Finding a lawyer in a city like Los Angeles is usually a nightmare of billboard ads and radio jingles. Honestly, it’s overwhelming. But if you’ve spent any time looking into employment disputes or massive class-action suits in Southern California lately, you’ve probably seen one name surface more than most: Andrew Friedman.
Not all Andrew Friedmans are the same, though. If you search for an "Andrew Friedman lawyer Los Angeles," you might actually be looking for one of three different people. There’s the high-stakes employment litigator at Helmer Friedman LLP, the private equity and M&A heavy hitter at Gibson Dunn, and even a long-standing local commissioner. It’s a bit of a name-game out there.
Most people, however, are looking for the guy who literally "wrote the book" on employment discrimination. That would be Andrew H. Friedman. He’s the one winning $6 million jury verdicts and taking cases all the way to the U. S. Supreme Court.
The Lawyer Who Wrote the Treatise
When we say he wrote the book, it isn't a figure of speech. Andrew H. Friedman is the author of Litigating Employment Discrimination Cases, a massive two-volume treatise published by James Publishing. It’s over 1,500 pages long. Basically, if you are a lawyer in California and you’re handling a harassment or discrimination case, you likely have his book on your desk.
It’s kinda rare to find a practitioner who is also the leading academic authority in their field. Usually, you get one or the other—the "ivory tower" researcher or the "street fighter" trial lawyer. Friedman manages to be both. He’s been a Super Lawyer every single year since 2006, and since 2020, he has consistently landed on the "Top 100" list for all of Southern California. That's a huge deal when you consider there are something like 25,000+ attorneys in LA alone.
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Big Wins and the Supreme Court
Let’s talk about the stuff that actually matters to a client: the results.
Friedman isn't just filing paperwork. He’s known for high-octane litigation. One of his standout career moments happened in 2017 with the case Lightfoot v. Cendant Mortgage Corp. He served as Counsel of Record and managed to convince the U. S. Supreme Court to grant a petition for certiorari. That’s a fancy way of saying he got the highest court in the land to listen. And they didn't just listen; they ruled unanimously in favor of his clients.
Aside from the Supreme Court, his trial record includes:
- A $6 Million jury verdict in a gender discrimination and retaliation lawsuit.
- A $4.1 Million verdict in a fraud and breach of employment contract case in Los Angeles Superior Court.
- A $2.4 Million settlement in a federal wage and hour class action.
These aren't just numbers on a spreadsheet. These represent people who were messed over by big corporations and finally got a win. He’s earned a reputation for being "wise as a serpent and innocent as a dove," a quote from a former client that highlights his tactical sharpness and ethical grounding.
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Why Experience in "Both Sides" Matters
One thing that makes Andrew H. Friedman unique is his background. Before he started fighting for employees, he was trained by two of the biggest management-side firms in the country: Paul Hastings and Bryan Cave LLP.
He knows the playbook. He knows how the "other side" thinks because he used to be there. This gives him a massive advantage in negotiations. He can see the traps before they are set. Today, while he primarily represents plaintiffs (the employees), he still occasionally consults for employers or conducts neutral investigations. That middle-ground perspective is why he’s a frequent speaker at the California Lawyers Association and various "boot camps" for other attorneys.
Which Andrew Friedman Do You Need?
If you aren't looking for an employment lawyer, you might be looking for Andrew D. Friedman. He’s a partner at Gibson Dunn’s Century City office.
His world is totally different. Instead of discrimination trials, he handles Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) and private equity. He’s the guy you call if you’re a multi-national film company merging with another giant, or if a private equity sponsor is buying an aerospace manufacturer. He’s an Ivy League grad (Harvard Law) and has been a "Rising Star" in the corporate world for a long time.
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Then there is the "local legend" version of Andrew Friedman. This Andrew has been an LA Commissioner for over 30 years and has been a fixture in the city's political and legal scene for half a century. He’s a trial attorney too, but his legacy is deeply intertwined with the history of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department and local Hungarian-American relations.
What to Do If You Have a Legal Issue in LA
If you think you have a case—whether it’s a workplace issue or a massive business deal—you can’t just pick a name out of a hat. The legal landscape in 2026 is hyper-specialized.
- Check the Bar Record: Always look up any attorney on the State Bar of California website. You want to see "Active" status and zero disciplinary history.
- Verify the Specialty: If you have an employment claim, look for the person who handles "Labor & Employment." If you're selling a company, look for "Corporate/M&A."
- Read the Reviews Carefully: Look for mentions of "trial experience." A lot of lawyers settle quickly because they are afraid of the courtroom. You want someone like the Helmer Friedman team who actually goes to trial and wins.
Actionable Steps for Your Legal Search
If you are dealing with a workplace injustice right now, don't wait. California has strict statutes of limitations.
First, document everything. Save emails, texts, and performance reviews to a personal device—not your work computer. Second, don't sign anything from HR until a lawyer looks at it. Severance agreements often contain "release of claims" clauses that waive your right to sue. Third, contact a specialist. If your situation involves harassment or unpaid wages, seeking out a firm with the pedigree of Andrew H. Friedman is a solid starting point for a consultation. Whether it's a small individual claim or a massive class action, having a "Top 100" advocate can be the difference between a dismissed case and a multi-million dollar recovery.