Katharine Liao represents employers in the retail, entertainment, technology and healthcare industries in all aspects of employment-related litigation before federal and state courts and administrative agencies. Resident in the firm’s New York office, her practice is global with a particular emphasis and extensive experience with California and New York wage and hour class action litigation.
Having defeated class certification on multiple occasions, Katharine focuses her practice on defending wage-and-hour class actions involving claims of meal and rest period violations, failure to pay wages and/or bonuses, off-the-clock work, seating claims and employee misclassification. Katharine also represents employers in cases involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation, trade secrets, breach of contract and wrongful termination matters.
She serves as a trusted adviser to employers and provides day-to-day counseling on various employment issues, including employment policies and procedures, pay equity issues, executive transitions, wage-and-hour compliance, employment and commission agreements, and manager and employee training. Katharine regularly conducts anti-harassment training for clients in various industries.
Katharine has defended clients in proceedings before the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, Public Employment Relations Board, California Division of Labor Enforcement Standards, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, New York Department of Labor and US Department of Labor.
Katharine speaks Mandarin and has advised international clients seeking to do business in the US on relevant employment issues. She regularly assists global clients in transitioning in and out of various jurisdictions, provides due diligence in mergers and acquisitions and assists with reductions in force. She speaks regularly on social media policies, anti-harassment measures and best management practices.
Katharine has done pro bono work for the Clinton Foundation, Communities in Schools of Los Angeles (CISLA), Community Coalition for Substance Abuse, Hollaback! Harassment: Know Your Rights, Leadership Council on Diversity and Feeding America. She served as an adjunct professor at University of Southern California, teaching trial advocacy from 2010-2012.
