Overview
Brian Featherstun is of counsel in the Employment Law practice of Paul Hastings and is based in the firm’s San Francisco office.
Brian is a trial lawyer whose practice focuses on developing effective, efficient and jury-friendly strategies on matters ranging from routine disputes to “bet the company” litigation. He is a trusted advisor to clients, partnering with the business to understand, anticipate and respond to each company’s most important needs, both today and going forward.
Brian specializes in many areas critical to employers, including:
- Defending high-stakes single plaintiff matters across the gamut of employment issues.
- Litigating employee mobility and trade secret disputes (as both plaintiff and defendant).
- Representing employers against accusations of misconduct by supervisors and senior executives.
- Defending large-scale class and collective actions, including novel cases under PAGA.
Brian has also tried to verdict cases, involving a variety of other topics such as patent claims, First Amendment and defamation issues and damages caused by employees in the course and scope of their employment. Similarly, he has successfully handled accusations of corporate restriction of employee speech and other protected conduct, indemnification disputes between employers and employees, false advertising issues and claims of copyright infringement, as well as represented institutions of higher learning in cases involving Title IX, among any number of other issues.
Brian’s wide-ranging experience has led to him routinely being asked to handle particularly complex matters or to step into cases on the eve of trial. He is also frequently asked to handle sensitive pre-suit matters to avoid litigation.
Outside of the courtroom, Brian has a robust counseling practice, advising employers on best practices to mitigate exposure or avoid litigation altogether. He counsels clients on all aspects of employment law, including employee mobility, trade secret and restrictive covenants, discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wage and hour disputes, as well as many other issues.
Accolades
- Super Lawyers, Rising Star for Employment Litigation: Defense (2022)
- Best Lawyers In America: Ones to Watch (2022-present)
Education
- UCLA School of Law, J.D., 2013
- U.C. Santa Barbara, B.A., 2008
- First Team All-Conference, Collegiate Water Polo Association (2007)
Representations
- Trial counsel in a case involving executive compensation dispute and wrongful termination allegations stemming from a “for cause” termination of a senior executive. Obtained a full defense verdict after defending all aspects of the case, from inception to judgment.
- Trial counsel in an employee mobility and trade secret matter in a case involving a leading cryptocurrency hedge fund. Obtained a full defense verdict on all defensive claims, as well as an offensive verdict in our client’s favor on cross claims, including punitive damages and attorneys' fees for our client.
- Trial counsel in a single plaintiff case in state court. Plaintiff simultaneously alleged multiple theories of liability, including ethnic origin and disability discrimination. The case settled favorably on the eve of trial.
- Trial counsel in a three-week defamation trial against a major broadcasting company based on an employee’s use of the company’s social media account. After deliberating for four hours, the jury returned a favorable verdict for the company.
- Trial counsel on a one-week trial alleging damages caused by an employee in the course and scope of employment. Liability was not contested. After deliberating for less than three hours, the jury returned a favorable verdict for the company, well below the amount offered to settle prior to trial.
- Trial counsel in a sexual harassment case brought against a well-known university. Negotiated a favorable settlement on the proverbial courthouse steps the night before voir dire and opening statements were set to begin for an amount significantly below what was at-issue.
Engagement & Publications
- “Techstars 2025: Founders’ Survival Guide – Employment Law at Scale,” August 2025
- “California Legislature Steps in to Rewrite PAGA, Avoiding Ballot Measure,” Lexology, June 2024
- “Smartphones, Tablets, and Other Devices in the Workplace,” Multi-state CLE, June 2023
- “PAGA: Past, Present and Future,” Paul Hastings LLP Annual MCLE, February 2023
- “DOL’s New Overtime Rule is a Mixed Bag for Employers,” Law360, March 2019