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Chris C. Scheithauer is a partner in the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery LLP based in the Firm's Orange County office. As a member of the Trial Department, Chris handles many types of general civil litigation matters, although he currently focuses on labor and employment litigation and advice. He also has extensive experience in the area of employment benefits litigation and counseling under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).
Chris's labor and employment practice primarily involves representing employers in defending claims pertaining to wage and hour disputes, employment discrimination and harassment (under both California and federal law), wrongful termination, breach of employment contract, unfair competition and misappropriation of trade secrets. On behalf of employers, he has successfully enforced restrictive covenants between employers and employees relating to the protection of customer accounts, unlawful customer or employee solicitations and improper use of trade secrets. Chris has litigated class actions involving wage and hour claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) as well as California's Wage Orders. He has represented clients in both state and federal court litigation as well as in administrative proceedings and investigations before such agencies as the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission, and the California Department of Industrial Relations/Division of Labor Standards Enforcement. Chris dedicates a significant portion of his practice to providing employers with employment advice regarding policies and procedures before litigation arises. He also speaks at seminars for employers and provides counsel to religious non-profit organizations concerning their legal advantages.
His ERISA practice involves counseling and representing employers, plan fiduciaries and trustees in matters concerning employee benefit plans. He regularly represents public and private 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 ESOP and 401(k) class actions about company stock declines or changes to pension plans. Chris is a contributing author to the 2004 supplement to the Employee Benefits Law treatise, published by The American Bar Association Labor and Employment Law Section. Chris was named as a "Southern California Rising Star" in the September 2005 edition of Los Angeles Magazine and the Southern California Super Lawyers-Rising Stars edition.
Chris is a member of the California and American Bar Associations and is admitted to practice in California. He is also admitted to the United States District Court for the Northern, Eastern, Central and Southern districts of California. Chris has appeared Pro Hac Vice for clients in various other states.
While in law school, Chris served on the Interdisciplinary Law Journal.
Education
University of Southern California - Gould School of Law, J.D., 1996
University of Southern California, IR/POSC, 1993 | 