Imad Elias

Imad Y. Elias is a founding partner of the Law Offices of Mann & Elias and leads the firm’s Employment Law practice. With more than three decades of experience and over 35 jury trials, Mr. Elias is recognized as one of Southern California’s most seasoned and respected employment litigators.

Since 2015, Mr. Elias has been selected every year to the California Super Lawyers list in Employment Law, an honor reserved for the top 5% of attorneys in the state. His record of success and professionalism has made him a trusted advocate for employees and a frequent collaborator for other attorneys seeking experienced co-counsel in complex employment trials—including a recent disability discrimination and failure-to-accommodate case that resulted in a $1.1 million jury verdict.

After a year of pro bono service with San Fernando Valley Neighborhood Legal Services—where he represented low-income clients in court nearly every day—Mr. Elias entered private practice in 1994 and quickly developed his focus on employment litigation. Since then, he has represented hundreds of employees in cases involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination.

Born in Damascus and raised in Kuwait under the French schooling system, Mr. Elias grew up among classmates from every corner of the world before attending college and law school in Southern California. His multicultural upbringing fostered a deep understanding of human experience and perspective—qualities that continue to shape his approach to advocacy and jury trials today.