SAN FRANCISCO — With a federal judge declaring earlier this month that a jury should decide whether Lyft Inc. has been misclassifying drivers as contractors under California state law, the company has beefed up its defense team.

Lawyers at Keker & Van Nest, including partners Rachael Meny and R. James Slaughter, entered appearances on behalf of Lyft two days after U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria of the Northern District of California let a proposed class action against the ride-hailing service survive a motion to dismiss.

The Keker lawyers are supplementing Lyft's prior counsel from labor and employment firm Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart.