Chris Scheithauer Email & Phone Number

Newport Beach, Ca

I vigorously represent clients in civil litigation matters, with a focus on class action/PAGA employment litigation and advice, as well as ERISA litigation. I represent employers in defending individual and class action/PAGA claims involving wage and hour disputes, employment discrimination and harassment, wrongful termination, breach of contract, unfair competition and misappropriation of trade secrets.SIGNIFICANT MATTERS• Obtained defense verdict in favor of employer USA Debusk against claims for wrongful termination and wage/hour claims• Successfully defended PAGA claims brought by employees against construction framer• Defeated class certification in wage and hour claims against online retailer• Defeated class certification in wage hour/PAGA case against construction company• Obtained dismissal of PAGA claims brought by employee of media production company• Obtained successful resolution of discrimination and wage/hour claims against trucking company• Obtained judgment in for Northrop Grumman in pension-benefits dispute with over a billion dollars at issue• Won multi-million dollar verdicts in favor of Northrop Grumman in various real estate disputesREPRESENTATIVE DECISIONS• Hernandez v. Christensen Bros. Gen. Eng., 2023 WL 3069760 (C.D. Cal. April 24, 2023)• Cowley v. Prudential Security, 2020 WL 7311136 (C.D. Cal. Dec. 11, 2020)• Galvan v. Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, 425 F.Supp.3d 1234 (C.D. Cal. Nov. 27, 2019)• Northrop Grumman v. Goldentop Road, 2016 WL 3568261 (June 2016)• Jay v. Mahaffey, 218 Cal.App.4th 1522 (2013)• Skinner v. Northrop Grumman Ret. Plan B, 673 F.3d 1162 (9th Cir. 2012)• Pfeil v. State Street Bank & Trust Co., 671 F.3d 585 (6th Cir. 2012)• In re Touch America Holdings, Inc. ERISA Litigation, 563 F.3d 903 (9th Cir. 2009)• Young v. GM Inv. Mgmt. Corp., 325 Fed. Appx. 31 (2nd Cir. May 2009)Education• University of Southern California - Gould School of Law, JD, 1996 • University of Southern California, IR/POSC, 1993

Irvine, California

Chris represents clients in civil litigation matters, with a focus on class action employee benefit litigation and under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), and other employment litigation and advice. Chris serves as the Co-Chair of McDermott’s National ERISA Litigation Team.Chris’ ERISA practice involves representing employers, plan fiduciaries and trustees in litigation matters concerning employee benefit plans. He regularly represents companies and their ERISA plans in defending claims for wrongful denial of employee benefits. Chris also defends companies, officers and directors, and alleged ERISA plan fiduciaries against claims for breach of fiduciary duties in employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) and 401(k) class actions.Chris has represented clients such as Northrop Grumman Corporation, State Street Bank & Trust, CMS Energy, Bank of America 401(k) Plan, the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, and Yahoo, among others.SIGNIFICANT MATTERS• Obtained judgment in favor of Northrop Grumman in a pension-benefits dispute with over a billion dollars at issue;• Prevailed in ERISA fiduciary duty case involving the Montana Power Company 401(K) plan and company “stock drop” case;• Assisted institutional plan trustee obtain judgment defending an ERISA dispute involving the General Motors 401(k) Plan;• Won multi-million dollar verdicts in favor of Northrop Grumman in various real estate disputes.Chris’ employment practice involves representing employers in defending individual and class action claims pertaining to wage and hour disputes, employment discrimination and harassment, 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 FLSA and state law. Education• University of Southern California - Gould School of Law, JD, 1996 • University of Southern California, IR/POSC, 1993

J.D., Law

Bachelor’S Degree, Political Science And Government; Internationa Relations