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  • Discrimination
  • Age Discrimination
  • Race and Sex Discrimination
  • Religious and Disability Discrimination
  • Sexual Orientation Discrimination
  • Retaliation
  • Housing Discrimination
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Successes in the Year 2002

Appeals · 2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007

In April of 2002, after completing the trial in case 00 C 3901 it became clear that the firm had more work than three lawyers could handle. But unlike the prior year wear the firm found a colleague retiring, there was no ready source to add an experienced attorney. The selection of Janice Pintar was the result of an exhaustive search including the reviewing of more than 300 applications and a dozen interviews. But within weeks of Janice joining the firm, Deanne was forced to go on early maternity leave. In addition, Michael Maduff, began to take a lighter caseload choosing more of an “of counsel” role to the firm. And yet the firm continued to grow.

The following cases came to verdict, judgment, or settlement in the year 2002. Please note that cases can take anywhere from a few months to several years to reach their conclusions.

00 C 3901
$346,000 Jury Verdict
(Race Discrimination & Retaliation – Title VII)
Our client had been a marketing representative for an automobile financing company. His job was to visit automobile dealerships and buy loans they had made on cars sold. Although he met the qualifications for increased buying authority (to be able to buy larger loans), he was denied it. When he filed a race discrimination charge with the EEOC, he was fired. On April 30, 2002, a Federal Jury returned a verdict in our client’s favor finding both racial discrimination and retaliatory termination, and awarding him $346,000 in damages.

02 C 0327
(Equal Pay Act)
In this unusual case, the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit for sex discrimination and Equal Pay Act violations because of actions taken against our client. Our client joined the case in her individual capacity. She had been responsible for international sales for a packaging corporation, but had received neither the same title nor the same pay as her male predecessor and successors. The case resulted in a consent decree (an agreed order of judgment) for $110,000.

00 C 7810
(Religious Discrimination – Title VII)
Our client was a Muslim Imam (religious leader) who had come from India and was at the time of his case working on obtaining his citizenship. (He is now a U.S. Citizen.) He had been working for a package delivery service as a delivery truck loader with the hope of becoming a driver. (Coming from his situation in India, obtaining a job as a driver with a respected company was a dream come true for him.) He was approved as a driver and fitted for a driver’s uniform when he was told that he would have to shave his beard (which his religious principles forbid). When he refused to shave his beard he was denied the driver position. The psychological effects were devastating. Not only did we settle this case to his satisfaction, but we also had the honor of being present for his being sworn as a citizen of the United States.

01 C 8223
(Overtime – Fair Labor Standards Act)
Our client was a laborer who was not collecting overtime. When a customer noticed and tol him that he was owed overtime, he requested it of his employer. The employer responded by requiring him to sign an agreement to work overtime hours for regular pay (which is an illegal and unenforceable agreement). When he refused, the employer terminated him. In spite of numerous efforts to obtain the money owed him through negotiation, the Defendant forced us to file the case in Court. We settled the case to his satisfaction.

In addition to the $346,000 jury verdict and these settlements, many cases were settled while still at the EEOC and IDHR. Settlements for 2002 exceeded $1 Million dollars.

Appeals · 2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007