Curtis Lee Surls

1988, California

of the American Bar Foundation, a non-profit professional association honoring lawyers whose careers have demonstrated dedication to the welfare of the community and the traditions of the profession. Mr. Surls was also named as a "Southern California Super Lawyer" seven times by Los Angeles Magazine, most recently in 2021, and was listed among the "Best Lawyers in Southern California" by American Law Media for multiple years.

Mr. Surls received his B.A. from the University of Iowa and his J.D. from Loyola Law School (Los Angeles). Prior to opening the Law Office of Curt Surls in July 2012, he was a partner with Bornn & Surls for over 15 years. Mr. Surls was also an attorney with the Oakland, California civil rights firm then known as Saperstein, Seligman & Mayeda, specializing in employment and civil rights class actions. Mr. Surls also worked for the State of California as counsel to the Director of the Department of Industrial Relations.

Mr. Surls started his legal career with the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, initially as a law clerk and later as a staff attorney in the East Los Angeles branch office.

Mr. Surls is on the Executive Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association Labor and Employment Section and currently serves as Secretary. Mr. Surls was Chair of the section's 2012 Labor and Employment Law Symposium. He also serves on the Fair Judicial Election Practices Committee for 2012-2013. Mr. Surls has served as Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Disability Rights Legal Center (www.disabilityrightslegalcenter.org) from 2008 to 2010.

Mr. Surls is a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association and the California Employment Lawyers Association, both organizations that emphasize the practice of employment law on behalf of plaintiffs. He is also a member of the Disability Rights Bar Association and the Association of Workplace Investigators.

He is a regular speaker on employment law panels, and has written many articles on employment law. Upcoming speaking engagements include the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles' annual convention in Las Vegas in September 2012.