Chris C. Scheithauer

Chris C. Scheithauer represents clients on civil litigation matters, with a focus on employment wage and hour class action litigation and advice. He also has significant experience with employee benefit litigation and counseling under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).

Chris’ vibrant employment practice involves representing employers in defending individual and class action claims pertaining to wage and hour disputes, including claims under California's Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA).  Chris also defends employers sued for employment discrimination and harassment (under California and federal law), wrongful termination, breach of employment contract, unfair competition and misappropriation of trade secrets. He has litigated class actions involving wage and hour claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act, as well as California’s Wage Orders.

Chris’ ERISA practice involves representing employers, plan fiduciaries and trustees in litigation matters concerning employee benefit plans. He represents companies and their ERISA plans in defending claims for wrongful denial of employee benefits, such as long-term disability benefits. Chris also defends companies, officers and directors, and other alleged ERISA plan fiduciaries against claims for breach of fiduciary duties in employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) and 401(k) class actions regarding company stock declines, claims for excessive investment and administrative fees, or changes to pension plans. Chris was a contributing author to the Employee Benefits Law treatise, published by the American Bar Association (ABA)’s Employee Benefits Subcommittee on ERISA.

Chris has represented clients such as Northrop Grumman Corporation, State Street Bank & Trust, CMS Energy, Bank of America 401(k) Plan, AECOM, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, XIX Entertainment, Academy of Pop, Kay Properties, Lifestyle Solutions, FC Blades, US Framing, Venture Finance Solutions, First General Bank, Christenson Brothers General Engineering, Cal Pacific Specialty Foods, Liverpool FC International Academy, Poured, Countrywide Financial Corporation 401(k) Plan, the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, and Yahoo, among others.

Chris represents clients in litigation in state and federal courts, as well as in administrative proceedings and investigations before such agencies as the U.S. Department of Labor, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, and the California Department of Industrial Relations/Division of Labor Standards Enforcement.

Chris has previously served on the Board of Directors of the Orange County Federal Bar Association. Chris is currently on the Board of the Orange County Association of Business Trial Lawyers. He also serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Samueli Academy.

Chris is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where he earned multiple undergraduate degrees and his graduate law degree.