Steven Tindall

Steven Tindall

Partner

smt@classlawgroup.com
(510) 350-9245
vCardLinkedIn

Steven Tindall represents employees seeking fair pay and just treatment in individual, representative, and class action lawsuits against employers. His cases involve allegations of misclassification, discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful termination, retaliation, WARN Act, and ERISA violations. He has 25 years of experience representing employees in a variety of industries, including tech, gig economy, financial services, construction, transportation, and private education. Steven also represents consumers in class action litigation and individuals in mass tort personal injury lawsuits. He has been honored twice with the Daily Journal‘s California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (“CLAY”) award: in 2023 for his involvement and success at trial against the City of San Diego on behalf of single-family residential customers challenging San Diego’s unconstitutional water rates, and in 2019 for his work litigating before the California Supreme Court on behalf of low-income borrowers challenging CashCall’s lending practices.

Previous Experience and Educational Background

Steven clerked for Hon. Judith N. Keep of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California and for Hon. Claudia Wilken of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Prior to joining Gibbs Law Group, he was a partner at Rukin Hyland Doria & Tindall, and at Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein. At Rukin Hyland and Lieff Cabraser, he focused on plaintiffs’ class action litigation in the fields of wage and hour and other employment law, antitrust, and consumer protection. Steven also litigated multiple mass tort personal injury and toxic tort cases.

Steven received his B.A. degree in English Literature from Yale University, graduating summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and with distinction in his major. He earned his J.D. degree from the University of California at Berkeley School of Law. While at Berkeley Law, Steven co-directed the East Bay Workers’ Rights Clinic.

Steve Tindall exceeded all my expectations. Both me and a colleague elected to go with Steve after vetting several attorneys.

- S.M., former client

admissions
  • California
  • awards+

    California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (CLAY) Award, Daily Journal, 2019, 2023

    Super Lawyer, Northern California Super Lawyers, 2009-2023

    education+

    J.D., University of California at Berkeley (Berkeley Law), 1996

    Yale University, B.A., summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa

    memberships+

    Oakland Leaf, Board Member, 2021-present

    East Bay Community Law Center, Board Member, 2005-2020

    Presentations & Articles+

    Presenter and Panelist, Arbitrating Wage and Hour Cases from Start to Finish

    California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA) Annual Conference

    September 30, 2023

    Co-author, DoorDash: Quick Food, Slow Justice

    Daily Journal

    March 24, 2020

    Presenter, Damages & Penalties in Exemption and Misclassification Cases

    Bridgeport Independent Contractor, Joint Employment Misclassification Litigation Conference

    July 26, 2019

    Contributor, Can Interest Rates be Unconscionable?

    Daily Journal Appellate Report Podcast

    July 6, 2018

    Co-Author, Epic Systems and the Erosion of Federal Class Actions

    Law360 Expert Analysis

    July 5, 2018

    Co-Author, Senate Should Reject Choice Act and Its Payday Free Pass

    Law360 Expert Analysis

    July 12, 2017

    Presenter, Understanding and Litigating PAGA Claims

    Bridgeport Continuing Education

    March 3, 2017

    Author, “Do as She Does, Not as She Says: The Shortcomings of Justice O’Connor’s Direct Evidence Requirement in Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins”

    Berkeley Journal of Employment and Labor Law, 17, No. 2

    1996

    Litigation Highlights

    San Diego and Otay Water District Tiered Water Rates Lawsuits

    Key member of the litigation team achieving a $79.5 million verdict on behalf of single-family customers in a lawsuit charging the City of San Diego with setting water rates that are noncompliant with the California Constitution. Steven was instrumental in challenging San Diego’s asserted justifications for its unconstitutional water rates. The case is currently on appeal.

    Key member of the litigation team achieving a $24 million verdict on behalf of single-family residential customers in a lawsuit challenging the Otay Water District with setting unconstitutional water rates. The case is currently on appeal.

    Breach of Contract

    As co-lead counsel, Steven helped recover over $29 million on behalf of hundreds of employees in a class action lawsuit involving breach of contract claims against a global consulting company.

    Retirement Benefits

    Represented retirees whose retirement benefits were slashed after a corporate spinoff. The litigation resulted in a $9 million recovery paid out to class members.

    Gig Economy

    Represents thousands of individual clients in multiple gig economy cases alleging that they were misclassified as independent contractors and should be entitled to minimum wage, overtime pay, and expense reimbursement under California and other state labor laws.

    Consumer Loans

    Represents over 100,000 borrowers in a certified class action lawsuit against online lender, CashCall, alleging that they preyed on low-income borrowers through high-interest-rate loans. Steven was part of the litigation team that achieved a ruling from the Trial Court awarding $245 million in restitution for class members, which defendant may appeal. Previously, Steven had helped achieve a unanimous ruling from the CA Supreme Court regarding the possible unconscionability of the loan contracts involved in the case.