Cynthia Hackler Flynn represents California employers, defending them in court and helping them avoid disputes in the first place. As Founder and Managing Partner of Hackler Flynn & Associates, she advises and defends businesses from founder-led startups to established companies. She has been named to Super Lawyers for 2026 and 2027, after nine consecutive years on the Rising Stars list. Her practice is split evenly between proactive counseling and litigation. Clients get a lawyer who drafts their policies with an eye to how they'll hold up in court, and who defends them when they're challenged. She also runs her own business, so she gives practical advice that protects the company without slowing it down.
Practice Focus
Cynthia represents employers exclusively, in two areas:
Advice and Counsel
- Employee handbooks, workplace policies, and employment agreements tailored to California law
- Wage and hour compliance, including pay practices, meal and rest breaks, overtime, and independent contractor classification
- Guidance through terminations, investigations, leave and accommodation issues, and other high-risk employment decisions
- Manager and HR training
Litigation Defense
- Wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims
- Wage and hour claims, including individual, class action, and PAGA representative actions
- Matters in California state court, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, arbitration, and before the Employment Development Department (EDD)
Experience
Cynthia has worked in employment law for more than two decades. She started in 2002 as a file clerk at Krutcik & Georggin, a boutique employment law firm, and stayed on as a law clerk while she was in law school. After she was admitted to the State Bar of California in 2010, she spent two years as a litigator at Joel Castro & Associates (2010–2013) and BP Law Group (2013–2014). In March 2014, she founded Hackler Flynn & Associates, which is now a certified Woman Business Enterprise (WBE) and Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB).
Leadership and Speaking
Cynthia speaks frequently on California employment law, PAGA, class actions, independent contractor classification, and how to build and run a successful law firm. She has presented to Vistage, the Entrepreneurs' Organization, PIHRA, Clear Law Institute, ProLaw Continuing Legal Education, Provisors, the Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and Irvine Chambers of Commerce, and the Beverly Hills and Orange County Bar Associations. She serves as Membership Chair on the board of the Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) Los Angeles chapter, where she also leads an EO Accelerator group mentoring growing companies. She is a group leader in Provisors, where she leads the East Valley Lawyers Affinity Group, and is involved in YPO.
Outside the Office
When she's not in court or advising clients, Cynthia can be found on the tennis court or spending time with her husband, Anthony, and their three children, Emma, Hunter, and Parker.
At a Glance
Education
- J.D., Western State University College of Law, 2010
- B.A., Criminology, Law and Society, and Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine, 2007
Admissions
- State Bar of California, December 2010
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California
Practice Areas
- Employment Law
- Wage and Hour
- PAGA and Class Action Defense
- Independent Contractor Compliance
Other Licenses
- California Real Estate Broker
Recognition
- Super Lawyers, 2026–2027
- Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2017–2025
- Pasadena Top Attorney
