Overview

Vanessa Hooker represents employers, including multinational entertainment conglomerates, public entities, municipalities, educational institutions, retail giants, and major insurance providers, in a wide range of various labor and employment litigation matters in federal and state court. Vanessa’s experience includes providing valuable advice and counsel to her clients so that they can avoid unnecessary litigation whenever possible. 

Vanessa prides herself on vigorously defending her clients while seeking the best possible outcome for them throughout all stages of litigation, including pleadings, discovery, motion practice, trial preparation, and case resolution. While Vanessa is a fierce litigator, who has successfully drafted and argued dispositive and pretrial motions, she is also a skilled negotiator, who has effectively negotiated the resolution of countless cases before trial. 

While attending law school, Vanessa participated in the Moot Court Honors Program, and served as vice president of her school’s Black Law Students Association chapter. Vanessa also worked in legal aid and served as a law clerk for the Federal Defender Program for the Northern District of Illinois. During her last year of law school, Vanessa was invited to study at UCLA School of Law. She had the honor of serving as a judicial extern for the Hon. Dean D. Pregerson of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

Professional & Community Affiliations

Member

California Minority Counsel Program

Recognition

Named, Rising Star

Super Lawyers

2023-2025

Member

National Bar Association’s Associate Advancement Academy for Excellence

2021

Speaking Engagements

Winning and Defeating Motions for Summary Judgment/Adjudication in Employment Matters

Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, Webinar

2024

Education

  • J.D., Loyola University Chicago School of Law, 2014

Bar Admission

California

Courts

  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of California