The Los Angeles Times interviewed LVBH attorney Wendy Musell for an article regarding how the California Assembly handles confidentiality in investigations of sexual misconduct by legislators and others. The article focuses on the Assembly turning over witness identities as part of its settlement of a lawsuit by a former California Assemblymember who stepped down after […]
Public Employees
LVBH client settles lawsuit against San Rafael City Schools
June 6, 2022 – Juan Rodriguez, a beloved principal at Venetia Valley School, has settled a discrimination and retaliation case that he brought against San Rafael City Schools (“SRCS”). SRCS has agreed to pay $725,000 to settle Mr. Rodriguez’s claims. The lawsuit, filed in September 2020, alleged that the Superintendent and Board of San Rafael […]
LVBH clients featured in Berkeleyside article
Berkeleyside published an article discussing a lawsuit filed by LVBH on behalf of three women against their employer, Berkeley Unified School District. In the lawsuit, the female custodians allege claims of sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and retaliation, as well as failure to prevent harassment and discrimination. As the article notes, this is the second lawsuit […]
California Corrections Department to pay $2.3 million to decorated special agents for claims of unrelenting gender bias
The agency that runs California’s prisons has settled a gender discrimination lawsuit by two of its female special agents for $2.3 million, in what is believed to be the largest settlement of its kind for gender discrimination, including failure to promote, and sexual harassment within the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). Parker and […]
LVBH settles harassment, discrimination, and retaliation case against the FBI
Levy Vinick Burrell Hyams LLP, along with co-counsel Kaupp and Feinberg, has resolved a hard-fought case against the Federal Bureau of Investigation on behalf of a high-ranking woman currently serving as an FBI agent. The allegations focused on a squad of male agents who subjected her to sexual harassment and the retaliation that followed after […]
School principal files lawsuit for discrimination, retaliation, and defamation against San Rafael City Schools
Juan Rodriguez, an educator in the school district for over 19 years, filed the lawsuit alleging that the San Rafael City Schools Superintendent and Board discriminated against him based on race and national origin discrimination, and because of his vocal advocacy for the racial equity within the San Rafael City Schools. As a result, the […]
Federal Judge Backs Whistleblower, Blasts CA Prisons on Care of Mentally Ill Inmates
For almost thirty years, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has been under court-ordered supervision of mental health services provided to over 30,000 inmates. According to a secret whistleblower report compiled by Dr. Michael Golding, the state prison system’s chief psychiatrist, the state was providing inaccurate and misleading data to the federal court and […]
LVBH Wins $325,000 Jury Verdict Against Lawrence Berkeley Labs
On May 24, 2019, LVBH won a $325,000 jury verdict in Alameda County Superior Court against the UC Regents and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory on behalf of Kathy Eidson, a long-time employee of the Lab. Ms. Eidson began working at the Lab in 2001 as an electrician. In 2006, she fell off a ladder […]
US Postal Service Pays $600,000 to Two Female Letter Carriers Who Were Victims of Serial Sexual Harasser
Wendy Musell, working with Legal Aid at Work, filed a sexual harassment case against the United States Postal Service on behalf of two female letter carries who were sexually harassed by a supervisor who had been harassing female employees for over a decade. According to the lawsuit, the supervisor’s sexual behavior was an open secret […]
Police Officer Receives Settlement in a Gender Discrimination Lawsuit
A female police officer who had worked for more than two decades was denied repeatedly denied promotions within the police department. Previously, the department had faced numerous complaints of gender discrimination, yet failed to take any action to remedy the issue. Partners Leslie Levy and Sharon Vinick represented the officer in a gender discrimination lawsuit […]
Multi-Million Dollar Verdict for Whistleblower Firefighter
A Solano County jury brought in a $2,357,000 verdict for apprentice firefighter in his lawsuit against the City of Vallejo. The jury found that the Vallejo Fire Department retaliated against Mr. Milan for complaining to OSHA about regulation violations that occurred at a fire, and that the fire department failed to accommodate the post-traumatic stress disorder he developed at the fire. Partners Leslie Levy and Sharon Vinick prosecuted the case through nine weeks of the trial in Milan v. City of Vallejo.
$1.2 Million Jury Verdict after BART Failed to Prevent Harassment and Retaliation
A BART employee who had complained about racial harassment by a co-worker and systemic race discrimination brought suit against his employer. Years after the case was originally filed, partners Darci Burrell and Jean Hyams were brought on to take the case to trial. With only a few months to prepare, Darci and Jean worked feverishly to muster the evidence and prepare the legal arguments that would help prove that BART should be held responsible for the retaliation and harassment suffered by its employee. The jury found in his favor on all counts, in a clear vindication of the mechanic’s rights.