Tryphena Liu

“I defend employers in court, but I’d rather help them build the policies that prevent disputes in the first place.” —Tryphena Liu

Employers facing workplace litigation and compliance challenges turn to Tryphena Liu for practical, hands-on advocacy and guidance.

She defends employers against discrimination and retaliation allegations, wrongful termination suits, hostile-work-environment claims, and wage and hour class and PAGA actions in California’s state and federal courts. Her clients come from a range of industries, including health care, which she is especially passionate about, having been raised by two physician parents. Tryphena has defended health care providers in employment disputes, including litigation involving whistleblower complaints.

When an employee complaint calls for an internal investigation or a government audit raises compliance questions, employers rely on Tryphena to manage the process end to end and address any issues that arise. She also counsels clients and presents seminars—in both English and Mandarin—on wage and hour compliance, workplace regulations, corporate compliance, and employment contracts.

Active in her community, Tryphena serves on the Executive Committee of the California Lawyers Association Labor and Employment Section and is a Co-Chair of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Young Lawyers Network.

During law school, Tryphena externed for the Honorable Roy L. Paul of the Los Angeles Superior Court and served as Senior Staff Research Editor of the UC Irvine Law Review. Before becoming a law student, she interned in the office of U.S. Representative Judy Chu of California.

What Tryphena Delivers for Clients

• A Defense Strategy Built for High-Exposure Claims: Class-action exposure can escalate quickly once a case is underway, and every early misstep raises the cost of resolving it. Tryphena moves fast to contain that risk, building a defense strategy designed to hold up as a case moves through California’s state and federal courts.
• A Litigator's Eye on Compliance Advice: Compliance advice that hasn't been tested in a courtroom can miss what actually holds up once a claim is filed. Tryphena's counseling work draws directly on her litigation defense experience, so the policies and training she recommends are built with an eye to issues she sees in her own cases.
• A Broad Professional Network: Employment matters can require insight and resources beyond the immediate legal issues at hand. Through her leadership in local and national bar associations, Tryphena has built relationships with plaintiff and management-side attorneys, workplace investigators, mediators, arbitrators, and judges throughout California, giving her a broad network of knowledge and resources to draw on when addressing clients’ needs.

• The Best Lawyers in America©: “Ones to Watch” in Health Care Law (2027)
• American Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division, On The Rise—Top 40 Young Lawyers Award (2025)

Education

• University of California, Irvine School of Law (J.D., 2018)
  • Senior Staff Research Editor, UC Irvine Law Review
  • Pro Bono High Honors
• Scripps College (B.A., cum laude, 2015)

Professional & Community Involvement

• American Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division:
  • National Conferences Team Director (2024 to 2025)
  • Council Member (2022 to Present)
  • Assembly Member (2022 to Present)
• California Lawyers Association, Labor and Employment Law Section Executive Committee (2024 to Present)
• Intercollegiate Taiwanese American Student Association, Non-Profit Board Member (2021 to Present)
• Los Angeles County Bar Association:
  • President’s Advisory Committee on Women in the Legal Profession (2021 to 2022)
  • Access to Justice Committee (2021 to 2022)
• National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Young Lawyers Network Chair (2023 to Present)