Philip Bonoli

Philip Bonoli is a litigator in a wide array of employment matters, including wrongful discharge, discrimination and harassment, tort claims, and contractual matters. He also regularly represents clients before the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing and the California Department of Industrial Relations Division of Labor Standards Enforcement.

His practice primarily works with clients to provide strategic and tactical counsel on all types of employment matters, including severance and employment agreements, government investigations and employment policies. In addition, Philip represents clients regarding employment disputes including wrongful termination and discrimination, retaliation and harassment on the basis of age, disability, sex/gender, pregnancy, race and other protected categories. Philip also has significant experience with complex litigation and commercial disputes, and has represented businesses in corporate ownership disputes, accounting-related litigation and financial institutions litigation. He is also adept in handling breach of contract, products liability, mass tort and toxic tort claims, as well as general liability. Additionally, he has defended or is defending multiple class action lawsuits over alleged wage-and-hour violations, breach of express/implied warranties as well as unsolicited fax advertising. Philip has also tried many jury trials to verdict.

Further, Philip has extensive appellate experience, having authored successful appellate briefs and writs in addition to arguing before the California Court of Appeal and the United States Court of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit. 

Education

• Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology (J.D., 1995)
• University of Southern California (B.A., Philosophy, 1992)

Admissions

• State Bar of California
• U.S. District Court, Central District of California
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
• 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals
• U.S. Supreme Court

• Merit Selection Panel, Member – U.S. District Court, Central District
• Ninth Circuit Lawyer Representative (Alternate)

• Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal “Top Labor & Employment Lawyers” (2025, 2024)
• Los Angeles Business Journal “Leaders of Influence: Labor & Employment Attorneys” (2025, 2024)
• Los Angeles Business Journal “Top 100 Lawyers” (2022)
• Thomson Reuters Southern California “Super Lawyers” (2014-Present)
• “Best Lawyers in America” (2023-Present)

• Author, “Studios And Agencies Prepare For The Labor Code 432.3 Earthquake,” Forbes (Dec. 13, 2017)
• Author, “Are The Weinstein Company Employees Getting Ready To Sue?” Forbes (Oct. 19, 2017)
• Quote, “Booze, Sex and Legal Drama: How the ‘Bachelor’ Scandal Could Reshape Reality TV,” The Hollywood Reporter (June 22, 2017)
• Author, “‘Bachelor In Paradise Might Be Headed To Court,” Forbes (June 14, 2017)
• Author, “Glenn Beck And TheBlaze Push Back Against Tomi Lahren Lawsuit,” Forbes (April 18, 2017)
• Author, “Tomi Lahren Sues TheBlaze And Glenn Beck, But Is The Law On Her Side?,” Forbes (April 10, 2017)
• Presenter, “The Affordable Care Act: Overview and Emerging Liabilities” (July 2014)
• Co-presenter, “Common Sense at Work: The Law of the Workplace” (2014)
• Presenter, “Federal Law on Steroids: California Discrimination & Harassment Laws” (2013/2014)