Overview

Tanja L. Darrow concentrates in litigation and is co-chair of the Litigation and Trials Practice Group and a core member of the firm’s Complex Litigation and PAGA Practice Group. Her labor and employment law practice includes:

  • Complex litigation
  • Wage and hour issues
  • Discrimination
  • Harassment
  • Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
  • The Americans with Disabilities Act
  • The Family and Medical Leave Act
  • Fair employment practices

An experienced lead trial and appellate attorney, Tanja has successfully defended hundreds of cases on behalf of corporate clients, and successfully received complete defense verdicts in all tried cases, including a PAGA trial with complicated issues of first impression. With a keen focus on providing superior quality work, coupled with her understanding of the need to provide strategic and practical solutions to assist clients with a wide range of issues, she counsels clients in various industries, including:

  • Finance
  • Retail
  • Aviation
  • Higher education
  • Insurance
  • Healthcare
  • Consumer services
  • Manufacturing
  • Transportation

In addition, her California real estate broker’s license also allows her to effectively work with clients in the real estate industry.

Tanja has significant experience providing training on diversity and discrimination issues, counseling employers on sexual and racial discrimination and harassment issues, and resolving difficult and complex matters effectively and persuasively.

She regularly participates as a panelist in employment seminars, makes presentations to local professional organizations, and has presented numerous in-house training sessions and workshops to management teams. Tanja frequently speaks and writes on a variety of employment law topics, including:

  • Sexual harassment
  • Employment discrimination
  • Wrongful termination
  • Negligent hiring
  • Supervision and training
  • Personnel policies
  • Employee handbooks
  • Wage and hour law
  • Employment law updates

Tanja regularly participates as a panelist in employment seminars. She makes presentations to local professional organizations, the California State Bar, and has also presented numerous in-house training sessions and workshops to management teams.

Tanja has received commendations on her pro bono and community service work from former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

She serves on Littler Mendelson's Diversity Council and is a member of the Firm's 12-attorney Accounting Audit Committee. Previously, she was a partner at another firm where she practiced aviation defense and employment law.

Professional & Community Affiliations

Member

Litigation Executive Committee (Board of Governors Appointment)

State Bar of California

Member

Labor and Employment Section

State Bar of California

Assistant Vice President

Los Angeles County Bar Association

Member

Beverly Hills Bar Association

Member

Black Women Lawyers of Los Angeles

Former President

John M. Langston Bar Association

Former Member, Board of Governors

National Bar Association

Former Officer

California Association of Black Lawyers

Recognition

Awarded, AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rating

Martindale-Hubbell

Named, The Best Lawyers in America©

2024-2025

Named, Top Women Lawyers

Daily Journal

2019

Featured Profile

Daily Journal

2019

Named, Top Labor and Employment Lawyers

Daily Journal

2017-2018

Named, Rising Star

Southern California

Super Lawyers

2004-2007

News, Analysis & Press

A Huge Tip on Wages vs Tips

ISSA Today

February 1, 2013

The "Bring Your Own Device" to Work Movement

Littler Report

May 10, 2012

Helping and Managing a Company's Haitian Workforce

San Francisco Daily Journal

February 22, 2010

Helping Haiti: Tips for Companies Offering Aid

San Francisco Daily Journal

February 19, 2010

State Law Protects Workers Who Smoke Away From Job

Los Angeles Daily Journal

March 3, 2005

Employers May Have to Rehire Substance Abusers

Los Angeles Daily Journal

Speaking Engagements

Managing Risk in COVID’s Wake: Assessing the Pandemic’s Impact on Trial Outcomes and the Implications for Employers

Littler Executive Employer Conference

May 5, 2022

Employment Litigation Risks for Companies Entering Year Two of the Covid-19 Pandemic

Bloomberg Law Webinar

March 17, 2021

Sexual Harassment Training for Managers, Directors and Vice Presidents

Understanding and Preventing Unlawful Harassment and Abusive Conduct Prevention

A Manager’s Guide to Understanding and Preventing Litigation

A Manager’s Guide to Compensation Essentials

Safe, Respectful and Lawful Approaches to Termination Decisions

Wage & Hour Issues: Classification Focus

Southern California Legal Update Series - Long Beach

February 5, 2019

Southern California Breakfast Briefing - Long Beach

Irvine, CA

October 13, 2016

Negotiating State of the Art Employment Agreements

How To Be An Effective Witness

Discovery Tools for Practitioners

Managing the Termination of Employees – An Employer’s Guide to Avoiding Wrongful Termination Lawsuits

English-Only Rules: Navigating a Multilingual Workforce

Education

  • J.D., Whittier Law School, 1994
  • B.A., University of California, Los Angeles, 1990

Bar Admission

California

Courts

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