Clifford D.Sethness
Partner
Labor & Employment
csethness@seyfarth.com
Seth guides his clients through the full range of employment litigation in federal court, state court, and arbitrations.
More About Clifford
Seth handles and oversees the full range of employment litigation in federal and state court, and arbitrations. His cases range from a federal court wage-hour class action alleging over $1 billion in damages, to multiplaintiff discrimination and retaliation claims, to contentious single-plaintiff termination and failure to promote claims. Seth has been listed in Best Lawyers in America from 2012 to 2023 (Woodward/White Inc.), and is a fellow in the College of Labor & Employment Lawyers.
Seth has tried more than 35 jury and bench trials and arbitration hearings, involving alleged race discrimination, sexual harassment, failure to accommodate disability, retaliation, wage and hour violations, unfair competition, whistleblowing, breach of employment contract, and age discrimination in state and federal courts, in addition to handling dozens of labor and employment arbitration trials.
In September 2022, Seth delivered a full dismissal of class action wage-hour claims exceeding $750 million in alleged damages to his 28 clients. The case was litigated for over three years, and included protracted issues of CAFA removal; intervention by plaintiffs’ counsel from three other similar wage-hour class actions pending in state court; Colorado River abstention; discretionary stay; taking dozens of depositions of plaintiffs; defending three days of person-most-qualified depositions; and briefing, arguing and winning denial of class certification on a major claim in the case and then summary judgment on the claims that comprised the vast bulk of the case.”
Additionally, Seth has been responsible for two national labor and employment counsel arrangements, one with the association that negotiates and administers the West Coast shipping industry collective bargaining agreement with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, and the other with a large mobility company that traditionally has designed and manufactured automobiles.
Seth is also involved in a range of community service activities. For years, he coached inner-city boys’ Little League baseball and basketball teams and girls’ basketball and softball teams. He has helped build homes for impoverished families in Tanzania, Guatemala, Honduras, and Malawi, and he taught at an orphanage in Nepal. Seth served for several years on the board of directors for the Espwa Orphanage in Les Cayes, one of Haiti’s largest nongovernmental orphanages, and most recently has become active in Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Los Angeles.
Seth has tried more than 35 jury and bench trials and arbitration hearings, involving alleged race discrimination, sexual harassment, failure to accommodate disability, retaliation, wage and hour violations, unfair competition, whistleblowing, breach of employment contract, and age discrimination in state and federal courts, in addition to handling dozens of labor and employment arbitration trials.
In September 2022, Seth delivered a full dismissal of class action wage-hour claims exceeding $750 million in alleged damages to his 28 clients. The case was litigated for over three years, and included protracted issues of CAFA removal; intervention by plaintiffs’ counsel from three other similar wage-hour class actions pending in state court; Colorado River abstention; discretionary stay; taking dozens of depositions of plaintiffs; defending three days of person-most-qualified depositions; and briefing, arguing and winning denial of class certification on a major claim in the case and then summary judgment on the claims that comprised the vast bulk of the case.”
Additionally, Seth has been responsible for two national labor and employment counsel arrangements, one with the association that negotiates and administers the West Coast shipping industry collective bargaining agreement with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, and the other with a large mobility company that traditionally has designed and manufactured automobiles.
Seth is also involved in a range of community service activities. For years, he coached inner-city boys’ Little League baseball and basketball teams and girls’ basketball and softball teams. He has helped build homes for impoverished families in Tanzania, Guatemala, Honduras, and Malawi, and he taught at an orphanage in Nepal. Seth served for several years on the board of directors for the Espwa Orphanage in Les Cayes, one of Haiti’s largest nongovernmental orphanages, and most recently has become active in Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Los Angeles.
- JD, The George Washington University Law School
- BA, Denison University
- LLM, Georgetown University Law Center
- California
- District of Columbia
- Washington
- US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- US District Court, Central District of California
- US District Court, Eastern District of California
- US District Court, Northern District of California
- US District Court, Southern District of California
- In 2019, Seth defended a research development company in an arbitration trial where the claimant alleged he was not reasonably accommodated and then was unlawfully fired, securing an arbitration award fully in the company's favor.
- In 2019, Seth oversaw litigation strategy in a contentious arbitration trial in which the claimant alleged whistleblowing, hostile environment, sexual harassment, and retaliation. At the end of the trial, the arbitrator rejected in full the claimant’s plea for more than $2 million and issued an award fully in the defendant’s favor.
- In 2018, Seth successfully won six straight summary judgment motions in Los Angeles Superior Court, in a case alleging race discrimination, hostile environment, and retaliation—successfully defeating all claims against six different shipping and stevedoring companies.
- In 2015, Seth defended Yusen Terminals in a three-week jury trial in Los Angeles Superior Court involving a marine clerk’s allegations that she had been unlawfully retaliated against in her employment at the waterfront. The plaintiff, represented by well-known Los Angeles trial lawyer Mark Geragos, sought millions of dollars in the case. The jury returned a defense verdict.
- Seth was involved in the historic Taft–Hartley labor injunction litigation during the 2002 West Coast shipping industry work slowdown. He also was part of the 2008 and 2014 West Coast ports labor negotiations.
Related News & Insights
- Recognized by Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.) for Labor Law - Management (2012-2023)
- Recognized as a Recommended Attorney, The Legal 500 (Legalese Ltd.) (2016, 2017)
- Recognized as a Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by Daily Journal (2015)
- Practice Group of the Year, Employment, Law360, member, (2017, 2019)
- College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, fellow
- Espwa Orphanage, board of directors member (Les Cayes, Haiti)
- Los Angeles County Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section, executive board member
Seth guides his clients through the full range of employment litigation in federal court, state court, and arbitrations.
More About Clifford
Seth handles and oversees the full range of employment litigation in federal and state court, and arbitrations. His cases range from a federal court wage-hour class action alleging over $1 billion in damages, to multiplaintiff discrimination and retaliation claims, to contentious single-plaintiff termination and failure to promote claims. Seth has been listed in Best Lawyers in America from 2012 to 2023 (Woodward/White Inc.), and is a fellow in the College of Labor & Employment Lawyers.
Seth has tried more than 35 jury and bench trials and arbitration hearings, involving alleged race discrimination, sexual harassment, failure to accommodate disability, retaliation, wage and hour violations, unfair competition, whistleblowing, breach of employment contract, and age discrimination in state and federal courts, in addition to handling dozens of labor and employment arbitration trials.
In September 2022, Seth delivered a full dismissal of class action wage-hour claims exceeding $750 million in alleged damages to his 28 clients. The case was litigated for over three years, and included protracted issues of CAFA removal; intervention by plaintiffs’ counsel from three other similar wage-hour class actions pending in state court; Colorado River abstention; discretionary stay; taking dozens of depositions of plaintiffs; defending three days of person-most-qualified depositions; and briefing, arguing and winning denial of class certification on a major claim in the case and then summary judgment on the claims that comprised the vast bulk of the case.”
Additionally, Seth has been responsible for two national labor and employment counsel arrangements, one with the association that negotiates and administers the West Coast shipping industry collective bargaining agreement with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, and the other with a large mobility company that traditionally has designed and manufactured automobiles.
Seth is also involved in a range of community service activities. For years, he coached inner-city boys’ Little League baseball and basketball teams and girls’ basketball and softball teams. He has helped build homes for impoverished families in Tanzania, Guatemala, Honduras, and Malawi, and he taught at an orphanage in Nepal. Seth served for several years on the board of directors for the Espwa Orphanage in Les Cayes, one of Haiti’s largest nongovernmental orphanages, and most recently has become active in Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Los Angeles.
Seth has tried more than 35 jury and bench trials and arbitration hearings, involving alleged race discrimination, sexual harassment, failure to accommodate disability, retaliation, wage and hour violations, unfair competition, whistleblowing, breach of employment contract, and age discrimination in state and federal courts, in addition to handling dozens of labor and employment arbitration trials.
In September 2022, Seth delivered a full dismissal of class action wage-hour claims exceeding $750 million in alleged damages to his 28 clients. The case was litigated for over three years, and included protracted issues of CAFA removal; intervention by plaintiffs’ counsel from three other similar wage-hour class actions pending in state court; Colorado River abstention; discretionary stay; taking dozens of depositions of plaintiffs; defending three days of person-most-qualified depositions; and briefing, arguing and winning denial of class certification on a major claim in the case and then summary judgment on the claims that comprised the vast bulk of the case.”
Additionally, Seth has been responsible for two national labor and employment counsel arrangements, one with the association that negotiates and administers the West Coast shipping industry collective bargaining agreement with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, and the other with a large mobility company that traditionally has designed and manufactured automobiles.
Seth is also involved in a range of community service activities. For years, he coached inner-city boys’ Little League baseball and basketball teams and girls’ basketball and softball teams. He has helped build homes for impoverished families in Tanzania, Guatemala, Honduras, and Malawi, and he taught at an orphanage in Nepal. Seth served for several years on the board of directors for the Espwa Orphanage in Les Cayes, one of Haiti’s largest nongovernmental orphanages, and most recently has become active in Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Los Angeles.
- JD, The George Washington University Law School
- BA, Denison University
- LLM, Georgetown University Law Center
- California
- District of Columbia
- Washington
- US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- US District Court, Central District of California
- US District Court, Eastern District of California
- US District Court, Northern District of California
- US District Court, Southern District of California
- In 2019, Seth defended a research development company in an arbitration trial where the claimant alleged he was not reasonably accommodated and then was unlawfully fired, securing an arbitration award fully in the company's favor.
- In 2019, Seth oversaw litigation strategy in a contentious arbitration trial in which the claimant alleged whistleblowing, hostile environment, sexual harassment, and retaliation. At the end of the trial, the arbitrator rejected in full the claimant’s plea for more than $2 million and issued an award fully in the defendant’s favor.
- In 2018, Seth successfully won six straight summary judgment motions in Los Angeles Superior Court, in a case alleging race discrimination, hostile environment, and retaliation—successfully defeating all claims against six different shipping and stevedoring companies.
- In 2015, Seth defended Yusen Terminals in a three-week jury trial in Los Angeles Superior Court involving a marine clerk’s allegations that she had been unlawfully retaliated against in her employment at the waterfront. The plaintiff, represented by well-known Los Angeles trial lawyer Mark Geragos, sought millions of dollars in the case. The jury returned a defense verdict.
- Seth was involved in the historic Taft–Hartley labor injunction litigation during the 2002 West Coast shipping industry work slowdown. He also was part of the 2008 and 2014 West Coast ports labor negotiations.
Related News & Insights
- Recognized by Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.) for Labor Law - Management (2012-2023)
- Recognized as a Recommended Attorney, The Legal 500 (Legalese Ltd.) (2016, 2017)
- Recognized as a Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by Daily Journal (2015)
- Practice Group of the Year, Employment, Law360, member, (2017, 2019)
- College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, fellow
- Espwa Orphanage, board of directors member (Les Cayes, Haiti)
- Los Angeles County Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section, executive board member