Marcelo A. Dieguez
Top rated Employment & Labor attorney in Dana Point, California
Diefer Law Group, P.C.
Practice areas: Employment & Labor, Employment Litigation, Civil Rights; view more
Licensed in California since: 2002
Education: Loyola Law School Los Angeles
Languages spoken: English, Spanish
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2021 - 2026 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2013 - 2016 Call today:
877-805-7658
Free Consultation Diefer Law Group, P.C.
34204 Pacific Coast HighwayDana Point, CA 92629 Visit website
Marcelo A. Dieguez has built his career on a single, unwavering commitment: standing up for workers whose rights have been violated in the workplace. As a founding partner of Diefer Law Group, P.C., based in Dana Point, California, he represents clients throughout the state in matters involving sexual harassment, unlawful discrimination and wrongful termination, as well as claims arising under the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. His practice is devoted entirely to employment law, a focus he has maintained since the earliest days of his legal career.
Mr. Dieguez's path to advocacy began at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he graduated with honors, before he went on to earn his law degree from Loyola Law School at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles in 2002. While still a student, he gained hands-on courtroom experience serving the Honorable Paul Boland in Los Angeles Superior Court and later at the California Courts of Appeal, an early foundation for the trial skills he now brings to both state and federal courts.
Beyond the courtroom, Mr. Dieguez remains deeply engaged in the legal community through memberships in the California Employment Lawyers Association, the American Bar Association, the Orange County Bar Association and The State Bar of California's Labor and Employment Law Section. He is also a prolific writer and speaker, authoring articles on workplace sexual harassment, interview-related legal pitfalls and dispute resolution, while frequently sharing his insights on national and Spanish-language networks, including CBS News, ABC, Univision, Galavision and Estrella TV.
Mr. Dieguez's dedication has not gone unnoticed within the legal community. Among his numerous accolades, he holds an AV Preeminent* peer-review rating through Martindale-Hubbell and was recognized by the American Society of Legal Advocates as one of California's Top 40 Under 40 Labor & Employment Attorneys list, honors that reflect a career grounded in client trust and a steadfast commitment to workplace justice.
*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer-review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.
Practice areas
Employment & Labor: Employee, Employment Litigation: Plaintiff, Civil RightsFocus areas
Americans with Disabilities Act, Discrimination, Employment Discrimination, Employment Law - Employee, Sexual Harassment, Wrongful Termination
- 70% Employment & Labor: Employee
- 20% Employment Litigation: Plaintiff
- 10% Civil Rights
First Admitted: 2002, California
Professional Webpage: https://dieferlaw.com/our-team/marcelo-a-dieguez/
Bar / Professional Activity
- The State Bar of California, 2002
- United States District Court, Central District of California, 2002
- American Bar Association, Member, 2002 - present
- California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, 2001
- The State Bar of California, Labor and Employment Section, Member, 2002 - Present
- Orange County Bar Association, Member, 2002 - present
- California Employment Lawyers Association, Member, 2013 - present
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- Over $10,000,000.00 in verdicts/settlements between employment and worker's compensation cases., 2019
Educational Background
- University of California - Santa Barbara, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Honors: with High Honors, 1999
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- “The Trend Toward Assisted Alternative Dispute Resolution Methods,” ACI (2011)
- Employment Law Blog, Employment Law Lawyers Website (2011)
- “Navigating Workplace Harassment: A Guide for Women,” Bully Free Zone (2012)
- “Illegal Employment Interviews,” The Working Bee (2012)
- Main guest speaker on employment law changes for 2020, in particular in regards to AB5., Speaker, www.vitaetax.com, Trucking, Janitorial, Small Businesses, 2020
- Main guest speaker in front of hundreds of business owners in regards to employment law and rights/obligations of employees and employer in the workplace., Main Guest Speaker, www.vitaetax.com, Small Businesses, Trucking, Janitorial, Manufacturing, 2019
Honors
- Orange County Top Lawyers – Employment Law, OC Metro Magazine, 2014
- Client’s Choice Award, AVVO, 2012, 2013 and 2019
- Top 20 Lawyers in Labor and Employment and Workers’ Compensation, The National Advocates, 2020
- Rising Star, Super Lawyers Magazine, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2021
- Super Lawyers, selected annually since 2021
- AV Preeminent* peer-review rating through Martindale-Hubbell
- Top Lawyer List by California Magazine in 2020
- Top 100 Lawyers – The National Advocates, 2017
- Top 20 Lawyers in Labor and Employment and Workers’ Compensation, The National Advocates, 2019
- Client Champion Award (silver) – Martindale-Hubbell, 2018
- Top Attorneys – Orange Coast Magazine, 2015
- Client Distinction Award – Martindale-Hubbell, 2015
- 2014, Top 40 Under 40 Labor and Employment Lawyer in California, American Society of Legal Advocates
- Trial Advocacy First Honors Award
- Honorary Member, St. Thomas More Honor Society, 2001
- 2013 Client Distinction Award by Martindale-Hubbell
- Awarded to lawyers that have been evaluated on their service and relationships skills and who have received Client Reviews with a numeric score of 4.0 - 5.0., Client Distinction Award, Martindale-Hubbell, 2015
- Honor Board, Scott Moot Court, Loyola Law School, 2001
Awards
Avvo Client's Choice Award: This award is granted to attorneys with at least 5 reviews with 4+ stars in a given year on Avvo.com
Silver: This award is granted to attorneys who have received at least 3 client reviews, and have an average review score of 4.0 or higher.
AV Preeminent®: This elite award is granted to attorneys who have been recognized by their peers for their very high ethical standards, with an average peer review score of 4.5 or higher.
Industry Groups
- California Employment Lawyers Association
Office location for Marcelo A. Dieguez
34204 Pacific Coast Highway
Dana Point, CA 92629
Phone: 877-805-7658
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2021 - 2026
- Rising Stars: 2013 - 2016
