Significant Cases
Prisoners’ Rights:
Aldrich v. Romo, et al., Case No. 5:20-cv-00974 (C.D.Cal. 2021) – served as co-counsel in sexual misconduct case against prison janitorial staff for sexually exploiting female prisoner who was a known survivor of child sex trafficking. Case settled for $200,000
Aldrich v. Sanches, et al., Case No. 2:21-cv-02864 (C.D.Cal. 2021) – served as co-counsel in sexual misconduct case against prison guard. Case included retaliation claims against prison warden and investigations staff who retaliated against female prisoner on claims of extortion. Case settled for $250,000.
Almódovar v. Andrews, et al., Case No. 00-Civ-0599S (W.D.N.Y. 2002) – served as lead counsel on behalf of prisoner at women’s prison who was brutally assaulted by prison guards after she reported staff for sexual abuse of other prisoners. Confidential settlement obtained after minimal discovery.
Battiste v. Artuz, 99 Civ. 0503 (S.D.N.Y. 1999) – served as associate counsel in civil rights action on behalf of mother whose incarcerated son was denied adequate psychiatric care for his serious mental illness, which resulted in his suicide. Obtained settlement of $350,000 after minimal discovery.
Caruso v. Hill, Case No. 20-cv-00084 (E.D.Cal. 2022) – served as lead counsel in retaliation case on behalf of female prisoner who was transferred to another prison after she exposed misconduct by the prison warden. Case settled for $157,500 after prisoner was transferred back to the prison where she could be safely housed.
Caruso v. Solorio, Case No. 15-cv-00780 (E.D.Cal. 2022) – appointed as pro bono counsel for female prisoner subjected to abusive, cross-gender strip search. Case settled for $75,000 after defendants were sanctioned over $10,000 for discovery obstruction and after misleading conduct by the Deputy Attorney General was exposed.
Davidson, et al. v. Artuz, et al., 98 Civ 6019 (S.D.N.Y.) – served as associate counsel on behalf of 29yearold prisoner who died from asthma attack after prison ignored pleas from other prisoners for medical attention. Claims for medical neglect and loss of relationship for plaintiff’s mother and three children, settled for $900,000.
Meadows v. Reeves, Case No. 11-cv-00257 (E.D.Cal. 2017) – appointed as pro bono counsel for female prisoner subject to sexually abusive examinations by prison gynecologist. Case settled for $100,000 with injunctive relief for medical care.
Ramos v. Swatzell, et al., Case No. 23-cv-01089 (C.D.Cal. 2018) – served as lead counsel on behalf of two female prisoners raped by prison guard, resulting in the birth of a child to a mother in custody. Obtained discovery sanctions totaling $132,285 and adverse inference jury instruction for prison’s destruction of warden’s personnel file. Cases settled for a total of $2.1 million.
Employment Discrimination:
Fahlen v. Sutter Central Valley Hospitals, et al., 58 Cal.4th 655 (2014) – served as co-counsel in successful peer review hearing on behalf of whistleblower physician who complained to hospital about patient safety issues. Subsequent lawsuit resulted in landmark decision by California Supreme Court confirming the right of healthcare practitioners to file whistleblower lawsuits without exhausting administrative and judicial remedies. Obtained favorable confidential settlement.
Hunter v. InterCon Security Systems, et al., Case No. 2:08-CV-00370 (E.D. Cal. 2010) – served as lead counsel on behalf of African American woman subjected to lewd sexual comments and unwanted touching by her supervisor. Obtained evidentiary sanctions against employer for obstructive discovery tactics. Favorable confidential settlement reached after plaintiff prevailed in summary judgment motion regarding employer’s pretextual reason for termination.
Kime v. Adventist Health Clearlake Hospital, Case No. CV-417373 (Lake Cty. Sup. Ct. 2017) – served as co-counsel in whistleblower lawsuit on behalf of emergency room physician who reported patient safety concerns due to dangerous conditions in rural hospital. Confidential settlement reached against hospital and health care corporation.
Love v. Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, et al., Case No. 3:12-cv-05679 (N.D.Cal. 2013) – served as lead counsel on behalf of Kaiser therapist who was denied protection from a threatening patient and then subject to retaliation after she complained about workplace safety. Case settled for confidential amount.
Tang v. Grand Central Communications, Inc. (2005) – negotiated confidential settlement of pregnancy and gender discrimination claims on behalf of human resources employee whose job was allegedly eliminated after she requested maternity leave.
Vasquez, et al. v. Escort Sunnyvale Corporation, et al., Case No. 114-cv-272861 (Santa Clara Sup. Ct. 2015)– served as co-counsel in a class action case against the Brass Rail strip club in Sunnyvale, for wage and overtime violations and sexual harassment, on behalf of a class of strippers. Prior to formal discovery, case settled for $1.9 million and club agreed to stop charging unlawful stage fees to its dancers.
White v. Dolby Laboratories (2012) – negotiated confidential resolution of pregnancy, race, and gender discrimination claims on behalf of African American human resources employee who was passed over for promotions, received lesser pay than her Caucasian counterparts, and treated differently after requesting maternity leave.
White v. Dow Jones (2013) – negotiated pre-litigation, confidential settlement on behalf of journalist for Wall Street Journal who worked in a racially hostile department as its only African American reporter.
Willis v. SierraPine, Ltd, et al., Case No. 06-cv-02688 (E.D.Cal. 2008) – litigated race discrimination claims as lead counsel on behalf of African American worker whose supervisor called him racially derogatory names and maintained a demeaning work environment. Case settled for confidential amount months after supervisor’s deposition.
Yee v. San Francisco Police Department (2005) – served as lead counsel on behalf of veteran Asian American, female police officer who complained about repeated demands to perform secretarial duties. Confidential settlement reached on officer’s retaliation claims after she was transferred to less desirable job.
Other Civil Rights:
Darensburg v. Metropolitan Transportation Comm., Case No. C-05-01597 (N.D. Cal. 2005) – served as co-counsel in transit equity coalition including bus riders, labor unions, and civil rights advocates. Coalition work resulted in class action, against Bay Area transit commission on behalf of bus riders, for inequitable funding of bus services that disproportionately serve communities of color in favor of BART and Caltrain commuters.
DeArmand E. v. City of Antioch, 3:08-cv-01709 (N.D.Cal. 2009) served as co-counsel in police misconduct case on behalf of three students racially profiled, pepper-sprayed, arrested with excessive force, and expelled from high school. Resulted in $775,000 settlement against city and school district.
Garcia v. Wallack Management, et al. (2001) – served as lead counsel for Puerto Rican doorman in upper eastside apartment building in Manhattan, who was banned from speaking Spanish at work at the request of wealthy residents. Obtained settlement including monetary damages, letter of apology distributed to building residents, and renovation of workers’ quarters.
Kong v. San Mateo Union High School District, Case No. 09-12-1175 (U.S. Dept. of Ed. 2012) – served as lead counsel for educator in civil rights complaint against school district for discrimination against Asian American families in school enrollment practices. Obtained favorable injunctive relief to address school district’s failure to provide language access to non-English-speaking families regarding policies on student enrollment and school assignment.
R.C., et al. v. Chuck E. Cheese Entertainment, Inc., Case No. 13-cv-3788 (N.D.Cal. 2013) – served as lead counsel in public accommodations case on behalf of African American family celebrating the birthday of 5-year-old at Chuck E. Cheese in Pinole. Restaurant denied service to family after staff called them derogatory names and then called the police. Restaurant agreed to seat family after police responded and intervened on their behalf. Resulted in pre-discovery confidential settlement that included injunctive relief.
State Farm Mut. Auto Ins. Co. v. Low, 32 Cal.4th 1029 (2004) – served as co-counsel in impact litigation against California’s top auto insurance companies to enforce the public’s right to review redlining data that would reveal whether insurers are discriminating against consumers based on the race, income, or zip code. Obtained landmark ruling by California Supreme Court confirming the public’s right to access such data, even if it resulted in the purported disclosure of trade secrets.
Stern v. Resnick, 99 Civ. 10053 (S.D.N.Y. 1999) – served as lead counsel in civil rights case on behalf of Chinese American restaurant owner who catered to Latino, day
laborers. Obtained preliminary injunction against landlord who sought to evict restaurant, after receiving complaints from wealthy, Caucasian residents of Mount Kisco, the city’s mayor and police chief. Confidential settlement reached before formal discovery.
Williams et al. v. State of California, et al., Case No. 312236 (Cal. Super. Ct. 2004) – served as co-counsel in class action lawsuit filed on behalf of thousands of public school students from low-performing schools in California. Obtained landmark settlement including critical package of legislation providing for new standards, additional resources, greater accountability, and state intervention. Settlement resulted in the provision of more than $900 million towards improving the quality of education for California’s poor and minority students.
Indigent Criminal Appellate Defense
In re C.W., 208 Cal.App.4th 654 (1st Dist. 2012) – appointed as appellate counsel on behalf of juvenile prosecuted for shoplifting without consideration of her right to less punitive measures including dismissal of charges. Obtained favorable decision from Court of Appeal requiring the juvenile court to determine juvenile’s eligibility for deferred entry of judgment.
People v. Hall, 2008 WL 821706 (1st Dist. 2008) – served as appellate counsel in case resulting in 14-year reduction of unlawful and excessive sentence of 23 years for carjacking.