Holly R. Lake

Holly R. Lake

CENTURY CITY - The work Holly R. Lake does for employers has begun to shift in the last few years, and that’s just how she likes it. “My practice continues to evolve, and that’s fun,” she said.

Of course, she still defends her clients in wage and hour class actions and PAGA litigation. She is representing one regular client, the California Institute of Technology and its Jet Propulsion Laboratory, in about a half dozen employment matters. Next month, she is set to argue a motion for summary judgment in one involving allegations of defamation and breach of contract.

She recently settled in principle two consolidated PAGA and wage and hour class actions on behalf of an Irvine-based manufacturer. Hernandez v. CTC Global Inc., 30-2020-01138945 (O.C. Super. Ct., filed March 13, 2020).

And for a little over a year, Lake has handled all the day-to-day employment and benefits work for the 40-plus U.S. subsidiaries of global holding company Halma plc, as well as Halma Canada’s pension plan.

Lake also advises and counsels her clients on employment-related issues. That work has grown lately to take up as much as 30% of her time.

In particular, she said, “I’ve been working with companies who are putting together or revising… their ESG philosophies, policies and practices generally.”

ESG refers to a company’s approach to environmental, social, and governance concerns. She compared the process to conceptualizing and building a company’s “moral fiber or theory of who they are and what they’re going to do.”

Lake focuses just on employment-related issues, such as developing diversity protocols and strategies for recruitment, retention, promotion and succession planning. Lake also has been called on to look at how clients are treating employees, customers and others, including such issues as pay equity, she said.

As one example, Lake said she has several clients that are considering offering employees benefits such as travel services if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

Outside of work, Lake has long been involved in a number of charitable and service organizations, including The Links, a national group that works to strengthen communities of African American women.

-Don DeBenedictis