Allison Eckstrom

Allison Eckstrom
  1. People /

Allison Eckstrom

Allison Eckstrom

Partner

Allison Eckstrom
  1. People /

Allison Eckstrom

Allison Eckstrom

Partner

Allison Eckstrom

Partner

Irvine

T: +1 949 223 7173

VcardVcard
Download PDFDownload PDF
Print
Share

Biography

Allison represents clients in complex wage and hour litigation, involving claims for employee misclassification, rounding violations, regular rate of pay issues, meal/rest period compliance, expense reimbursement, off-the-clock issues, as well as derivative claims under California's Unfair Competition Law (UCL) and Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA). She serves as co-leader of the firm's Employment Class and Collective Actions Team. Allison also represents clients in single-plaintiff employment matters, involving claims for discrimination, harassment and retaliation under both California and federal laws.

Allison's clientele spans a wide range of industries, including retail, financial services, technology, freight/transportation, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, property management, and restaurant/hospitality establishments. She has represented clients at both the trial and appellate court levels.

During her career, Allison has litigated over 100 class and other representative actions in the federal and state courts. She has successfully defeated class and representative claims at all stages of litigation (i.e., the pleading, certification, and post-certification stages of litigation). Allison also has extensive experience evaluating and preparing exposure analyses of wage and hour liability in both the audit and litigation contexts.

Allison has experience as a certified mediator in civil litigation matters and received her training at the Straus Institute at Pepperdine University. Allison has not only served as a third-party neutral, but also has successfully negotiated favorable settlements for clients in high risk/exposure matters.

Prior to joining the firm, Allison practiced at two international law firms where she focused on employment/wage and hour litigation and complex commercial litigation. She also served as a judicial law clerk for Associate Justice Steven H. Levinson of the Hawaii Supreme Court for two years following law school.

While in law school, Allison served as a judicial extern for Judge Audrey B. Collins of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. She was also a board member of the Southwestern University Law Review; a member of the Moot Court Honors Program; and a recipient of the Best Oralist Award at the 2000 National Rendigs Products Liability Moot Court Competition in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Prior to attending law school, Allison was employed with a national payroll and human resource management company.

Allison has pro bono experience as a volunteer with Public Counsel in Los Angeles, where she has assisted indigent immigrant children in obtaining safe guardians and legal residency in the United States.

Areas of Focus

  • Employment Class & Collective Actions

Civic Involvement & Honors

  • AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell

Professional Affiliations

  • Member, Orange County Bar Association
  • Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association

Admissions

California, 2001

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

United States District Courts for the Central, Eastern, Northern and Southern Districts of California

Education

Southwestern University, J.D., 2001

University of California, Santa Barbara, B.A., with honors, 1996

Related Practice Areas

  • Employment & Labor

  • Class Actions & Mass Torts

  • Retail & Consumer Products

  • Investigations

  • Regulation, Compliance & Advisory

  • Financial Services

  • Consumer Fraud

  • Insurance (Class Actions)

  • Pharmaceutical & Medical Devices (Class Actions)

  • Class Actions

  • Litigation & Dispute Resolution

  • Cross-border Employment Issues

  • Restaurant Practice

  • Employment Class & Collective Actions

Resources

Speaking Engagements

  • Panelist, First Chair Conference, Hot Topics in Employment Law, August 2019
  • Speaker, PIHRA California HR Conference, Slaying The Wage And Hour Dragon, August 2018
  • Speaker, Orange County Bar Association Symposium - New Trends in Wage & Hour Law, June 2015
  • Speaker, Orange County Compensation and Benefits Association, January 2015

Related Insights

Blog Post
Sep 23, 2024
New York Prioritizes Retail Worker Safety
Blog Post
Jul 01, 2024
California Private Attorneys’ General Act (PAGA) Receives Significant Overhaul
Blog Post
March 9, 2023
California's Pay Transparency Laws
Insights
Mar 09, 2023
Pay Transparency and Equity Issues
Blog Post
Dec 13, 2021
Changes and Developments in California Employment Laws for 2022
Webinars
Jul 29, 2021
Compliance in a New Era
Blog Post
Nov 20, 2020
New California Family Rights Act Dramatically Expands Employee Rights and Employer Obligations