Representative Cases

Denial of Promotion Based on Sex / Retaliation: The employer denied our client, a logistics manager, a promotion. After she filed a charge of discrimination with the EEOC, the employer excluded her from business meetings and decision-making, and then terminated her. No. 07 C 4146, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois.

Denial of Promotion Based on Sex: An airline services company passed over our client for a promotion to an upper level management position in favor of a less qualified male co-worker. Through depositions and other evidence, we painstakingly refuted the reasons the employer gave for its promotion decision. No. 06 C 3443, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois.

Hostile Environment / Battery: We litigated claims filed against a local government agency and its executive director for ongoing, physical and verbal sexual harassment under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. The court entered judgment in favor of our client for $150,000, plus $164,000 in attorney’s fees and costs. No. 04 C 7493, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois.

Hostile Environment / Retaliation: Our client worked in a male-dominated environment at a distribution facility, where she was subjected to ongoing sexual comments, sexually explicit graffiti, whistles and name-calling. The employer terminated her after she complained of being harassed and took an FMLA leave. Shortly before trial, the district court judge entered a consent decree requiring the employer to pay our client $400,000 in compensatory damages, back pay, and attorney’s fees. Case No. 03 C 6576, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois.

Sex Discrimination / Retaliation: Our client complained to management that her male supervisor made demeaning and lewd comments to her because of her gender, including “women don’t belong in the warehouse.” The employer ignored her complaints; therefore, she informed the employer of her intent to file formal charges of discrimination. The employer retaliated swiftly by transferring her to a shift that conflicted with her child care responsibilities and then terminated her. Case No. 03 C 8247, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois.

Pay Discrimination / Hostile Environment: The employer paid our client, the only female supervisor at her warehouse, less than her male peers, even though management subjected her to higher standards and more demanding responsibilities. The employer permitted a hostile environment for women, including sexual comments and graffiti, and ignored women’s complaints about the hostile environment. No. 02 C 9187, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois.

Boys’ Club Environment:A national retailer maintained a "boys’ club" environment in which our client and other female employees were excluded from higher-level positions, held to higher standards, and subjected to sexist comments.

Pregnancy Discrimination: A law firm terminated our client, a receptionist, within two weeks after she gave notice to her employer of her pregnancy.

Sexual Orientation Discrimination / Retaliation: The employer’s manager ridiculed our client, a homosexual, with derogatory names and subjected him to less favorable treatment than his heterosexual peers. After our client complained of the harassment and hostile work environment, the employer terminated him.

Discrimination based on Sexual Orientation: The manager called our client (a gay employee) demeaning names and subjected him to less favorable treatment than his heterosexual peers. After our client complained to a human resources official about his manager’s misconduct, the employer terminated him.