Super Lawyers has named McGuireWoods Los Angeles – Century City lawyers Sabrina A. Beldner, Payam Khodadadi and Lindsay L. Ryan 2016 Southern California Rising Stars — an honor bestowed on no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the region. Rising Stars recognizes top up-and-coming lawyers who are 40 years old or younger, or who have been practicing for 10 or fewer years.
Beldner and Ryan were honored in the Employee Litigation: Defense Category. Beldner represents employers in wage-and-hour class actions and in wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, FMLA/CFRA, and unfair competition/trade secret claims. She counsels clients in employment mediations and arbitrations, labor commissioner proceedings and at trial, and provides guidance on discipline, discharge, reduction in force, and leave and accommodation issues.
Ryan represents employers in litigation involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination claims. She also provides guidance on discipline, discharge, reduction in force, and leave and accommodation issues, and conducts training and presentations on the prevention of unlawful employment practices.
Khodadadi, recognized in the Bankruptcy: Business Category, represents corporate debtors, bankruptcy trustees, creditors’ committees, indenture trustees, secured and unsecured creditors, lessors, lessees, contract counterparties and other interested parties in bankruptcy cases and related litigation. He also handles complex commercial litigation, with an emphasis on representing banks.
The honors will be published in the Rising Stars edition of Southern California Super Lawyers magazine and in the July 2016 issue of Los Angeles magazine.
A Thomson Reuters publication, Super Lawyers identifies candidates through independent research and by inviting lawyers in each state to nominate the best attorneys they have observed in action. A lawyer-led research staff evaluates candidates on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement. Candidates also undergo a peer review by practice area.