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Kristen J. Nesbit

Co-Regional Managing Partner


Los Angeles

t:213.330.4455

f:213.330.4501

Email

Service Focus

  • California Litigation and Appellate
  • Employment Discrimination and Harassment
  • Litigation and Trials
  • Counseling and Advice

Industry Focus

  • Energy
  • Healthcare
  • Supply Chain
  • Transportation and Supply Chain
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Overview
Recent Experience
Credentials
Recognitions
Affiliations
Insights

Overview

Kristen Nesbit is co-chair of Fisher Phillips’ California Litigation Practice Group and a co-regional managing partner in the firm’s Los Angeles office, where she practices employment litigation and client counseling.

Kristen prides herself in serving as a trusted adviser and strategic partner for her clients. In this vein, she counsels clients regarding a variety of labor and employment issues including the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), interactive process and reasonable accommodations, talent management and performance, workplace investigations, and wage/hour compliance. Kristen focuses on finding creative, practical, cost-effective solutions to address her clients’ needs and goals when dealing with these issues.

Kristen’s clients include startups, national companies, and public entities in various industries including manufacturing, trucking, hospitality, aviation, and technology. Kristen is also committed to helping diverse business owners succeed in today’s marketplace by assisting employers who are recognized as a Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOE), Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), Women Business Enterprise (WBE), and/or Veteran Business Enterprise (VBE) with developing their employment policies, practices, and procedures so these businesses will meet government and corporate supplier diversity objectives related to employee recruitment, retention, and performance.

Kristen has represented clients throughout California, in both Superior Courts and United States District Court and before the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE), the United States Department of Labor (DOL), and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). She has also successfully argued appeals before the California Court of Appeal and before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

In 2022, Kristen was named a Top Labor and Employment Attorney and a Top Female Attorney by the Daily Journal and recommended as a leading practitioner for Labor and Employment Disputes: Defense by The Legal 500 United States (2021-2022). In 2019, she was recognized as one of the “Most Influential Minority Attorneys” by the Los Angeles Business Journal. Kristen was selected by the National Advocate as a “Top 100 African American Lawyer” in 2015 and 2016. Among other recognitions, Kristen received the “Women of Influence” Award from the business publication L.A. Biz for her accomplishments in the legal field (2016).

Kristen was selected by Fisher Phillips to serve as a Fellow on the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity for 2015-2016. She is also a member of the firm’s Women’s Initiative Leadership Council (WILC) Steering Committee

Recent Experience

Experience

  • Won complete summary judgment against allegations including employment discrimination, wrongful termination, and retaliation for a leading healthcare technology company
  • Defense Verdict Achieved After A Three Week Trial
    Obtained complete defense verdict in a three-week jury trial involving claims of disability discrimination, harassment, and wrongful termination against a public entity. 
  • Defense Verdict Achieved After A Three Month Trial
    Obtained complete defense verdict in a three-month jury trial involving claims of negligence and negligent hiring against a public entity.
  • Nuisance Settlement Obtained Immediately Before Jury Deliberations
    After two weeks of trial, the trial court granted Kristen’s motion for non-suit as to four of the five causes of action against a private corporation. After the defense rested its case and immediately before closing arguments and jury deliberations were to begin, the case was settled for a nominal sum.

Credentials

Education

  • J.D., 2005, Loyola Marymount University, Loyola Law School
  • B.A., 2002, University of California, Santa Barbara

Bar Admissions

  • California

Recognitions

  • Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America (2025)
  • Selected as a Top Attorney: Business of Law by the Los Angeles Times (2023)

  • Selected as a Top 100 Lawyer by the Los Angeles Business Journal (2023)

  • Recognized in the Los Angeles Business Journal’s Leaders of Influence: Labor & Employment Attorneys (2022-2023)
  • Recognized as a Top Labor and Employment Attorney by the Daily Journal (2022-2023)
  • Listed in Lawdragon’s 500 Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers (2024-2025)
  • Named one of The Los Angeles Times’ Legal Visionaries (2023)
  • Benchmark Litigation - Labor & Employment Star (2023-2024)
  • Recognized as a Top Female Attorney by the Daily Journal (2022)

  • Recommended as a leading practitioner for Labor and Employment Disputes: Defense by The Legal 500 United States (2021 - 2022)
  • “Most Influential Minority Attorneys” Award, Los Angeles Business Journal (2019)
  • “Women of Influence” Award, L.A. Biz Journals (2016)

  • Southern California Super Lawyers - Rising Star (2015, 2016)

  • National Advocate, “Top 100 African American Lawyer” (2015, 2016)

  • “Hot List” for Minority Attorneys Under 40 in the Western Region by Lawyers of Color Inc. (2013)

Affiliations

Professional Activities

  • University of California at Santa Barbara Alumni Association, Board Member (2014-Present); President (2018-2020); Vice President (2016-2017); Multicultural and Diversity Committee Chair (2015-2016)
  • Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), 2015 Fellow
  • Los Angeles County Bar Association, Member (2006 – Present); Labor and Employment Seminar Committee Member (2012 – 2016)
  • American Association of Blacks in Energy, Board Member (2010 – Present); Legislation Committee Co-Chair (2010 – 2011)

Insights

  • Event

    05/12/25

    2025 California Litigation Conference

    Kristen J. Nesbit, Karl R. Lindegren

    Read more 

  • News

    04/24/24

    Kristen Nesbit Named Among Los Angeles Business Journal’s Top 100 Lawyers

    Kristen J. Nesbit

    Read more 

  • Insights

    12/01/23

    FP’s Workplace Law Forecast 2024

    Cheryl L. Behymer, Steven M. Bernstein, Sheldon J. Blumling, Risa B. Boerner, Colin P. Calvert, Kathleen McLeod Caminiti, Jocelyn Campanaro, Jennifer B. Carroll, Collin D. Cook, Laurel K. Cornell, Germán de la Garza De Vecchi, Michael P. Elkon, Todd Alan Ewan, Todd A. Fredrickson, Christopher C. Hoffman, David S. Jones, Usama Kahf, Karl R. Lindegren, Todd B. Logsdon, Todd A. Lyon, Michael R. Marra, Suzanne Kelly Michael, Michael S. Mitchell, Joshua D. Nadreau, Kristen J. Nesbit, Alden J. Parker, Cheryl Pinarchick, John M. Polson, Andrea Brizio Rivas, Andria Lure Ryan, Nan Sato, Todd B. Scherwin, Matthew R. Simpson, Adam F. Sloustcher, Kristin L. Smith, Shanon R. Stevenson, Hannah Sweiss, J. Hagood Tighe, Travis Vance, David J. Walton, Sheila M. Abron, Erica G. Wilson, William D. Wright, Robert Yonowitz

    Read more 

  • News

    10/23/23

    Fisher Phillips Partners Recognized in the Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2023 Leaders of Influence: Labor and Employment Attorneys

    Kristen J. Nesbit, Todd B. Scherwin

    Read more 

  • News

    09/28/23

    Fisher Phillips Named to Los Angeles Business Journal’s “Most Admired Law Firms” List for the Fourth Year in a Row

    Todd B. Scherwin, Kristen J. Nesbit

    Read more 

  • News

    07/03/23

    Todd Scherwin and Kristen Nesbit Selected Among The Los Angeles Time's 2023 Legal Visionaries

    Todd B. Scherwin, Kristen J. Nesbit

    Read more 

  • Event

    December 6, 2022 and December 7, 2022

    California Litigation Conference: An In-Depth Discussion of Litigation Trends in California for 2023 and How Your Company Can Prepare For It

    Anet Drapalski, Jason A. Geller, Karl R. Lindegren, Kristen J. Nesbit, Alden J. Parker, Todd B. Scherwin, Hannah Sweiss, Megan C. Winter

    Read more 

  • News

    10/03/22

    Fisher Phillips Recognized by Benchmark Litigation 2023

    Barbara Jean D’Aquila, Joseph W. Ambash, Steven M. Bernstein, Todd A. Fredrickson, Lonnie D. Giamela, Rosemary S. Gousman, Karl R. Lindegren, Kathleen McLeod Caminiti, Stephen C. Mitchell, Sarah Moffett, Kristen J. Nesbit, Regina A. Petty, Timothy H. Scott, Christopher P. Stief, James Sullivan, J. Hagood Tighe, Teresa Valderrama

    Read more 

  • News

    09/08/22

    Los Angeles Partner Discusses Rise in EEOC Claims, Provides Warning For Employers

    Kristen J. Nesbit

    Read more 

  • Event

    08/02/22

    ACC SoCal: 2022 Mid-Year California Employment Law Review – What You Need to Know Now

    Kristen J. Nesbit

    Read more 

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