Favorable appellate results:

BRGS received three favorable appellate decisions in the past six months, affirming three summary judgments in favor of its clients.

On March 4, 2008, the court of appeal affirmed summary judgment in favor of the Los Angeles Unified School District in Massey v. Los Angeles Unified School District (B 193196). A teacher sued the school district, claiming the school and a principal breached a settlement agreement by disclosing her below standard evaluation to prospective schools to which she applied for Assistant Principal positions, and asserting she also was defamed. On appeal, she challenged the summary adjudication on her breach of contract claim. The court of appeal found that summary judgment in favor of the school and principal was proper, concluding there was no evidence creating any triable issue of fact suggesting a breach of contract caused her any damages. http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/nonpub/B193106.PDF

On January 25, 2008, the court of appeal in Aronsohn v. City of Los Angeles (B190477), affirmed summary judgment for the City of Los Angeles against a City Attorney who claimed she was retaliated against for asserting wrongdoing by another City employee. Plaintiff claimed that the denial of a promotion and merit increase, her reassignment to a different department, and her treatment in the new department were all in retaliation for her complaint about the other City employee. The appellate court found the City had legitimate, non-retaliatory reasons for its personnel decisions regarding plaintiff and she failed to raise triable issues of fact demonstrating pretext.

On September 17, 2007, the court of appeal in Fung v. Childrens Hospital Los Angeles (B192340), affirmed summary judgment for Childrens Hospital against a researcher who claimed he was a hospital employee whose employment contract was breached and who was defrauded because he was not given the ongoing research support he wanted. The court of appeal agreed there was no triable issue of fact suggesting that the hospital had breached any contract or committed any fraud.

On November 30, 2007 partner Linda Miller Savitt received a defense verdict in the case of Gabriela Kennedy v. Department of Water & Power. Following a 4 week trial on a retaliation claim by an existing employee, Gabriela Kennedy, the jury found in favor of the defendant 10-2. This case had been litigated for approximately 4 years and had previously also involved a claim of gender discrimination, which was dismissed by the plaintiff following defendant’s filing of a motion for summary adjudication of this claim. Jury deliberations were only 3 hours.

In October 2007 Linda Miller Savitt successfully defended the case of Woods v. Hydraulics International, which was a pregnancy discrimination claim. Following a 4 day trial, the jury found in favor of the defendant.

In October 2007 the firm received an award of attorneys fees in the amount of $108,000 in favor of its client for having to defend a frivolous harassment claim. The firm represented the Los Angeles County Superior Court and other court personnel.

In May 2007 the firm received a defense verdict on behalf of its client, the Los Angeles Unified School District in the case of Marisela Adams v. LAUSD. The case involved a claim that plaintiff had been retaliated against and discriminated against on the basis of age. Following a 7 day jury trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the School District. Partner Linda Miller Savitt was the trial attorney on that case.