Education
Loyola Law School J.D., 1980
California State University, Long Beach B.S., 1977
Admitted to Practice
California 1981
District of Columbia 2020
Awards and accolades
Best Lawyers in America (2023-2025) - Litigation: Labor and Employment
Orange County Business Journal Family-Owned Business Awards - Small Business Award WINNER (2024)
Daily Journal Top Boutiques in California (2023)
Best Law Firms® - Metropolitan Tier-1 law firm in Litigation - Labor & Employment (2024)
Los Angeles Business Journal Leaders of Influence: Litigators & Trial Attorneys (2023-2024)
Los Angeles Business Journal DEI ‘Company of the Year’ Finalist (2023)
Orange County Business Journal Excellence in Entrepreneurship Awards Nominee (2023-2024)
FAME 'Law & Justice Award'Honoree (2023)
Los Angeles Times b2b DEI&A Visionary (2022-2024)
Los Angeles Business Journal Leaders of Influence: Labor & Employment Attorneys (2022)
LATimesOC Magazine OC Visionary (2022-2024)
Orange Coast Magazine Face of Labor & Employment (2022)
Daily Journal Top Labor & Employment Lawyers (2022-2024)
Los Angeles Times b2b Business of Law Legal Visionary (2022-2023)
Los Angeles Business Journal Top 100 Lawyers (2022)
Southern California Super Lawyer (2022-2024)
Leaders of Influence: Minority Attorney (2022- 2023)
Lawyer of the Year by the Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce (2017)
Top Lawyer by The Global Directory of Who's Who (2017-2018)
President’s Award Recipient by “Forgiving For Living” (2018)
Certifications
Attorney and Counselor of the Supreme Court of the United States
Attorney and Counselor of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Association of Trial Lawyers of America
Classes/Seminars
National Institute for Trial Advocacy - Diploma for Trial Advocacy Skills
National Institute for Trial Advocacy - Diploma for Master Advocates Program for Trial Advocacy
Clifton W. Albright
President
Clifton W. Albright is a founding partner and the President of Albright, Yee & Schmit, APC. He has an AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
As an active trial attorney, Mr. Albright specializes in providing legal representation for employment, labor and tort defense to governmental and private entities. He has been involved in numerous State and Federal jury trials from start to verdict. He also has a successful appellate record.
Mr. Albright oversees the firm's litigation, negotiates business transactions, and conducts employment investigations and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) compliance audits.
Some of Mr. Albright and the firm’s clients include:
County of Los Angeles
City of Los Angeles
Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)
Southern California Edison
Commerce Casino
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP)
Toyota
Water Replenishment District of Southern California (WRD)
DirecTV
Mr. Albright was twice appointed to the Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Small and Minority Business (ITAC 11) by former President Barack Obama, and then, again, reappointed by President Donald Trump in 2018. ITAC works closely with the Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative to enhance trade between the United States and other countries. Mr. Albright travels to Washington, D.C. and other locations to meet with government officials and others involved in international trade and trade relations.
A sought-after speaker, Mr. Albright conducts continuing education programs for attorneys, executives, and employees in such areas as employment and labor law, business management, and complex litigation. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the National Bar Association, the Orange County Bar Association, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and the Beverly Hills Bar Association.
Mr. Albright was selected by his peers for Inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America in the area of Litigation - Labor and Employment since 2023. He was a recipient of the 2023 FAME Church LA ‘Law & Justice Award’ and recognized among the Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2023 and 2024 Leaders of Influence: Litigators & Trial Attorneys. Mr. Albright was recognized among the Daily Journal's ‘Top Labor & Employment Lawyers’ since 2022. He was also recognized as a Business of Law ‘Legal Visionary’ and a ‘DEI&A Visionary’ by the Los Angeles Times Magazine B2B, as well as an ‘OC Visionary’ by the LA TimesOC B2B Magazine since 2022. Orange Coast Magazine named him a 2022 ‘Face of Labor & Employment’. The Los Angeles Business Journal named Mr. Albright a 2022 ‘Top 100 Lawyer’, a 2022 and 2023 'Leader of Influence: Minority Attorney', and a 2022 ‘Leader of Influence: Labor & Employment Attorney’. Los Angeles Magazine recognized him as a ‘Southern California Super Lawyer’ since 2022. Additionally, he was inducted into the prestigious Marquis Who’s Who biographical registry in 2022. In 2017, Mr. Albright was named ‘Lawyer of the Year’ by the Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce (GLAAACC).
Best Law Firms® recognized Albright, Yee & Schmit, APC as a ‘Metropolitan Tier-1 law firm’ in Litigation - Labor & Employment for 2024 and 2025. In 2023, Albright, Yee & Schmit, APC was recognized among the Daily Journal’s ‘Top Boutiques in California 2023’. The firm was also named a 2023 DEI ‘Company of the Year’ Finalist by the Los Angeles Business Journal.
Mr. Albright believes in giving back. He is an active member of the following organizations: XI Bolue, an organization that promotes and assists in educating, motivating, and mentoring residents in underserved communities; the National Associaton of Guardsmen, an organization that focuses on the collaboration and association of business and community leaders who meet regularly to discuss and share ideas about improving the lives of those heavily involved in business and civic leadership and the lives of their families; and Citizens for Accountable Leadership (CAL), an organization that meets, interviews, and consults with politicians, community leaders, and influencers to understand and consider their goals and objectives. CAL advises public and private persons and entities about public opinion and community goals. Additionally, Mr. Albright mentors men and women in furthering their education and business goals.
Mr. Albright earned his Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, in 1980. He is licensed to practice law in California and the District of Columbia.
Prior to founding Albright, Yee & Schmit, APC, Mr. Albright spent five years as counsel for Lloyds Bank California, specializing in representing the institution and its related companies in affirmative and defense litigation which included labor law, lender liability, and real estate litigation as well.