Constangy Welcomes Two Attorneys to Employment Litigation Practice in California

Constangy is pleased to announce that Erica Cortez and Spencer Ladd have joined the firm, further strengthening its Employment Litigation practice. Erica will be based in Constangy’s San Diego office as senior counsel and Spencer joins the San Francisco office as an associate attorney.

Erica represents employers in complex employment litigation and provides strategic counsel on workplace compliance, risk management, and governance. Drawing on her experience as both a litigator and former judicial officer, she brings a unique perspective to dispute resolution, investigations, and policy development. Before joining Constangy, Erica served as Assistant County Counsel for the County of San Diego, where she led multiple attorney practice groups—including the Labor & Employment Practice Group—advising the Board of Supervisors and County departments on employment and government law matters affecting more than 22,000 employees. She managed high-stakes litigation in state and federal courts involving discrimination, retaliation, civil rights, and wage and hour claims, and oversaw workplace investigations, compliance programs, and training initiatives for executives and HR leaders. Erica also served as a Commissioner for the San Diego Superior Court, presiding over a high-volume docket that included arraignments, plea hearings, and bench trials. Earlier in her career, she spent more than a decade as a Senior Deputy County Counsel for the County of San Diego, handling employment, civil rights, and tort litigation, and arguing cases before the California Courts of Appeal and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals—including multiple published appellate decisions.

Spencer represents employers in a wide range of employment matters, including single-plaintiff and class action litigation involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour claims, wrongful termination, and representative PAGA actions. He regularly assists clients with all phases of litigation, including investigations, motion practice, depositions, e-discovery management, and settlement negotiations. Spencer also advises on workplace policy creation and compliance that aligns with business objectives. Before joining Constangy, Spencer practiced at national and regional employment law firms, where he defended employers before state courts, federal courts, and administrative agencies, including the EEOC, CRD, and DLSE. His experience includes partnering with human resources teams to investigate workplace complaints, conducting witness interviews, and providing practical guidance on litigation strategy and personnel decisions. Spencer earned his J.D., cum laude, from the University of San Francisco School of Law, where he received a Labor and Employment Law Certificate with Honors, received the USF Pemberton Award for employment-related coursework, served on the USF Law Review, served on the Moot Court Board, and competed in the Tulane Pro Football Contact Negotiation Competition. He received his B.A. in Modern Languages and Literature (Spanish) from California Polytechnic State University and is fluent in Spanish. Spencer is admitted to practice in California.