Overview

Maria R. Harrington concentrates in employment law and class action litigation and represents employers in matters involving:

  • Wage and hour issues
  • Discrimination
  • Harassment
  • Wrongful termination
  • Fair employment practices
  • The Family and Medical Leave Act
  • The Fair Employment and Housing Act
  • The California Family Rights Act
  • California Pregnancy Disability Leave

She appears in state and federal courts in California and Hawaii, as well as before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and state administrative agencies in California and Hawaii. She also routinely counsels clients on human resources issues, legal compliance and litigation avoidance.

Maria often works with:

  • Government contractors
  • Retail stores
  • Accounting firms
  • Restaurants
  • Food service industry clients
  • Startup and high-tech companies

Prior to joining Littler, Maria practiced business litigation at an international law firm, where she handled contractual disputes, pharmaceutical class actions, intellectual property litigation, real estate litigation, banking, and probate litigation. She also served as a judicial extern to the Hon. Audrey B. Collins, U.S. District Court, Central District of California. In law school, she was a Hale Moot Court Honors Program participant.

Professional & Community Affiliations

Member

Orange County Bar Association

Member

Orange County Asian American Bar Association

Member

Thai American Bar Association

Member, Board of Directors

Glass Slipper Guild

Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC)

Recognition

Named, Rising Star in Employment and Labor

Southern California

Super Lawyers

2008 and 2011-2013

Recipient, Edward and Eleanor Shattuck Award

Humanities Scholastic Merit

Dean's Honor List

Pi Sigma Alpha, National Political Science Honor Society

Golden Key International Honour Society

Speaking Engagements

Workplace Investigations

San Luis Obispo, CA

March 12, 2024

Hang on to Your Hats: Navigating the Maze of New Employment Law Developments in 2023

Long Beach, CA

May 9, 2023

Paid Sick Leave in the Time of COVID-19 (and now, Monkeypox!)

2022 California Virtual Regional Employer Conference

November 2, 2022

2020 Virtual California Employer

November 19, 2020

2019 Southern California Employer Conference

October 23, 2019

Unconscious Bias in the Workplace

Irvine, CA

January 24, 2019

Employee Handbook Dos and Don’ts

Labor & Employment Webinar Series – Littler Mendelson and BB&T

September 13, 2017

California Mandatory Paid Sick Leave: Are You Ready?

Littler Retail Webinar Series

May 13, 2015

New Employment and Labor Laws for 2015

Irvine, CA

January 27, 2015

Employment Practices Audits

Littler Mendelson and BB&T – Labor and Employment Webinar Series

May 15, 2014

Getting it Right in the Golden State — Practical Thoughts for Complying with California's New Pregnancy Disability Leave and Disability Discrimination Regulations

Irvine, CA

June 6, 2013

Education

  • J.D., University of Southern California Gould School of Law, 1998
  • B.A., University of California, Irvine, 1995cum laude

Bar Admission

California
Hawaii

Courts

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
  • U.S. District Court, District of Hawaii