Laura C. McHugh

Practice areas

Employment & Labor: Employer, Employment Litigation: Defense

Focus areas

Employment Discrimination, Employment Law – Employer, Labor Law, Retaliation, Sexual Harassment, Unions, Wage & Hour Laws, Whistleblower, Wrongful Termination

Laura C. McHugh holds a prominent position as a senior partner at Duggan McHugh Law Corporation in Sacramento, California. Her business is proudly certified as woman-owned by WBENC. Leveraging her extensive legal background spanning over 25 years, Laura adeptly addresses her clients’ workplace requirements. She navigates a spectrum of scenarios, from fiercely litigating contentious employment disputes to offering pragmatic daily advice on various workplace intricacies. These encompass matters such as disciplinary actions, terminations, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, leaves of absence, disability accommodations, wage and hour concerns, prevailing wage issues, the Private Attorney General Act (PAGA), adherence to meal and rest break regulations, and challenges related to trade secrets and unfair competition. Her exceptional reputation is underscored by her AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale Hubbell.

Laura’s legal proficiency extends to presenting arguments before the California Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal, leading to the establishment of influential published decisions. She has also taken on roles as a skilled mediator and arbitrator in the resolution of employment law disputes and hearings.

Throughout her law school years, Laura actively participated as an editor for the Santa Clara Law Review. She also gained valuable experience as an extern working with Justice Gerome Smith of the Third District Court of Appeal. Her academic journey culminated in magna cum laude honors from the University of California at Santa Barbara, where she was recognized for her exceptional thesis work via the senior honors program.

Laura’s legal jurisdiction spans admission to practice before all California Courts, the U.S. Supreme Court, all U.S. District Courts in California, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. She has even made appearances pro hac vice in the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii and Arizona.

Actively engaged in her legal community, Laura’s influence is felt through her position as a Board Member on the Executive Committee. She also holds the role of chair for the Employment Law Section within the Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California and Nevada. Her involvement extends to the Sacramento County Superior Court Presiding Judge Civil Law Advisory Committee. She maintains membership in esteemed organizations such as the Defense Research Institute, Women Lawyers of Sacramento, and the Sacramento County Bar Association / Labor and Employment Law Section. Notably, she played a pivotal role as a founding member of WomenUp, an organization dedicated to fostering and guiding professional women within the broader Sacramento region. Her commitment to the community is evident through her involvement on the Board for Foster Hope Sacramento.