The first court trial to test whether “gig economy” workers should be treated as independent contractors or employees got underway Tuesday in what could be seen as the culmination of a series of legal battles that have dogged Silicon Valley.
The trial pits Los Angeles delivery man and struggling actor Raef Lawson against app-based food delivery service GrubHub Inc. The company argues that Lawson is a contractor and therefore not entitled to expense reimbursement and other protections afforded to employees under California labor law. GrubHub is represented by team from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, led by partners Theodore Boutrous Jr., Theane Evangelis and Michele Maryott.
