Mr. Early is of counsel at Iezza & Hockel, PC. Throughout his career, he has represented banks, broker/dealers, insurance companies and other large financial institutions, as well as real estate developers and commercial property owners. Mr. Early has also represented corporations and individuals in employment litigation and employment-related class action and trade secret litigation, as well as in FINRA proceedings.

Roughly half of Mr. Early’s practice is contingency fee work on behalf of employees in wage and hour, wrongful termination and employment discrimination cases. In 2019, Mr. Early obtained a $5.375 million PAGA settlement on behalf of California employees of Menzies Aviation, Inc., a global provider of fueling and baggage handling services. The settlement provided $2.8 million in penalties to the State of California, plus an average payment of over $625 per person to 1500 Menzies employees. The settlement was the 10th largest labor and employment settlement in California in 2019.

Mr. Early has first chair jury trial experience as well as appellate experience in the California Supreme Court, California appellate courts and in the Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Circuits. He has also arbitrated numerous cases in AAA, JAMS and FINRA arbitration proceedings.

Notable cases: Noel v. Thrifty Payless, Inc., 7 Cal.5th 955 (2019) (consumer product class action); Stockton Citizens v. City of Stockton, 48 Cal.4th 481 (2010) (CEQA); Credit Suisse v. Grunwald, 400 F.3d 1119 (9th Cir. 2005) (FINRA/employment); Citizens to Enforce CEQA v. Rohnert Park, 131 Cal.App.4th 1594 (2005) (land use); O’Connor v. The Clorox Company, Eighth Circuit Docket No. 00-3856 (8th Cir. July 26, 2001) (wrongful termination); Acequia, Inc. v. Prudential Insurance Co., 74 F.Supp.2d 792 (N. D. Ill. 1999), 226 F.3d 798 (7th Cir. 2000) (business tort).