Employment
Representative Case Summaries
- An employee alleged that his nonprofit employer failed to accommodate his medical condition or engage in the interactive process, resulting in poor performance and eventual termination. The employer had evidence that it had accommodated the employee’s reported medical condition. During negotiations, the employee showed signs of mental instability, and the parties reached a non-monetary resolution.
- In a large PAGA lawsuit involving multiple defendant employers represented by separate counsel, plaintiffs alleged several million dollars in potential exposure. On the eve of mediation, defendants retained separate counsel to provide an independent settlement valuation. Her analysis resulted in a materially lower valuation than prior estimates, which all defendants accepted as fair and reasonable. The matter resolved for a small fraction of the initial exposure estimates, while preserving the defendants’ ongoing business relationships.
- The creator of an animated character sued a well-known production company for copyright infringement, alleging that the company included similar characters in its hit animated feature film. The production company denied the allegations and presented substantial evidence that the character was in the public domain. The case resolved during a two-week arbitration.
- A Hollywood executive brought a wrongful termination claim based on age and disability after he was discharged during union strike-related layoffs. Although the employer had statistical evidence that the layoffs were financially necessary, the executive presented a sympathetic discrimination case that became more challenging after he was diagnosed with a terminal illness. The case resolved.
