An Nguyen Ruda is the CEO and Co-Managing Partner of Bartko Pavia LLP. She was elected to this position in January 2023. Under her leadership, the firm has expanded from its San Francisco office to Los Angeles and New York City. An focuses on the strategic growth and brand recognition of Bartko Pavia as an elite law boutique. She has spoken extensively of law firm leadership, including in Above the Law, where she discussed the unique mindset required to run a firm. Her inspiring personal and professional journey was also featured in Chinese Hospital’s AAPI Spotlight newsletter, which highlighted her rise from humble beginnings to national legal leadership.
In her legal practice, An serves as a partner and strategic advisor to businesses, helping them navigate various workforce-related issues. Her clients range from small mom-and-pop shops to Fortune 500 companies, all of whom rely on her for personalized advice on employment matters, including individual terminations, wage and hour issues, company reorganizations, policy decisions, and employee retention strategies. An's litigation avoidance strategies have saved her clients significant amounts of money and time.
An is recognized as one of California’s leading labor negotiators. She has acted as the Chief Negotiator on several major labor contracts, negotiating multiple master collective bargaining agreements, initial labor agreements, and successor agreements across various industries, including healthcare, newspapers, entertainment, manufacturing, and hospitality.
She is the go-to employment lawyer for many prominent restructuring firms and bankruptcy lawyers, often providing pre-petition advice on issues related to the WARN Act, severance, risk exposure, and reorganization. An has also served as Special Labor Counsel in several bankruptcy cases, including one of the largest healthcare system bankruptcies in the country, where she renegotiated seven collective bargaining agreements in just 70 days - two of which were completed in one week - to facilitate a transaction closing through a 363 Sale.
It is very important to An to serve as a role model for young lawyers, inspiring them to lead their most authentic lives.