Bay Area Construction, Real Estate & Employment Lawyers

In The News

Shoreline school district settles ex-principal’s lawsuit for $700K
March 8, 2020
By Gary Klien
Marin Independent Journal

Nagle settles with Shoreline, resigns
March 5, 2020
By Braden Cartwright
Point Reyes Light

Ex-SFSU coach Jensen gets $500K settlement from school
July 2, 2019
By Mark Palmer
InterMat Wrestle

Nagle sues Shoreline for retaliation
May 23, 2019
By Anna Guth
Point Reyes Light

Novato Hammered with a $900,000 Settlement
August 8, 2018
By Corey Pride
Novato Advance/Marinscope

Novato Educator Wins
July 29, 2018
By Gary Klien
Marin Independent Journal

Fired Novato Educator Wins $905k Settlement
July 28, 2018
By Gary Klien
MarinIJ.com

Legendary wrestling coach told by SFSU they would not renew his contract
June 6, 2017
By Jacob C. Palmer
San Francisco Examiner

$850,000 MGH Labor Settlement
April 2, 2016
By Richard Halstead
Marin Independent Journal

CSUMB, 3 Latino Employees Settle Lawsuit
May 2, 2002
By Joe Livernois
The Monterey County Herald

Water’s still roiled over what’s ‘Natural’
April 14, 2001
By Chris Bowman
The Sacramento Bee

SFSU Loses Bias Suit
August 26, 1999
By Curtis Pond and Scott Dallas
The Golden Gater

Record $2.75M Award in Discrimination Case
March 31, 1999
By Rinat Fried
The Recorder

$2.75M Awarded to Professor
April 8, 1999
By Angie Saltsman

Pays Big for Redemption
January 30, 1997
By Tiare Rath
The Golden Gater

Big Lenders Ready to Settle Class Action
By Kenneth Harney

LEGAL NOTICE – If you purchased Crystal Geyser Alpine Spring Water in the state of California, a proposed class action settlement may affect your rights.

LEGAL NOTICE – If you purchased Calistoga or Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water or Crystal Geyser Alpine Spring Water in the state of California, a class action and a proposed settlement may affect your rights.


EMPLOYMENT LAW CASES

Frankel v San Francisco State University
In a case related to McNier v. San Francisco State University, alleging discrimination on the part of some of the same administrators, San Francisco State University entered into a Settlement Agreement shortly before George Frankel’s case was scheduled for trial. The lawsuit alleged that Dr. Frankel was denied tenure based on religious and racial discrimination. The settlement included payment of lost wages and general damages in the amount of $415,000, as well as reinstatement as a fully tenured faculty member.

Warner v. San Francisco State University
Arthur Warner, an African American employee who worked as a painting supervisor on campus, claimed that the University failed to act properly after a series of racial incidents in the workplace which left him mentally unable to perform his job. The first incident happened in June of 1995, when Warner arrived to work and discovered an offensive doll placed inside of his work cart. Warner was also distressed to learn that a small hangman’s noose that fit the doll was discovered in the work cart of the employee that admitted to bringing the doll to work. Another African American co-worker at about the same time discovered a hangman’s noose hanging from the rack of his work pickup truck. Warner was also subjected to having his office and personal vehicle vandalized. In the fall of 1999, shortly before trial, San Francisco State University agreed to pay Warner $300,000 for wage loss and emotional distress damages.
[Link to article]

Madrigal v. Chico State University
Dr. Moon Jee Yoo-Madrigal, a Korean lecturer at Chico State, claimed that she was denied a permanent tenure track position at Chico State University after having applied on numerous occasions. Dr. Madrigal, a very popular teacher among students, was continually passed over for promotion without any reasonable explanation. Dr. Madrigal filed suit and alleged that the Caucasian women in her department were treated differently, and afforded promotions and other beneficial working conditions that she did not receive. Chico State University agreed to settle the case with Dr. Madrigal shortly before trial. The settlement consisted of a payment of $300,000 for wage loss and emotional distress damages, and a contract to teach for a five year period.

May v. CSU-Monterey Bay
Dr. James H. May, a long-term CSU faculty member at Sonoma State and Chico State, took the position in 1996 as the first Instructional Dean at the then new CSU campus located in Monterey Bay at the old Ford Ord military base. Dr. May alleged that he was subjected to racial discrimination, harassment and retaliation by the President of the University, Peter Smith. Dr. May complained directly to Peter Smith and other administrators that President Smith was making improper decisions about faculty and administrators based on race and ethnicity, and that President Smith had stated on several occasions that there were too many minorities in positions of power on campus. Dr. May objected to these and similar statements, and reminded President Smith that the campus was specifically formed to support a locally diverse community and that each of the administrators were well qualified and hired only after a national search. In response, President Smith retaliated and removed Dr. May from his position as Dean, and transferred him to a remote location on campus. After a five week jury trial in Monterey, Dr. May was awarded $375,000 on February 28, 2002, after the jury found that President Smith had racially harassed and retaliated against Dr. May for complaining about what he perceived to be racist behavior on campus. This case was appealed and ultimately settled for $625,000 in 2007.