District of California
- US District Court, Northern District of California
- US District Court, Southern District of California
Related Key Industries
Summary Judgments/Trials/Arbitrations
- Obtained summary judgments in race discrimination cases on behalf of health insurance and industrial manufacturing clients.
- Obtained summary judgment, upheld on appeal, in breach of implied contract and age discrimination case on behalf of national insurance company.
- Successfully tried to verdict six-week jury trial, winning a majority of causes of action and receiving low-damages verdict in disability discrimination, failure to accommodate, harassment and retaliation case on behalf of national insurance company.
- Successfully tried whistleblower claims to administrative law judge on behalf of defense contractor.
- Successfully defended financial-services clients in over 30 FINRA arbitrations involving wrongful termination, whistleblower and retaliation claims, failure to pay incentive compensation, age discrimination, and sex harassment.
- Successfully vacated adverse FINRA arbitration award in US District Court.
- Successfully defended financial-services client in whistleblower arbitration brought by former mortgage originator.
- Prevailed in arbitration on behalf of broker-dealer against licensed banker alleging whistleblower and retaliation claims.
- Prevailed in arbitration on behalf of independent film producer regarding alleged breaches of collective bargaining agreement during principal photography of feature film.
- Prevailed in multiple grievance/discharge arbitrations on behalf of clients in hospitality, entertainment, and manufacturing industries.
Wage-Hour Class Actions
- Represented national insurance clients in multiple wage-hour class actions involving alleged misclassification of claims adjusters.
- Represented national broker-dealer in federal multi-district class action litigation involving alleged misclassification of financial advisors.
- Represented national insurance broker in wage-hour class action involving alleged misclassification of telesales employees.
- Represented national insurance company in wage-hour class actions alleging misclassification of IT employees, including help desk, testers, and web server administrators.
- Represented multiple banks in wage-hour class actions regarding alleged misclassification of retail bank, mortgage, and trust employees.
- Represented numerous clients in financial-services and insurance industries in off-the-clock and meal-period class actions.
Traditional Labor
- Represented numerous hotel and hospitality clients in organizing campaigns, grievance arbitrations, and collective bargaining negotiations.
- Represented two major Southern California newspapers in multiple organizing campaigns by press operators.
- Represented national media corporation in unfair labor practice litigation arising from successful decertification petition by cable installers against CWA.
- Represented logistics company in disputes with ILWU at Port of Long Beach regarding subcontracting, picketing, and secondary boycotts.
- Represented major entertainment studio in litigation with screenwriter regarding merchandising rights under Writers’ Guild collective bargaining agreement pertaining to NHL franchise.
ERISA Litigation
- Represented Taft-Hartley plan in litigation against third-party administrators and vendors for breach of fiduciary duties under ERISA.
- Represented Taft-Hartley plan in litigation against fraudulent providers for damages and penalties under California Insurance Frauds Prevention Act.
- Defended Taft-Hartley plan in litigation brought by providers for unpaid fees and termination of relationship with Plan.
Related News & Insights
-
Firm News
08/15/2024
220 Seyfarth Attorneys Chosen as Leaders in Their Fields by Best Lawyers in America 2025
-
Recognition
08/17/2023
210 Seyfarth Attorneys Chosen as Leaders in Their Fields by Best Lawyers in America 2024
-
Recognition
Aug 18, 2022
Seyfarth Attorneys Named in The Best Lawyers in America 2023
-
Recognition
Aug 19, 2021
Seyfarth Attorneys Named in The Best Lawyers in America 2022
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.) for Litigation - Labor and Employment (2022-2025)
- Listed in San Francisco Super Lawyers for Employment & Labor (Thomson Reuters) (2019-2021)
- Rated AV Preeminent (5 out of 5), Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings
- Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association – Compliance and Legal (SIFMA-CL)
- German-American Chamber of Commerce
- German-American Business Association
- California State Bar Labor and Employment Law Section
- American Bar Association
- Co-Author, "SEC Claws Back Award for Dawdling Whistleblower, as Feds Signal Changes in Award Eligibility," One Minute Memo, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 9, 2017)
- "Retail Workers’ Bill of Rights set to take effect," Daily Journal (June 5, 2015)
- Co-Author, "The Unique Role of Expert Witnesses in FINRA Employment Arbitrations, Part II," Financial Services Employment Arbitration Q&A, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (January 27, 2015)
- Co-Author, "The Unique Role of Expert Witnesses in FINRA Employment Arbitrations, Part 1," Financial Services Employment Arbitration Q&A, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (January 14, 2015)
- Co-Author, "Understanding FINRA Panel Composition," Financial Services Employment Arbitration Q&A, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 14, 2014)
- Co-Author, "Compelling FINRA Arbitration for Dodd-Frank Whistleblowers," Financial Services Employment Arbitration Q&A, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 6, 2014)
- "Does My Case Qualify For Simplified Arbitration?," Financial Services Employment Arbitration Q&A, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (October 31, 2013)
- "What Are Acceptable Workplace Conditions?," Los Angeles Daily Journal (December 1, 2010)
- "Managing Internal Investigations: Lessons from U.S. v. Ruehle," Bloomberg Law Reports, Vol. 4, No. 43 (October 26, 2010)
- "Forced Patronage: No Longer the Wage and Hour Bridesmaid?," Los Angeles Daily Journal, (August 27, 2010)
- "So Long, Stray Remarks Doctrine," The Recorder, (August 16, 2010)
- "Plaintiff’s Bankruptcy and Judicial Estoppel of Employment Litigation," BNA Employment Discrimination Report, Vol. 22, No. 5, p. 133 (February 4, 2004)
- "Rules Revision," (Federal Civil Procedure) Los Angeles Daily Journal (February 21, 2001)
- Co-Presenter, "Moving Forward: Employer Considerations and Obligations, and other Workplace Tips," Webinar, EmployBridge (August 27, 2020)
- "San Francisco Retail Workers Bill of Rights: New Burdens for San Francisco Employers," Bar Association of San Francisco (August 20, 2015)
- "The SF Retail Workers Bill of Rights: New Burdens for Financial-Services Employers," San Francisco Bank Attorneys Association (July 6, 2015)
- "SF Retail Workers Bill of Rights: New Burdens for SF Employers Starting July 3rd," Northern California Human Resources Association (June 12, 2015)
- "SF Retail Workers Bill of Rights: New Burdens for SF Employers Starting July 3rd," Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (June 3, 2015)
- "Recent Developments in Federal Qui Tam, False Claims Act and Whistleblower Litigation," Breakfast Briefing, Seyfarth Shaw LLP, San Francisco, CA (June 6, 2013)
- "Sarbanes-Oxley Whistleblower Litigation," Advanced Labor and Employment Law Conference, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 8, 2011)
- "Ethics for Employment Lawyers," Bar Association of San Francisco (April 6, 2011)
- "Employers Hold On To Your Seats! A New Wave of PAGA Litigation Is Coming," Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 15, 2011)
- "Legislative and Wage & Hour Law Update For California Employers," Breakfast Briefing, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 1, 2011)
- "Independent Contractors: The Steep Costs of Misclassification in California," Legal & Legislative Conference, Northern California Human Resources Association (January 27, 2011)
- "Ethical Considerations for Companies and Candidates Before, During and After a Job Search," Association of Corporate Counsel, San Francisco Bay Area Chapter (January 22, 2010)
- "Avoiding Legal-Ethics Traps in Managing Internal Investigations, Government Inquiries, and Litigation," Advanced Labor and Employment Law Conference, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 10, 2010)
- "Ethics Issues for In-House Counsel," Advanced Labor and Employment Law Conference, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (October 15, 2009)
- "Managing Class Actions: What In-House Counsel Need to Know," Association of Corporate Counsel, Southern California Chapter (April 19, 2006)
- "Cutting Edge Employment Compliance Issues," Association of Corporate Counsel, Southern California Chapter (April 20, 2005)
- Quoted, "Bringing Predictability to Scheduling," Human Resource Executive Online (September 18, 2017)
- Quoted, "Brokerages can require advisers to trade with the 'company store' attempt to apply Depression-era forced patronage law fails," Los Angeles Daily Journal (April 10, 2013)
- Quoted, "Wave of Lawsuits Over Seats Hit Retail Stores," Associated Press (July 25, 2011)
- Interview, "A Slew of ‘Suitable Seating’ Lawsuits," Fox Business Channel with David Asman (June 22, 2011)
- Quoted in San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News, the Daily Journal, MSNBC.com, CNET.com, E-Commerce Times, NewsFactor.com, and Business Insurance discussing Reid v. Google California Supreme Court Decision (August 23, 2010)