Elena R. Baca

As global chair of Paul Hastings' employee law practice, Elena Baca is recognized as a top trial lawyer with a track record of courtroom victories and cases that are shaping future law.

Baca oversees a team of more than 100 lawyers in courtrooms across the nation, with key clients including Activision Blizzard Inc., Dollar Tree, Meta Platforms Inc., Gilead Sciences Inc., Live Nation, Mattel Inc. and Ticketmaster Entertainment LLC.

She specializes in advising on employment issues and handling complicated, high-profile litigation, enforcement actions and class actions asserted against some of the most recognized companies across the globe.

Busy with her cases, Baca answered a few questions by email. She said she is proud to serve clients who have trusted her with their most difficult challenges.

Baca said she is also proud to lead an innovative team that recognizes emerging trends in employment law.

"The size, scale and complexity of the issues arising from the workplace... as society, investors, regulators and employees change their expectations of the workplace have blurred lines between employment, corporate, IP, privacy, technology, compliance and other substantive areas," she wrote. "I am tremendously proud that we are at the forefront of this evolution in terms of what we deliver to our clients; there is no other firm better able to assist."

In a highly publicized case, Baca is representing gaming giant Activision Blizzard Inc. in an $18 million settlement with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and government enforcement actions as the EEOC and the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing battled over which agency had jurisdiction to investigate and resolve workplace harassment claims. The EEOC lawsuit was resolved through a consent decree, while the state litigation is ongoing.

Baca said the two things she loves most about her job are the people and strategy.

"I have the privilege of working with in-house counsel and company boards -- as well as other PH attorneys, opposing counsel and members of the judiciary -- on company-critical employment matters," she wrote. "It may sound odd to add opposing counsel, but they serve a critical role, just as the defense bar does. At the end of the day, while we may not see the facts or value an issue in the same way, we have a shared goal of ensuring workplace compliance."

- Kelly Puente