We strongly encourage any woman who is considering participation in an interview with the investigator hired by the California Assembly and Senate, or any other investigation conducted by the state legislature, to contact an attorney to discuss their rights. Attorneys in our office would be happy to assist you in evaluating your legal rights with respect […]
Leslie Levy Profiled in September Issue of Plaintiff Magazine
The September issue of Plaintiff Magazine — a publication for attorneys who specialize in representing plaintiffs — features a profile of Partner Leslie Levy. The article describes some of Leslie’s early victories, such as two major disability cases she brought against BART in the early 1980s that transformed the way that stations are set up. […]
The Rules of Evidence Prevent Victim Blaming in Sexual Harassment Cases
For many years, victims of workplace sexual harassment cases were assaulted twice – one when they were victimized at work, and a second time when they went to court and the harasser used evidence of their unrelated sexual conduct to impugn their character. Fortunately, this is no longer the case, as there are both state […]
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 […]
Silicon Valley CEO Sexual Harasser Case Resolved
Partner Sharon Vinick represented an entry level employee who was subjected to sexual harassment by the CEO of her company during a business trip. The harassment included highly suggestive comments and unwanted touching, which created a hostile work environment. The parties settled the case pre-litigation for a six-figure sum.
Sexual Harassment of Tenant by Residential Property Manager
Partners Sharon Vinick and Leslie Levy represented a tenant who was sexually harassed by the residential property manager, and then retaliated against after complaining of harassment. Sharon and Leslie brought an action against the property owners and the residential manager because they failed to take reasonable steps to prevent the sexual harassment and engaged in […]
Jury Verdict And Fees Award In Excess of $1 Million For Woman Subject to Retaliation
Partners Jean Hyams and Darci Burrell tried a case on behalf of a woman who suffered retaliation after she complained repeatedly about sexual and racial harassment on the graveyard shift at Caltrans’ Oakland Transportation Management Center. Members of the jury wept when they rendered a unanimous verdict finding Caltrans liable for maintaining a sexually and racially hostile work environment and subjecting the plaintiff to retaliation. By obtaining a jury verdict and attorneys’ fee award in excess of $1 million, the trial team vindicated the rights of the Caltrans employee and delivered a clear message to employers about the cost of maintaining a work environment in which sexually and racially inappropriate conduct is permitted to thrive.
Confidential Settlement Negotiated for Woman Sexually Assaulted by Manager
Partners Sharon Vinick and Darci Burrell pursued litigation in state court on behalf of a woman earning minimum wage who had been sexually harassed, as well as assaulted, by her manager. The case settled in the mid-six figures, despite the fact that the client was an undocumented immigrant and had modest economic losses.
Confidential Settlement for Male Victim of Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment
In a case involving a male assistant who was sexually harassed by his manager, partner Sharon Vinick negotiated a confidential settlement after a lawsuit was filed, but before discovery began.
$2.4 Million Arbitration Award for Victim of Sexual Harassment by 24 Hour Fitness
Jean Hyams was on the team of attorneys that represented a corporate sales manager in her sexual harassment claims against her employer, 24 Hour Fitness. The company required their employees to sign away the right to a trial by jury as a condition of their employment, so the claims could only be brought through private arbitration. The result, a $2.4 million award, including $1.2 million in punitive damages was one of the largest awards on record for a single-plaintiff arbitration. After the arbitration, the employer tried to seal the record to keep the plaintiff from publicizing the outcome of her case. Jean Hyams and Leslie Levy fought a successful post-arbitration legal battle for the right to make the company’s misdeeds public so that other employers would learn the costly consequences of sexual harassment in the workplace.
Pioneering Lawsuit For Tenants Sexually Harassed By Landlord
While in private practice, partner Leslie Levy brought a groundbreaking case alleging sexual harassment in housing. She represented multiple tenants whose apartment manager was perpetrating severe sexual harassment against them. The settlement achieved was the largest settlement in the nation at the time for a housing sexual harassment case. The publicity generated by this case, including a television appearances on Oprah and prominent coverage in newspapers around the country led to increased training, education and attention to the problem of sexual harassment in housing.
Sexual Harassment Victim Outraged by UC Settlement with Harasser
Oakland, CA – Today, Tyann Sorrell, a victim of sexual harassment, issued a statement expressing outrage at the deal the University of California struck with her harasser, former UC Berkeley Law School Dean Sujit Choudhry. Ms. Sorrell was an Executive Assistant to the Dean and brought charges against him for repeatedly and inappropriately kissing, hugging […]
