Lynne Hermle Named to National Law Journal 2017 Winning Litigators List
Lynne Hermle Named to National Law Journal's 2017 "Winning Litigators" List
September.26.2017
The National Law Journal has named Orrick partner Lynne Hermle to its 2017 list of "Winning Litigators," citing two major trial wins over the past year for client SpaceX. It marks the second time in the past three years NLJ has recognized Lynne, who previously made the distinguished list for her 2015 trial win on behalf of Kleiner Perkins in the Ellen Pao trial.
In an interview with the publication, Lynne shared two trial tips as keys to her success:
1) Be yourself in the courtroom. For me that means enthusiasm, some humor, collaboration and a lot of determination. Juries sniff out anything that (is) less than authentic, including your demeanor and arguments.
2) And my trial teams always end the day with the Top 10 things that happened in the courtroom – it's a chance to breathe before we begin preparing for the next day.
The "Winning Litigators" list is the latest recognition for Lynne, who just in the past few months was named to both the Daily Journal's list of the top 100 lawyers in California and its list of the top labor and employment lawyers in California.
The NLJ story can be found here (subscription required).
Lynne Hermle Partner, Employment Law & Litigation, Wage and Hour
Employment Law & Litigation
Lynne Hermle Partner Employment Law & Litigation, Wage and Hour
Lynne Hermle, a Silicon Valley employment partner, has a long track record of winning high-profile jury trials on behalf of industry-leading clients, defeating class certification and obtaining summary judgment.
She has significant experience working on complex discrimination and wage-and-hour class actions for global leaders in the retail and technology sectors including The Gap, Genentech, Microsoft, Sears, Burlington Coat Factory, Gymboree, Spencer's Gifts, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Williams Sonoma and Pottery Barn Kids, among many others.
Lynne led the trial team that obtained a complete defense verdict for Kleiner Perkins in Pao v. Kleiner Perkins, the high-stakes gender discrimination and retaliation case that garnered intense international media scrutiny. In naming Lynne "Litigator of the Week" for this victory, American Lawyer described her effective voir dire and how she "steadily poked holes in Pao's testimony." The Recorder called Lynne's cross-examination "masterful" and Bloomberg reported that her "charismatic, intimidating oratory made her the trial's breakout star."
Following Pao, Lynne secured a complete defense verdict for SpaceX in an $8 million gender discrimination and retaliation suit. The Daily Journal called the outcome "another triumph for Hermle," observing that her "string of successes for tech clients fighting off gender harassment and discrimination claims got longer." The publication also pronounced Lynne to be "arguably the most feared employment defense attorney in California." Eight months later she followed that up with another defense verdict for SpaceX in a wrongful discharge and retaliation case.
In recognition of these successes and career trial work, Lynne was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers in 2017.
Bay Area: San Francisco and Silicon Valley