Employer-Side Defense Only
Employer Defense Attorney in San Diego
Facing an employee lawsuit or a wage claim? You get Karin Backstrom herself. She defends San Diego employers only, with 26 years and 500 cases behind every answer she gives. One senior attorney, fully on your side.
- Employers Only
An Employer-Side Lawyer Who Is Only on Your Side
Maybe a worker just sued you. Maybe a letter came from a state agency. Or maybe nothing has happened yet, and you want to stay protected.
Whatever brought you here, you have the same questions. What am I facing? How bad is it? What will it cost? Who can I trust with this?
Here is the plain answer. As an employer defense attorney in San Diego, Karin Backstrom defends employers, and only employers. Never workers. So there is no split loyalty and no conflict. Just one side, yours.
When you call, you reach Karin Backstrom, the senior attorney who handles your case from start to finish. Not a call center. Not a junior lawyer learning on your dime. She tells you the truth, gives you a plan, and handles it, so you can get back to running your business.
Calling is not a sign of trouble. It is how smart owners get ahead of it.
- About the Firm
About Backstrom Labor Law
Backstrom Labor Law is a San Diego employment law firm built for employers. We help business owners handle employee lawsuits, agency claims, and the hard parts of California employment law.
Karin Backstrom has spent her whole career on the employer’s side. She trained at two of the largest employer-defense firms in the country, Littler Mendelson and Sheppard Mullin. Now she brings that same skill to local businesses, without the big-firm price or the big-firm runaround.
She has handled more than 500 employment cases. She has defended employers in San Diego Superior Court, in federal court, and in front of every major labor agency. When she takes your case, that experience goes straight to work for you.
Most of our clients are family-run businesses right here in San Diego County, from Chula Vista to El Cajon to Escondido. She has appeared in San Diego Superior Court and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, and before the local Labor Commissioner office. And we give you advice you can act on today.
- Practice Areas
How We Help San Diego Employers
We handle the full range of California employment matters for employers. Here are our four core services.
Human Resources Advice and Counseling
The best way to win a lawsuit is to never get one. We review your employee handbook, guide your hiring and firing choices, and answer your daily HR questions. Every talk is protected by attorney-client privilege. Smart advice now saves you from a costly claim later.
- Hiring guidance
- Policy development
- Risk management
Litigation Defense
Sued for wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, or a wage and hour claim? We defend employers in San Diego Superior Court and federal court. This includes PAGA defense. PAGA, the Private Attorneys General Act, lets one worker sue for penalties on behalf of your whole team. We know how these cases work, and how to fight back.
- Wage and hour claims
- Harassment and discrimination
- Wrongful termination defense
Administrative Agency Practice
Got a letter from the Labor Commissioner (DLSE), the Civil Rights Department (CRD), the EEOC, or the EDD? Each agency has its own rules and short deadlines. We step in as your attorney and handle the whole process, from the first response to the final hearing.
- DLSE representation
- EEOC defense
- DFEH proceedings
Traditional Labor Law
We guide employers through union matters, collective bargaining, and labor disputes. You get clear, practical advice built around one thing, what is best for your business.
- Collective bargaining
- Union negotiations
- Labor dispute management
- Why Choose Us
Why San Diego Employers Trust Us
Employers Only, Always
We never represent workers. Ever. That means no split loyalty and no conflict, just one side, yours.
You Get the Senior Attorney
Karin handles your case herself, start to finish. No handoffs to a junior lawyer. This is simply how the firm is built.
Big-Firm Skill, Boutique Price
You get Littler and Sheppard Mullin training without the big-firm bill or the feeling that you are just a file number.
Straight Talk, Real Answers
No long memos. No scare tactics. Just a clear read on what you face, your options, and what it will likely cost.
- Immediate Action Plan
Just Got Sued? Start Here.
If an employee lawsuit or agency notice just landed, the next two days matter most. Here is a safe first step. Every case is different, so it is worth taking a moment to speak with an experienced employer-defense attorney before responding.
Do
- Call a San Diego employer defense attorney first. In California, the deadline to respond is short. A wrong first move can make things worse.
- Save everything. Keep all emails, texts, time cards, and reviews about this worker. Do not delete a single thing.
- Call your insurance. Look for an EPLI policy, which is insurance that helps pay for employee lawsuits. Tell them fast, or they may not cover you.
- Write down the facts while you still remember them clearly.
- Note every deadline on the papers you got. These are hard dates, not suggestions.
Do Not
- Do not reply to the lawsuit or notice on your own. A rushed answer often causes new problems.
- Do not contact the worker who sued you, not directly, and not through a manager.
- Do not delete or fix any records. This can create a brand-new legal problem on top of the first one.
- Do not fire, demote, or punish anyone tied to the claim. That can look like payback and add a new claim.
- Do not make an offer or talk to their lawyer before you talk to yours.
One wrong text message can cost you more than the whole case. When in doubt, wait and call us first.
- San Diego Legal Landscape
California Employment Law Is Tough on San Diego Employers
California has some of the strictest worker laws in the country. San Diego adds even more on top. This is why so many local business owners get caught off guard.
Here are a few things that trip up San Diego employers:
San Diego’s minimum wage is $17.75 an hour in 2026, higher than the state’s $16.90. It covers anyone who works even two hours a week inside city limits. Getting this wrong can trigger a wage claim an employer-side wage and hour attorney can help you learn how California’s wage rules apply to your situation.
One unhappy worker can sue for penalties covering your whole team. There is no need for a class action first. Penalties are counted per worker, per pay period, so they add up fast.
California requires meal and rest breaks on a set schedule [Labor Code sections 226.7 and 512]. Miss them, and each one carries a penalty.
Even a small mistake on a pay stub [Labor Code section 226] can lead to penalties for every worker, every pay period.
California makes it hard to call someone a contractor. Getting it wrong can bring back-pay and penalty claims, and even a wrongful termination defense San Diego matter if a misclassified worker is later let go.
We keep up with changing rules so you don’t have to. Clean records and early legal advice protect your business. We help identify risks early and provide practical guidance before a small issue becomes a costly claim.
The rules also lean toward the worker. In many wage cases, you have to prove you followed the law, not the other way around. That is why clean records and early advice matter so much.
We keep up with these changes so you don’t have to. When the law shifts, we tell you what to do about it, in plain words.
- Testimonial
Trusted by Employers Across California
Employers rely on our practical guidance, strategic insight, and consistent commitment to protecting their business interests.
5.0
(Based on verified client reviews)
Employer-focused representation
Practical legal guidance
Consistent professional service
- Professional Experience
A Career Built on Defending Employers
Littler Mendelson
Trained at one of the largest employer-defense firms in the country, handling complex California employment cases.
Sheppard Mullin
Built a senior employer-defense practice across state courts, federal courts, and every major labor agency.
Backstrom Labor Law
Founded to give employers direct access to a senior attorney. No handoffs, no big-firm overhead, every case handled personally.
HRCI Course Instructor
Teaches HR certification courses for PHR and SPHR holders and speaks at California HR and risk conferences. This is a strong sign for HR leaders that Karin understands how HR teams think.
- FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions!
Answers to common questions employers have about workplace compliance, litigation defense, and employment regulations.
An employer defense attorney defends businesses, not workers, when a worker files a claim or lawsuit. We handle employee lawsuits, wage and hour claims, agency claims, and daily HR questions. We also help you set up policies that lower your risk before any problem starts. Backstrom Labor Law does this for San Diego employers only.
Call an employer defense attorney before you do anything else. Save all your records, and do not contact the worker who sued you. California response deadlines are short, and a rushed answer can hurt your case. The first two days matter most, so a quick call protects your options.
Sometimes. Some California claims can name an owner or manager by name, not just the company. This is scary, but it does not mean you will pay out of pocket. It means you need real defense counsel right away. We will look at the claim and tell you where you truly stand.
It depends on the type of case and how far along it is. We give you a clear cost estimate up front, and flat fees where we can. Here is the truth most owners miss. A worker's first demand is often far higher than the case is really worth. The right lawyer usually saves you money, not costs you more.
General business lawyers are great for contracts and company setup. California employment law is a different world. PAGA claims, break-pay penalties, Labor Commissioner hearings, and FEHA, the state's anti-discrimination law, are areas where a generalist can miss what matters most. We handle employment law only. That is the whole difference.
No. Backstrom Labor Law is based in San Diego and serves employers across San Diego County, including Chula Vista, El Cajon, Escondido, Kearny Mesa, Otay Mesa, and Poway. We also represent employers throughout California, in state courts, federal courts, and before every major labor agency.
- News & Developments
Employment Law Insights for Employers
- Contact
Let's Talk About Your Situation
You don’t have to figure this out alone. One call gives you a clear read on what you face and what to do next.
When you reach out, you get Karin, the senior attorney who will handle your case herself. No intake team. No junior lawyer. Just straight answers and a plan.
