Overview
Chris Jalian is a partner in the Employment Law practice of Paul Hastings and is based in the firm’s Los Angeles office. Admitted to practice in California and New York, Chris often acts for national and international companies with workforces spanning the United States. His clients include financial institutions, major manufacturers, hotels and hotel management companies, healthcare providers, entertainment houses and technology companies.
Wage and Hour Class, Collective, and Representative Actions: Lauded in The Legal 500 for his wage and hour collective action work, Chris regularly litigates class, collective and representative action lawsuits. A frequent speaker on these areas of law, Chris is often called to represent employers facing novel legal challenges in relation to their hourly workforce. Chris has secured dismissal of multiple class and representative actions in the pleading stage, successfully limited the broad grant of discovery in a Private Attorneys General Act representative action leading to an employer-favorable resolution and has defended employers against unions regarding interpretation of wage provisions in their collective bargaining agreements. Chris also counsels employers and revises employers’ policies to ensure compliance with federal and state wage and hour requirements.
Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation Litigation: Chris represents employers against claims involving federal and state antidiscrimination, harassment and whistleblower retaliation laws. Clients routinely engage Chris when facing such claims brought by or concerning their top executives. Chris successfully navigates these high-profile discrimination and retaliation claims, while mitigating media fallout.
Government Investigations and Enforcement: Chris represents employers in high-profile government investigation and enforcement actions, including defending claims of systemic discrimination, retaliation and violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act and/or the Fair Chance Act. Chris has successfully secured dismissal of multiple governmental investigations, including threatened systemic claims spanning his clients’ entire workforces.
Chris received his J.D. from Columbia Law School in 2012, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and served as the executive editor of the Columbia Journal of European Law. He received his B.A. in History from the University of California, Los Angeles, cum laude, in 2008.
Accolades
- The Legal 500 USA, Labor and Employment Disputes Including Collective Actions: Defense (2022)
- California Super Lawyer Rising Star (2018–2023)
Education
- Columbia Law School, J.D., 2012
- University of California, Los Angeles, B.A., cum laude, 2008
Engagement & Publications
- "Your Questions Answered: Preparing Your Witness for a Deposition," American Bar Association, May 2013
- Beverly Hills Bar Association, “The Latest Developments Regarding the California Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act of 2004,” March 27, 2018
- California Lawyers Association, “Wage and Hour Basics,” February 7, 2019
- “Beware Cost of Meal and Rest Break Noncompliance in California,” Law360, February 22, 2019
- Beverly Hills Bar Association, “The Latest Developments Regarding the California Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act of 2004,” May 30, 2019
- “Offshore Rig Ruling Checks State Claims at Shore,” Law360, June 19, 2019
- Los Angeles County Bar Association, “COVID-Era Wage & Hour Basics for Employment Lawyers Who Don’t Do Wage & Hour Cases,” May 28, 2020
- Beverly Hills Bar Association, "The California Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act" (March 18, 2021)
- California Employment Law Council, "The California Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act" (May 18, 2021)
- Beverly Hills Bar Association, "2022 PAGA Update—PAGA’s Past, Present, and Future" (April 13, 2022)
- Paul Hastings Webinar, “Arbitration Agreements Are Under Attack. Is Yours Compliant?” (November 13, 2024)
- California Lawyers Association, “Webinar: Hot Takes: Views on PAGA Post-Reform” (January 24, 2025)