For over 20 years, the attorneys at Schonbrun DeSimone Seplow Harris Hoffman & Harrison have leveled the playing field by advocating on behalf of individuals whose civil and human rights are violated. The firm is proud to have all six named partners on the Southern California Super Lawyers list.
The firm's recent results reflect its tradition of excellence:
- $17 million,$16 million, $10.5 million and $5 million class-action settlements for unlawful wage-and-hour practices.
- A $1.6 million class-action settlement against a hospital for FEHA violations that constituted invasive and illegal pre-employment inquiries to employees.
- A $2.1 million jury verdict by V. James DeSimone on behalf of a female customer of Walgreens for false arrest and civil-rights violations, which was upheld on appeal. The outcome prompted DeSimone's nomination for the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA) Trial Lawyer of the Year.
- A $1.2 million wrongful-death settlement against the city of Inglewood based on the unlawful use of excessive force.
- V. James DeSimone and Genie Harrison were named as two of California's Top 10 Plaintiff Labor and Employment Lawyers by the Daily Journal, three years in a row, 2009, 2010 and 2011.
- A precedent-setting 9th Circuit published decision in Xue Lu et al. v. United States of America, establishing that an asylum officer acted in the course and scope of employment when he extorted and harassed asylum applicants.
- A precedent-setting California Court of Appeal published decision in Johnson v. UCP directing the trial court to admit evidence of other employees who contended they were subjected to discriminatory conduct
- A $160,000 civil rights jury verdict against the city of Los Angeles based on excessively tight handcuffs that caused nerve damage
- Paul Hoffman was nominated for Trial Lawyer of the Year by The American Association for Justice.
- Genie Harrison was named to the Southern California Super Lawyers Top 50 Women's list, and by The Daily Journal as one of the Top 100 Women Litigators in California.
- Attorney Wilmer Harris was recently appointed the State Bar of California's chair of the labor and employment executive committee.
The success the firm achieved throughout the past year is no surprise, given its proven track record of obtaining justice for its clients. Its team of motivated plaintiffs' lawyers has earned a highly respected reputation in key areas of the law, including employment, civil rights, personal injury and international human rights. The firm's reputation is enhanced by its long, successful of-counsel association with distinguished constitutional lawyer Erwin Chemerinsky.
The firm has obtained numerous large verdicts and settlements for its clients in cutting-edge areas of the law. Some highlights include:
- Sanders Lee v. N.Y. State Department of Correctional Services, et al.-A $3.75 million settlement by Benjamin Schonbrun and Michael Seplow on behalf of a mentally disabled Los Angeles resident falsely imprisoned for two years in a New York State penitentiary. The case resulted in a published decision and a cover story in The New York Times Magazine.
- Gibbs v. Boeing Satellite Systems-A $1.8 million judgment after jury verdict and successful appeal by Wilmer Harris for retaliation against an employee under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA).
- Wasserman v. Pampered Chef-A $2.6 million settlement in a products liability case for a woman who suffered a reflex sympathetic dystrophy injury after cutting her finger on a defective ceramic serving dish.
- Snider v. Laquer Urban Clifford & Hodge LLP-A $1.1 million jury verdict by Wilmer Harris on behalf of an attorney who was subjected to disability discrimination.
- Brown v. City of Hawthorne-A $1 million settlement of a civil rights/wrongful death case against the city of Hawthorne's police department.
- Jenkins v. Archdiocese of Los Angeles-A summary judgment in favor of a blind teacher against the Los Angeles Archdiocese for violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
- Mogilefsky v. Silver Pictures-A precedent-setting case that resulted in the first published California decision to recognize that same-sex harassment violated the California Fair Employment and Housing Act.
