Nina Huerta

Nina Huerta serves on the Firm's Executive Committee and is Managing Partner of the Firm's Los Angeles office where she focuses on defending companies in complex and class action litigation, typically involving labor and employment claims. She has defended employers in litigation involving:

• Wage and hour claims brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act
• The California Labor Code and the Industrial Welfare Commission (“IWC”) Wage Orders
• Alleged worker misclassification
• Claims of discrimination and harassment
• Alleged violations of family and medical leave laws

In addition, Nina assists companies with employment due diligence and proactive risk management in relation to mergers and acquisitions. Finally, she provides counseling and advice to employers on a number of issues, including hiring and discipline, wage and hour compliance and leave policies and procedures.

Nina also has represented mortgage lenders, servicers and other financial institutions in defending against individual and class action claims for violations of various state and federal laws governing lending and servicing of residential mortgage loans.

Nina is well versed in the numerous issues stemming from the COVID-19 outbreak, such as the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), stay-at-home and related orders, and all of their impacts on employers, employees and independent contractors, including critical infrastructure and essential services determinations, paid and unpaid leave, layoffs, pay reductions, reduced hours, furloughs, downsizings, expanded unemployment, and their interaction with numerous local, state and federal laws and regulations. Many of these issues have significant interactions with employee benefits, tax, Small Business Administration, and other issues, where we collaborate closely with our colleagues experienced in those practice areas.

Nina’s experience includes:

• Represented insurance company against claims of race discrimination under Title VII, and obtained summary judgment dismissal
• Represented insurance company in a case brought by a former independent contractor alleging misclassification and age discrimination, and obtained summary judgment
• Represented insurance company in a case brought by a former independent contractor alleging misclassification, age discrimination and unpaid wages. Plaintiff sought over $8 million in compensatory damages and punitive damages. After a 7-week jury trial involving approximately 30 witnesses, the Locke Lord trial team obtained a defense verdict
• Represented insurance company in a case brought by a former independent contractor for fraud and other claims. Obtained a defense verdict after a one-week jury trial
• Represented energy company against claims by former employee for wrongful termination and breach of contract, and obtained summary judgment dismissal on all claims
• Defense of a long-term nursing care facility against claims of sex and pregnancy discrimination, and obtained a defense verdict at arbitration
• Represented energy company in defense of a suit involving enforcement of restrictive covenants
• Defense of a financial institution against an employee’s claims of employment discrimination, failure to provide reasonable accommodation and violation of wage and hour laws
• Represented entertainment industry client in Labor Commissioner proceedings brought by executives for unpaid wages, and obtained a defense judgment on all claims
• Represented financial institution in residential mortgage claim brought by homeowner, and obtained judgment on all claims