Marija Kristich Decker

Associate

decker@luch.com
Phone: (626) 449-1882

An associate in the firm's Pasadena office, Marija Kristich Decker focuses her practice on litigation, and labor and employment law. Her clients include multi-employer trust funds, government agencies, privately held businesses and individuals.

Ms. Decker represents the Boards of Trustees of multi-employer trust funds in litigation in federal court regarding the collection of unpaid fringe benefit contributions negotiated as part of collective bargaining agreements. She has represented various County of Los Angeles agencies, including the Los Angeles County Fire Department, and Department of Health Services, in employment-related matters before the Civil Service Commission, the Employee Relations Commission, the State of California Department of Industrial Relations, as well as state and federal court.

Ms. Decker has particular interest in employee leaves of absence such as pregnancy, maternity, and parental leaves under the Family Medical Leave Act. She believes in crafting legally compliant leave policies, which can also promote and enhance workplace satisfaction and productivity.

Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Decker served as a law clerk to the Hon. Edward J. Damich, Chief Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims, based in Washington, D.C. Her broad and extensive experience also includes working on Capitol Hill, as well as serving as the national coordinator/lobbyist for the National Federation of Croatian Americans in Washington, D.C.

Ms. Decker received her Juris Doctor degree from the Syracuse University College of Law where she was an associate editor of both the Syracuse Journal of International Law and Commerce and The Digest - The National Italian American Bar Association Law Journal. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California.

Ms. Decker is a member of the State Bar of California, the District of Columbia Bar, and is admitted to practice in all of the United States District Courts in California, the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the United States Court of Federal Claims, and the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. She is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association sections on Labor and Employment Law; Litigation; and Post Judgment Remedies. She is also a member of the Pasadena Bar Association.