SLF Trials
Click below for summaries of selected SLF cases at the trial court level
Brundridge et. al v. Fluor Federal Services, et. al
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Case
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Description
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Jury verdict for plaintiffs of over $4.7 million
Total recovery over |
Benton County Case No. 99-2-01250-7. Eleven plaintiff whistleblower case finally brought to trial after extensive delays. Jack called more than 50 witnesses, most of whom where company employees who were hostile to the plaintiffs. Some of the plaintiffs are pipe fitters who had been laid off for refusing to install an underrated valve in a system that would ultimately carry nuclear waste. Other plaintiffs were pipe fitters who were laid off after speaking out in support of the original plaintiffs. The jury awarded over $4.7 million in damages. See jury verdict form. Plaintiffs were awarded an additional $1.5 million in attorney fees. See the attorney fee judgment and the order denying the defendant’s motion to dismiss the case. Also see the Seattle Post Intelligencer coverage. For more coverage link to: Confined Space |
Cole v. King County
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Case
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Description
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| Jury verdict of over $187,000.00 | King County Case No. 92-2-05963-1. Disability discrimination case brought under state law. Case was won on Jack's cross-examination of adverse witnesses. |
Duggan v. American Remodeling Inc.
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Case
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Description
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| Confidential settlement before trial | Sexual harassment case brought under state and federal law. Case involved classic sexual harassment at work by supervisor. |
Fadaie v. Alaska Air
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Case
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Description
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| Confidential settlement before trial | Federal District Court, Seattle, No. C03-2421L. Whistleblower case brought by former maintenance supervisor alleging he was fired after he challenged management’s assertions to the FAA that a tool conformity audit ordered by the FAA following the crash of Flight 261 in January 2000, had been completed. As part of settlement, company CEO agreed to sign letter of apology to Mr. Fadaie (look for typo). Other terms are confidential. See newspaper articles: Seattle Post Intelligencer and Seattle Times. |
Farhamy v. Publicis, Inc.
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Case
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Description
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| Confidential settlement before trial | King County Superior Court No. 03-2-22133-3 SEA, suit for discriminatory termination based on religion. |
Goh v. American President Lines, LTD.
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Case
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Description
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| Confidential settlement before trial | King County Superior Court No. 02-2-29670-0 SEA, suit for discriminatory termination and denial of promotion based on race; confidential settlement after Defendants' motion for summary judgment based on signed waiver was denied. |
Gonzalez v. University of Washington
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Case
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Description
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| Confidential settlement before trial | Same sex sexual harassment case brought under state law. Case involved harassment by supervisor. Case settled after plaintiff was deposed on strength of his deposition testimony. |
Hairston v. City of Seattle
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Case
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Description
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| Jury verdict of $400,000.00 for emotional distress. Plaintiff employed by City at time of trial so no lost wages claimed | King County Case No. 95-2-01141-1SEA. Race discrimination, harassment, and retaliation case brought under state law. Multi-week trial. Jack called multiple adverse witnesses on his case and attacked their credibility through his cross-examination. |
Ibarbia-Ifft v. Peninsula College
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Case
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Description
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| $250,000.00 settlement before trial | Tacoma Fed. Dist. Ct. No. C97-5134FDB. National origin/race discrimination case brought under federal and state civil rights laws. Case involved failure to grant tenure to Philippine professor. Case settled after Jack deposed plaintiff's supervisor. |
Lawrence v. Tacoma Dome
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Case
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Description
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| Confidential settlement before trial |
Tacoma Fed. Dist. Ct. No. C96-5745RJB. Disability access case brought on behalf of Joanne Lawrence, who is an advocate for the disabled. This case settled before trial resulting in consent decree requiring Tacoma Dome to make significant changes to accommodate disabled patrons under a timetable with ongoing court supervision. This case was a significant factor in providing better concert access at the Dome. |
Lawrence v. Key Arena/ City of Seattle
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Case
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Description
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| Confidential settlement before trial |
King County Superior Court No. 99-2-07990-6 SEA. This is another disability access case brought on behalf of Joanne Lawrence, who is an advocate for the disabled. Key Arena settled the case and made the improvements sought by Ms. Lawrence. Another good fight for equal public access. |
Lockwood v. Office of Administrative Hearings, State of Washington
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Case
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Description
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| $250,000 settlement before trial | King County Case No. 96-2-30410-7SEA. Disability discrimination case brought under state law involving client with chemical sensitivity. |
Martini v. Boeing
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Case
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Description
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| Jury verdict of $776,000. Total recovery with attorney fees after Boeing lost appeal of more than $1.4 million. | 137 Wash. 2d 357, 971 P.2d 45 (1999); 88 Wash. App. 442, 945 P.2d 248 (Div. I, 1997); King County Case No. 93-2-17162-5. Disability discrimination case brought under state law. Jack took this case after almost every Seattle attorney who practices in this area turned down Luke Martini for representation because he quit his job, which under federal law, could cut off damages. Jury Verdict of approximately $776,000.00 after multi-week trial. Total recovery +$1.4 million. Jack made new law on appeal (see appellate page). Now in Washington victims of discrimination do not have to stay in a discriminatory environment. Instead, they can quit, sue, and still recover full damages. |
Nonog v. City of Seattle
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Case
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Description
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| $200,000 settlement before trial |
King County Case No.03-2-15614-1 SEA , is a race discrimination case brought against Seattle City Light. Mr. Nonog, who is a Filipino American, was passed over for promotion in favor of a less qualified Caucasian then required to train the new hire. His job duties were curtailed over time and his position was eventually eliminated. http://thedilbertstore.com/comic_strips/2004/2/22 |
Pham and Lara v. Seattle City Light
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Case
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Description
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| Jury verdict of over $550,000. Total recovery after extensive appeal almost $1 million. |
King County Case No. 97-2-11669-4 SEA. Race discrimination case brought under state law. Multi-week trial resulting in jury verdict of more than $550,000.00 prejudgment interest of more than $37,000, court-awarded attorney fees and costs of over $339,000.
The trial judge awarded an additional $168,000 to compensate the plaintiffs for the additional tax burden of the lump sum verdict and awarded additional attorney fees pursuant to Blaney v. International Assn. of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, 114 Wn. App. 80; 55 P.3d 1208 (2002). After appeal, the trial just granted additional monies to the plaintiffs and awarded a multiplier of attorney fees because Jack took such a high-risk case. |
Trinh Rodriguez & Bailey v. Seattle City Light
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Case
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Description
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| Jury verdict of over $1.4 million. Total recovery after attorney fees and interest on appeal of over $2.5 million. |
King County Case No. 04-2-26460-0 SEA, Three plaintiff race discrimination/hostile work environment case against Seattle City Light, which is a public utility and a department of the City of Seattle. After a 6 week trial, the jury awarded Trinh and Bailey $1.48 million in damages. Later, the trial judge awarded plaintiffs more than $700,000.00 in attorney fees and costs.
Click here to view trial coverage by the Seattle Times and Seattle Post Intelligencer. Click here to view the Trinh judgment and verdict and the Bailey judgment and verdict documents. Mr. Rodriquez’ case concluded before trial after the City filed an “Offer of Judgment” for $125,000, which allows a defendant to offer a sum of money in exchange for having a judgment entered against them for the amount offered. Under Court Rules, the plaintiff does not have to take the offer, but Mr. Rodriguez chose to do so. Click here to view the Rodriguez judgment. |