Apalla U. Chopra
Apalla Chopra is Chair of O’Melveny’s Labor and Employment Practice and Colleges and Universities Industry Group, and a member of the Firm’s Policy Committee. She specializes in litigating complex multi-plaintiff and class action discrimination and wage and hour cases. Her experience is broad as she has represented clients in cases regarding employee allegations of invasion of privacy, wrongful discharge, and discrimination based on age, race, gender, national origin, physical handicap, and related matters. Apalla also conducts independent investigations into high profile allegations of employee misconduct on behalf of companies, boards and special committees. She has represented clients in traditional labor matters under the National Labor Relations Act and Educational Employment Relations Act, and has experience negotiating collective bargaining agreements and executive employment contracts. In addition, Apalla is among a handful of lawyers colleges and universities turn to for their most complex and high profile legal challenges, including Title IX and Clery Act investigations and follow-on litigation into their handling of sexual assault allegations.
Apalla’s industry experience is likewise broad, as she has represented companies in the biotechnology, manufacturing, utility, health, retail, hospitality, private and public schools, and entertainment sectors.
Apalla has represented both employers and amici in many significant trial court and appellate cases, including Chindarah v. Pick Up Stix, Inc., 171 Cal. App. 4th 796 (2009); Alch v. Superior Court, 122 Cal. App. 4th 339 (2004); Thomas v. Bristol Farms, Inc., 2003 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 11024 (2003); Wynn v. NBC, 234 F. Supp. 2d 1067 (C.D. Cal. 2002); and Fanaka v. Warner Bros., 2000 US Dist. LEXIS 19078 (2000).
Apalla has been lauded a “Rainmaker” by Diversity & the Bar, “Labor & Employment Firm Attorney of the Year” by the Los Angeles Business Journal, and a “Woman Worth Watching” by Diversity Journal. She has repeatedly been recognized by Chambers USA and Legal500 as a leading lawyer and has also been named by the Daily Journal as one of the Top 100 lawyers in California, a top Labor and Employment lawyer, and a top woman lawyer.
- Named a Local Litigation Star and Labor & Employment Star by Benchmark Litigation (2020)
- Selected by HRE Executive and Lawdragon to its “Most Powerful Employment Lawyers” list (2019)
- Named to the Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America (2018, 2019)
- Ranked by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2011-2019)
- Selected by the Daily Journal as a Top Labor and Employment Lawyer (2010-2015, 2017-2019)
- Chosen by the Los Angeles Business Journal as the publication's Labor & Employment Firm Attorney of the Year (2018)
- Named by the Daily Journal to its list of “Top 100 Lawyers” (2015-2016, 2018)
- Selected by the Daily Journal as a Top Woman Lawyer (2012, 2013, 2016, 2018)
- Ranked by Legal 500 (2011-2019)
- Selected by HRE Executive and LawDragon to its “Most Powerful Employment Attorneys” list (2014-2019)
- Selected to the National Law Journal’s “Trailblazers - Litigation” list (2016)
- Selected by the Los Angeles Business Journal as one of the “Most Influential Minority Lawyers” (2016)
- Selected by Los Angeles magazine as a Top Woman Lawyer (2016)
- Recognized by Best Lawyers® 2020 for Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management, and Litigation - Labor and Employment in Los Angeles, CA; Apalla has been listed in Best Lawyers® since 2010
- Recognized by Who's Who Legal: Labour & Employment (2016 - 2019)
- Named to the Southern California Super Lawyers lists via surveys conducted by Law & Politics Media Inc. and published in Los Angeles magazine (2004-2019)
Los Angeles, California 90071
