Catha Worthman

Catha Worthman is a founding partner at Feinberg Jackson Worthman & Wasow LLP, a law firm specializing in public interest litigation.1 As an attorney, she focuses on advocating for the rights of workers, retirees, and people with disabilities through class actions, multi-plaintiff cases, and individual litigation.1

Areas of Expertise

Catha's practice covers a wide range of legal issues, including:

• ERISA and employee benefits
• Breach of fiduciary duty
• ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) cases
• Pension, healthcare, and long-term disability benefits
• Wage and hour disputes
• Disability rights cases

Her work has helped recover unpaid wages and benefits for employees across various industries, such as healthcare, transportation, fast food, and construction.1

Notable Cases and Collaborations

Catha often partners with nonprofit social justice organizations and labor unions for impact litigation and policy strategies. Some of her significant cases include:

• National Association of the Deaf v. Netflix: She served as co-counsel in this landmark case, which resulted in Netflix agreeing to make its streaming video 100% accessible through closed captioning.1
• A case challenging discrimination against Latinos on Medi-Cal, where she is working with leading civil rights advocates.1

Professional Activities

Catha is actively involved in various professional associations and civic activities:

• Board member of Asian Americans Advancing Justice — Asian Law Caucus
• Supervising Attorney at San Francisco Legal Aid Society — Legal Aid at Work Workers' Rights Clinic
• Member of the Litigation Committee at Equal Rights Advocates
• Vice Chair of the CLE Committee for the ABA Joint Committee on Employee Benefits1

She frequently writes and speaks on topics related to civil procedure, ERISA, employee benefits issues, and wage and hour rights.1

Background and Education

Before joining Feinberg Jackson Worthman & Wasow LLP, Catha:

• Was a shareholder at Lewis, Feinberg, Lee & Jackson, P.C.
• Served as a law clerk to Judge William A. Fletcher of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
• Worked for the Health Systems Division of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU)1

Catha has been recognized as a Northern California Super Lawyer and was named one of the Top 50 Women Attorneys in Northern California in 2018.1