In a landmark case against the UC Regents and former UC Berkeley School of Law Dean, Sujit Choudhry, LVBH Partners Leslie Levy and Sharon Vinick, along with Associate Jennifer Sta.Ana, represented Tyann Sorrell, who worked as the Executive Assistant to the former Dean. According to the Complaint filed by Ms. Sorrell in Alameda County Superior […]
US Army Pays Woman $820,000 to Settle Sexual Harassment Case
Wendy Musell, with co-counsel Mark Epstein, represented Luydmila Starkey, a former military police trainee, who alleged that she was terminated after filing a sexual harassment complaint against a supervisor. According to the lawsuit, Ms. Starkey’s supervisor sent her sexually explicit text messages and nude photos of himself when she was employed at the Presidio of […]
Sexual Assault and Harassment Case for Two Janitorial Workers Ends in Settlement
Partner Sharon Vinick, working with attorneys from Centro Legal De La Raza, filed a complaint on behalf of two janitorial service workers. The two employees were repeatedly sexually harassed and assaulted by their direct supervisor, who secured their silence by threatening to cut their hours and give them difficult assignments. The supervisor went so far […]
Settlement of Case Brought on Behalf of Multiple Women Alleging Sexual Harassment and Wage Theft
Partners Leslie Levy and Sharon Vinick filed a case alleging sexual harassment and wage theft complaint on behalf of four women who worked for a large health care corporation. The women alleged that they were sexually harassed by their supervisor, who made lewd comments to them, touched them without their consent, and repeatedly suggested that […]
Be Sane, Leave Drinking at Work to Mad Men
In the AMC Series Mad Men, most of the partners have bars in their offices. The three martini lunch is alive and well. Everyone drinks, often to excess. And alcohol-fueled office parties often lead to disastrous consequences. Indeed, who can forget the episode in Season 3 when, during a wild office party, a John Deere […]
The Top Five Wins for Workers’ Rights in 2014
The Employee Matters marks the end of 2014 with a“Top Five” list. Interest in “Top Ten” or “Top Five” lists is so immense that psychologists have even coined the term the “Top Ten Effect,” to describe the “bump” that items on such a list receive in terms of sales. A list of the top developments […]
Seven Figure Settlement Reached on Behalf of Employee Subject to Sexual Harassment and Assault
Partner Leslie Levy filed a complaint against a large construction company, alleging sexual harassment and sexual assault, on behalf of a female employee whose supervisor sexually harassed and forced to her engage in sexual contact if she wanted to keep her job. Moreover, in order to force the Plaintiff to continue to sexual contact, her […]
Sexual Harassment Case Against Local Card Room Settled
Partners Darci Burrell and Jean Hyams, with attorney Rebecca Kagin, filed a complaint on behalf of a female dealer against a local card room for sexual harassment and retaliation. In the complaint, the client alleged that she was subjected to sexually suggestive comments and gestures on a regular basis, which created a hostile work environment. […]
Settlement for Plaintiff Who Suffered Retaliation After Reporting Sexual Harassment
Partners Leslie Levy and Sharon Vinick filed suit on behalf of a woman working to provide services for homeless adults. The employee, as well as some female clients, were sexually harassed by her co-worker. Despite the employee’s report of the illegal behavior no action was taken against the harasser. Instead, the employer transferred her to […]
Six Figure Settlement for Plaintiff Who Was Terminated While on Medical Leave
Partners Leslie Levy and Sharon Vinick filed a complaint on behalf an employee who was sexually harassed, and later terminated following an on-the-job injury. From the beginning of her employment Plaintiff was sexually harassed by a high ranking official of the company. Fearing retaliation, Plaintiff did not report the harassment, but instead tried to avoid […]
Car Dealership Faces Arbitration for Discrimination and Harassment
LVBH lawyers Jean Hyams and Rebecca Kagin represented a woman who worked in car sales in court and arbitration against a Toyota car dealership for gender and national origin discrimination and harassment. She also brought a claim that the owner of the dealership retaliated against her after she filed a complaint with the California Department […]
Sexual Harassment and Gender Discrimination Case against Nightclub
Partner Sharon Vinick represented a woman who worked as an event planner at a San Francisco nightclub. She was subjected to sexist attitudes and differential treatment on the basis of her gender, including being denied opportunities which were given to her male colleagues. When the the employee complained of the differential treatment, she was terminated. […]