Class actions allege that the mass terminations of probationary employees violated workers’ rights under federal law
The class action filings are believed to be the first on behalf of thousands of probationary employees fired in February
Washington, D.C. – Federal employees announced today the filing of class action appeals against multiple federal agencies, alleging their rights have been violated under federal law. The proposed classes include federal employees who were terminated in recent weeks on the basis that they were in a probationary or trial period.
Leading employment and civil rights attorneys representing federal workers say that the recent purge violated at least a dozen laws, regulations, and constitutional protections. The workers argue that the mass terminations constituted a constructive reduction in force (RIF), which requires that government agencies consider an employee’s tenure, performance, and veteran status when making termination decisions. Regulations also require 60 days advance notice of termination in a RIF. Instead, public servants were abruptly terminated, with total disregard for these key protections.
The unprecedented purge of the civil service has left workers, agencies, and the public reeling. Thousands of federal employees were fired without cause, notice or severance. Agencies are struggling to function without the staffing needed to provide vital services to the American people.
“It feels like the rug has been pulled out from under us,” said Allison Keating, a New Hampshire native and single mother of two, who was fired last month after a 24-year career in public service. “You spend your whole life doing the right things to build your experience and career: go to college, volunteer, work hard, two jobs, night school. And then suddenly everything you’ve worked your whole life for is gone. I am worried about how to pay my mortgage and support my two daughters.” Keating worked for U.S. Fish and Wildlife, where she helped implement Pittman-Robertson funded wildlife management, research and conservation across 13 states.
The appeals were filed with the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), an independent agency that oversees and protects the rights of federal employees.
“I’ve dedicated my life to serving this country — on the battlefield and in the public sector. Being laid off without any notice or cause turned my life upside down,” said Jammie Mosser, a veteran and father of two who worked at the Veterans Affairs office in his home state of Michigan. “But this isn’t just about the harm to federal employees and their families. These layoffs will devastate the communities that depend on government services, like the millions of veterans who rely on the VA when they return home from duty.”
The employees are represented by a group of leading employment and civil rights law firms — Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll, Brown Goldstein Levy, Gilbert Employment Law, and James & Hoffman.
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About Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC
Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC, a premier U.S. plaintiffs’ law firm, with over 100 attorneys across eight offices, champions the causes of real people—workers, consumers, small business owners, investors, and whistleblowers—working to deliver corporate reforms and fair markets for the common good. It has litigated landmark civil rights and employment disputes before the highest courts in the nation and continues to actively shape civil rights and employment law in the United States.
About Brown Goldstein Levy
For almost four decades, Brown, Goldstein & Levy has been recognized as Maryland’s leading private law firm for high impact, public interest cases. Our attorneys have handled these challenges in the Supreme Court and most of the federal appellate circuits, as well as in state courts throughout Maryland and around the country. The attorneys at Brown, Goldstein & Levy devise creative and practical solutions to workplace issues. And when negotiated solutions are not possible, we provide effective and tenacious representation. Whether you are a top executive or an hourly wage worker, we can help you understand your rights at work, negotiate fair deals, and litigate aggressively when your rights have been violated. Our lawyers provide counseling and advice about employee rights under state and federal employment laws. We help executives negotiate contract and severance terms, file large wage and hour cases to protect employees’ rights to overtime and equal pay, and advocate for employees in whistleblower, discrimination, contract, non-competition, and compensation matters.
About Gilbert Employment Law, P.C.
Gilbert Employment Law, P.C., is the worker’s voice in litigation involving employee rights violations. Gilbert’s attorneys are highly skilled in representing federal employees before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and other federal administrative agencies. Gilbert Employment Law, P.C., has also represented employees in county and state courts, as well as U.S. District and Appeals Courts.
About James & Hoffman
James & Hoffman is a law firm that represents workers and labor unions across the country, advancing their interests in critical matters arising in state and federal courts, administrative proceedings, and arbitrations. The firm is a national leader in representation of federal government employees. It is based in Washington, D.C.
DiCello Levitt, Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll, HammondLaw Representing Content Creators Who Claim Capital One Shopping Browser Extension Steals Commissions
CHICAGO – January 24, 2025 – Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll, HammondLaw, and DiCello Levitt have filed a class action lawsuit against Capital One Financial Corporation, Wikibuy LLC, and Wikibuy Holdings, LLC (Capital One) on behalf of Edgar Oganesyan, Matthew Ely, and other social media influencers. The lawsuit alleges that defendants’ Capital One Shopping browser extension has been systematically stealing affiliate marketing commissions.
The complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, claims that the browser extension replaces the affiliate marketer’s cookie with its own, thereby taking credit for the sale and the resulting commission.
Oganesyan and Ely operate popular YouTube channels—Oganesyan runs TechSource with 3.87 million followers, and Ely co-owns ToastyBros, LLC with more than 750,000 followers. Both say they have experienced a decline in revenue from affiliate marketing despite increased viewership and engagement.
“Capital One’s actions are a blatant exploitation of content creators’ hard work, diverting their rightful earnings through deceptive practices,” said DiCello Levitt Partner Daniel Schwartz. “We are committed to ensuring Mr. Oganesyan, Mr. Ely, and other affected Creators receive the compensation they deserve.”
“This is pure and simple consumer abuse by Capital One, but at a nationwide level. We look forward to seeking justice for our clients and helping them have their day in court,” said Douglas J. McNamara, a partner at Cohen Milstein.
The class action seeks to represent a nationwide class of U.S.-based social media influencers, bloggers, and other content creators who have had their commissions diverted by Capital One. The lawsuit alleges violations of several laws, including the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, California Business & Professional Code, and the California Invasion of Privacy Act. The plaintiffs seek damages, restitution, injunctive relief, and other equitable relief.
The case is Edgar Oganesyan and Matthew Ely v. Capital One Financial Corporation, Wikibuy LLC, and Wikibuy Holdings, LLC, Case No. 1:25-cv-00113. A copy of the complaint is available here.
About DiCello Levitt
At DiCello Levitt, we’re dedicated to achieving justice for our clients through class action, environmental, mass tort, securities, financial services, antitrust, business-to-business, public client, whistleblower, personal injury, and civil and human rights litigation. Our lawyers are highly respected for their ability to litigate and win cases—whether by trial, settlement, or otherwise—for people who have suffered harm, global corporations that have sustained significant economic losses, and public clients seeking to protect their citizens’ rights and interests. Every day, we put our reputations—and our capital—on the line for our clients.
DiCello Levitt has achieved top recognition as Plaintiffs Firm of the Year and Trial Innovation Firm of the Year by the National Law Journal, in addition to its top-tier Chambers and Benchmark ratings.
About Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC
Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC, a premier U.S. plaintiffs’ law firm, with over 100 attorneys across eight offices, champions the causes of real people – workers, consumers, small business owners, investors, and whistleblowers – working to deliver corporate reforms and fair markets for the common good.
About Hammond Law
HammondLaw P.C., is a leading class action litigation law firm dedicated to protecting consumers and employees and attaining the best results possible on their behalf. We are a nimble team of lawyers who have achieved remarkable success on behalf of our clients. Our work has resulted in changes to industry standards, legislative amendments, and millions of dollars in recovered damages.
LAS VEGAS – A federal court granted preliminary approval of a $45 million global settlement in a data breach class action against MGM Resorts International for failing to implement reasonable data security practices, thereby allowing the personal information of tens-of-millions of MGM hotel guests and customers to be stolen in two massive data breaches in July 2019 and September 2023.
Plaintiffs alleged that because MGM Resorts failed to implement reasonable data security practices, MGM customers’ personally identifiable information (PII), including addresses, driver’s license numbers, social security numbers, passport numbers, phone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth, and other information, were stolen as a result of the two data breaches. Some of the information was subsequently posted for sale on online forums.
“On behalf of millions of MGM Resort customers, I’m very pleased with this settlement,” said Douglas J. McNamara, Co-Lead Interim Class Counsel and a partner at Cohen Milstein. “The hotel and entertainment industries are particularly desirable targets for hackers. The same hackers also attacked Caesars Entertainment, Inc. in 2023.” Mr. McNamara is Interim Co-Lead Class Counsel in In Re: Data Breach Security Litigation Against Caesars Entertainment, Inc., as well.
The settlement includes significant financial relief for impacted plaintiffs. Class members whose social security number or military identification number were exposed are eligible for a $75 cash payment and those whose passport number or driver’s license were exposed are eligible for a $50 payment. In addition, all settlement class members may elect identity theft protection and credit monitoring.
MGM Resorts International is a global hospitality, entertainment, and resort company, which operates properties across the U.S., including the Bellagio, Mandalay Bay and MGM Grand. The name of the consolidated class action is In re MGM Resorts International Data Breach Litigation, Case. No. 2:20-cv-00376, U.S. District Court, District of Nevada.
In addition to Douglas J. McNamara of Cohen Milstein, the Interim Class Counsel leadership team for the 2019 case includes John A. Yanchunis of Morgan & Morgan; David M. Berger of Gibbs Law Group; and E. Michelle Drake of Berger Montague. The Interim Class Counsel leadership team for the 2023 case includes James J. Pizzirusso of Hausfeld; J. Gerard Stranch IV of Stranch, Jennings & Garvey; Lynn A. Toops of Cohen & Malad; Gary Klinger of Milberg; and Jeff Ostrow of Kopelowitz Ostrow.
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About Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll
Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC, a premier U.S. plaintiffs’ law firm, with over 100 attorneys across eight offices, champions the causes of real people—workers, consumers, small business owners, investors, and whistleblowers—working to deliver corporate reforms and fair markets for the common good.
More than 12,000 female Apple employees in California potentially impacted.
Women claim that Apple systematically pays them less than male employees.
San Francisco, CA – A San Francisco Superior Court judge denied Apple Inc’s motion to strike class allegations and largely denied Apple’s motion to dismiss in a high-profile putative gender discrimination class action, allowing the case to move forward.
The women, who seek to represent more than 12,000 current and former female employees in Apple’s engineering, marketing, and AppleCare divisions in California, claim that Apple violated California’s Equal Pay Act and Fair Employment and Housing Act by systematically paying them lower wages than male employees who perform substantially similar work and by assigning them lower starting salaries and salary levels based on their prior pay or pay expectations.
In its ruling the court held that it was not persuaded by Apple’s arguments, finding that Plaintiffs had sufficiently alleged their claims about Apple allegedly violating the California Equal Pay Act and Fair Employment and Housing Act. Specifically, the court believed that Plaintiffs had sufficiently alleged that Apple’s salary decisions were made in a centralized location pursuant to an employment policy had the effect of perpetuating past pay disparities and paying women less for substantially similar work to men.
“I am really pleased with today’s ruling. This start low, stay low practice has been a no-win situation for women working at Apple for years. So, I’m glad they will have their day in court.” said Eve Cervantez, a partner at Altshuler Berzon LLP.
Specifically, the women claim that before the fall of 2017, Apple asked job candidates for prior pay information and, when that practice became unlawful in January 2018, Apple continued to inquire about prior pay under the guise of candidates’ pay expectations.
“This is a very important case that impacts thousands of current and former female Apple employees,” said Joseph Sellers, partner at Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC. “I look forward to helping them prove that Apple systematically and willfully maintained a centrally determined and uniformly applied policy and/or practice of paying its female employees in California less than male employees for substantially similar work. This practice is simply unlawful, and Apple should be held accountable.”
The complaint alleges that once women were hired, Apple used prior pay information to set starting salaries, resulting in lower pay rates for women than for men who perform substantially similar work. Subsequent pay raises and bonuses were proportional to existing pay, thereby perpetuating and widening the gap. The women also claim that Apple’s performance evaluation system is biased against women, rewarding men and penalizing women for scored categories like teamwork and leadership.
“Apple has known or should have known about these pay and evaluation disparities and has yet to take any action to remedy the inequality. Unfortunately, as in many gender discrimination cases, such pay gaps only widen over time” said Chauniqua Young, a partner at Outten & Golden LLP. “We look forward to helping our clients get justice.”
As a result of Apple’s unlawful pay policies and/or practices, the women claim that all putative class members have been denied compensation legally owed to them for work performed since 2020, and are entitled to wages and other compensation due, interest, and liquidated damages. In addition to damages, the women also seek declaratory and injunctive relief.
The plaintiffs are represented by James Finberg and Eve Cervantez of Altshuler Berzon LLP, Joseph Sellers and Phoebe Wolfe of Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC, and Adam Klein and Chauniqua Young of Outten & Golden LLP.
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About Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll
Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC, a premier U.S. plaintiffs’ law firm, with over 100 attorneys across eight offices, champions the causes of real people—workers, consumers, small business owners, investors, and whistleblowers—working to deliver corporate reforms and fair markets for the common good. We have litigated landmark civil rights and employment disputes before the highest courts in the nation and continue to actively shape civil rights and employment law in the United States.
About Altshuler Berzon
Altshuler Berzon LLP is a California law firm dedicated to providing the highest quality representation in the service of economic justice and the public interest. We represent labor unions, workers, consumers, environmental groups, other public interest organizations, and public entities. We specialize in labor and employment, constitutional, environmental, civil rights, class action, campaign and election, and impact litigation, at both the trial and appellate levels.
About Outten & Golden LLP
Outten & Golden LLP is the largest U.S. law firm dedicated to the representation of employees. With offices in New York City, Washington D.C. and San Francisco, the firm has taken on many of the country’s largest and most powerful employers, forging landmark settlements and historic verdicts that contribute to a more equitable workplace. As a mission-driven firm, O&G uses litigation and other means to expand the rights of all employees to fair wages and working conditions, and a workplace free of discrimination, harassment and retaliation.
WASHINGTON, January 8, 2025 – Investors who lost money on securities of Revance Therapeutics, Inc. (“Revance” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: RVNC) purchased between February 9, 2024 and December 6, 2024 can contact Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC to learn about a new class action securities lawsuit.
To learn about your legal options, click here to hear from member of the Cohen Milstein team or contact Partner Molly J. Bowen at (202) 408-4600 or mbowen@cohenmilstein.com.
CASE BACKGROUND: Revance is a biotechnology company that develops and commercializes neuromodulators. A complaint filed on January 3, 2025 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee alleges that the Company and officers Mark J. Foley and Tobin C. Schilke made false and misleading statements to investors regarding its distribution agreement with Teoxane and a merger agreement with Crown Laboratories, in violation of Section 10(b), Rule 10b-5, and Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act.
NEXT STEPS: If you suffered a significant loss in RVNC shares purchased during the proposed class period of February 9, 2024 to December 6, 2024, and are interested in serving as lead plaintiff in this action, you have until March 4, 2025 to request that the court appoint you as lead plaintiff. You are not required to file a lead plaintiff motion to share in any recovery in this action as a class member.
OUR FIRM: With more than 100 attorneys in eight offices, Cohen Milstein is one of the largest plaintiff-side law firms in the U.S., with more than four decades of experience litigating securities fraud cases. We have recovered billions of dollars to investors, including $1 billion last year as co-lead counsel in In re Wells Fargo & Company Securities Litigation, and are perennially recognized as one of the best securities practice groups in the country by legal publications such as The National Law Journal, Law360, Chambers USA, and The Legal 500.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. This may be considered Attorney Advertising.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Molly Bowen, Esq.
Licensed in DC, Florida, and Ohio
Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC
1100 New York Avenue, N.W., Fifth Floor
Washington, D.C. 20005
Telephone: (888) 240-0775 or (202) 408-4600
Email: mbowen@cohenmilstein.com
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WASHINGTON, January 8, 2025 – Investors who lost money on securities of Five9, Inc. (“Five9” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: FIVN) purchased between June 4, 2024 and August 8, 2024 can contact Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC to learn about a new class action securities lawsuit.
To learn about your legal options, click here to hear from member of the Cohen Milstein team or contact Partner Molly J. Bowen at (202) 408-4600 or mbowen@cohenmilstein.com.
CASE BACKGROUND: Five9 is a software company for a cloud-based contact center. A complaint filed on December 4, 2024 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California alleges that the Company and officers Michael Burkland and Barry Zwarenstein made false and misleading statements to investors regarding sales and company financials in violation of Section 10(b), Rule 10b-5, and Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act.
NEXT STEPS: If you suffered a significant loss in FIVN shares purchased during the proposed class period of June 4, 2024 to August 8, 2024, and are interested in serving as lead plaintiff in this action, you have until February 3, 2025 to request that the court appoint you as lead plaintiff. You are not required to file a lead plaintiff motion to share in any recovery in this action as a class member.
OUR FIRM: With more than 100 attorneys in eight offices, Cohen Milstein is one of the largest plaintiff-side law firms in the U.S., with more than four decades of experience litigating securities fraud cases. We have recovered billions of dollars to investors, including $1 billion last year as co-lead counsel in In re Wells Fargo & Company Securities Litigation, and are perennially recognized as one of the best securities practice groups in the country by legal publications such as The National Law Journal, Law360, Chambers USA, and The Legal 500.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. This may be considered Attorney Advertising.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Molly Bowen, Esq.
Licensed in DC, Florida, and Ohio
Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC
1100 New York Avenue, N.W., Fifth Floor
Washington, D.C. 20005
Telephone: (888) 240-0775 or (202) 408-4600
Email: mbowen@cohenmilstein.com
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Partners elected in the Civil Rights & Employment, Securities Litigation & Investor Protection, Complex Torts, and ERISA/Employee Benefits practices.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC, one of the nation’s leading plaintiffs’ law firms, has named Jan E. Messerschmidt, Poorad Razavi, Harini Srinivasan, and Daniel R. Sutter to the firm’s partnership, effective January 1, 2025.
“This group of dedicated attorneys has demonstrated a deep commitment to upholding the law and the sharp skills necessary to win in high stakes litigation” said Benjamin Brown, managing partner at Cohen Milstein. “It is an honor to call each of them a partner. I’m confident they will continue to elevate the quality of work we deliver for our clients and in service of the common good each day.”
Jan E. Messerschmidt, a member of the firm’s Securities Litigation & Investor Protection practice, represents institutional investors and shareholders in derivative and securities class action lawsuits. He also chairs the firm’s Summer Associate Committee.
Before entering private practice, Messerschmidt served as a law clerk to the Honorable Beryl A. Howell, then Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. He was also a law clerk to the Honorable Rosemary S. Pooler of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
Messerschmidt earned his B.A., magna cum laude, from New York University. He earned his J.D. from Columbia Law School, where he was the head articles editor for Columbia Journal of Transnational Law.
Poorad Razavi, a member of the firm’s Complex Tort practice, represents individuals in catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases, involving product liability, toxic tort, and environmental law claims. His work focuses on mass torts and class action law suits and often involves innovative case theories and expert witness strategy.
Razavi earned his B.S. in International Business and Economics from Indiana University and his J.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Law, where he was a merit scholar.
Harini Srinivasan is a member of the firm’s Civil Rights and Employment practice and co-chair of the Hiring and Diversity Committee. She is a fierce advocate for marginalized groups who are often up against well-resourced corporations. She supports workers in employment and civil rights class actions, oftentimes involving cutting-edge legal issues.
Prior to entering private practice, Srinivasan was a Georgetown Law Center Women’s Law and Public Policy Fellow and worked at the National Partnership for Women & Families.
Srinivasan earned her B.A., with honors, from the University of Chicago. She earned her J.D., cum laude, from American University Washington College of Law, where she was on the editorial staff of the American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy.
Daniel R. Sutter, a member of the firm’s Employee Benefits/ERISA practice, represents retirement and health plan participants and beneficiaries in their pursuit of economic justice against retirement plan fiduciaries for mismanagement and breaches of fiduciary responsibility.
Sutter joined Cohen Milstein as a legal analyst and subsequently worked as a law clerk before serving as a law fellow and an associate in the Employee Benefits/ERISA practice.
Sutter earned his B.A. in Finance from George Washington University and his J.D. from the George Washington University Law School. During law school, he was a member of the Federal Circuit Bar Journal and worked as a summer law clerk at the CFBP Legal Division. He also studied at the London School of Economics.
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About Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC
Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC, a premier U.S. plaintiffs’ law firm, with over 100 attorneys across eight offices, champions the causes of real people – workers, consumers, small business owners, investors, and whistleblowers – working to deliver corporate reforms and fair markets for the common good.
LOS ANGELES – Today, class representatives of current and former female employees of certain Disney-related companies in California filed a motion for preliminary approval of a $43.25 million settlement in a gender pay discrimination class action.
Filed in 2019, the women claimed that Disney deprived the class of millions in wages. Disney’s actions, the women claimed, were in violation of California’s Fair Employment & Housing Act (FEHA), because its compensation practices caused a disparate impact on women, and California’s Equal Pay Act (EPA), because it paid women less than men for substantially similar jobs. The EPA class was certified in 2023.
Plaintiffs claimed, among other things, that before 2018 Disney employed an enterprise-wide compensation policy, whereby it started out new female hires at lower salaries than their male counterparts for similar jobs in part because Disney would base starting pay on prior salary, which historically includes gender-based disparities. Plaintiffs relied on the public report of a labor economist, filed with the court in 2023 at the time of class certification, to support their claims, while Disney disputed that analysis.
“I strongly commend Ms. Rasmussen and the women who brought this discrimination suit against Disney, one of the largest entertainment companies in the world. They risked their careers to raise pay disparity at Disney,” said Lori Andrus, founding partner of Andrus Anderson. “I’m also encouraged that Disney has committed to run annual pay equity reviews to further promote pay equity. I believe this will help strengthen the company and its brand as a key employer and contributor to California’s economy.”
As a part of the settlement, Disney has agreed to retain an outside industrial consultant to provide training on best practices for benchmarking jobs to external market data and organizing jobs within its job architecture. Furthermore, Disney has agreed to retain a labor economist for the next three years to perform a pay equity analysis of all full-time, non-union, California employees below the level of vice president using the model developed by Plaintiff’s expert, and to take appropriate steps to address any statistically significant pay differences found.
“This settlement would not be possible without these courageous women. Because of them, women can expect equitable treatment at Disney in the future,” said Christine Webber, co-chair of Cohen Milstein’s Civil Rights & Employment practice. “I am hopeful the court will move swiftly to approve the settlement, so these hard-working women can move forward with confidence that best practices will be used, and unencumbered by further litigation.”
Disney, which is based in Burbank, CA, operates amusement parks, resorts, media studios, broadcast networks, publishing, and other consumer companies worldwide.
Plaintiffs include women who have been employed in California between April 1, 2015 – December 28, 2024 below the level of vice president, and in a salaried, non-union position with specified job levels.
The class action, Rasmussen, et al. v. The Walt Disney Company, et al., Case. No. 19STCV10974, Superior Court of California County of Los Angeles, was brought under California FEHA and EPA, as well as, and California Business & Professions Code §17200, the California Private Attorneys General Act, and various California Labor Codes.
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About Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll
Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC, a premier U.S. plaintiffs’ law firm, with over 100 attorneys across eight offices, champions the causes of real people—workers, consumers, small business owners, investors, and whistleblowers—working to deliver corporate reforms and fair markets for the common good. We have litigated landmark civil rights and employment disputes before the highest courts in the nation and continue to actively shape civil rights and employment law in the United States.
About Andrus Anderson
Andrus Anderson is dedicated to making the concepts of truth, justice and accountability a reality for each and every client. A national leader in litigation for equal pay, Andrus Anderson is a law firm that will stand up to corporate giants and fight tirelessly to see individual rights prevail over corporate and governmental misconduct, greed and abuse.
About Goldstein Borgen Dardarian & Ho
Goldstein, Borgen, Dardarian & Ho (GBDH) is one of the oldest and most successful plaintiffs’ firms litigating public interest class actions in California and nationally. GBDH represents plaintiffs against large companies and other entities in complex lawsuits with a focus on cases involving wage theft, employment discrimination, disability access, consumer protection, environmental justice, voting rights, housing rights, and other public interest litigation.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Investors who lost money on securities of Paragon 28, Inc. (“Paragon 28” or the “Company”) (NYSE: FNA) purchased between May 5, 2023 and September 20, 2024 can contact Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC to learn about a new class action securities lawsuit.
To learn about your legal options, click here to hear from member of the Cohen Milstein team or contact Partner Molly J. Bowen at (202) 408-4600 or mbowen@cohenmilstein.com.
CASE BACKGROUND: Paragon 28 is a medical device company. A complaint filed on October 18, 2024 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado alleges that the Company and certain current and former officers made false and misleading statements to investors about financial statements and internal controls in violation of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
NEXT STEPS: If you suffered a significant loss in Paragon 28 shares purchased during the proposed class period, between May 5, 2023 to September 20, 2024, and are interested in serving as lead plaintiff in this action, you have until November 29, 2024 to request that the court appoint you as lead plaintiff. You are not required to file a lead plaintiff motion to share in any recovery in this action as a class member.
OUR FIRM: With more than 100 attorneys in eight offices, Cohen Milstein is one of the largest plaintiff-side law firms in the U.S., with more than four decades of experience litigating securities fraud cases. We have recovered billions of dollars to investors, including $1 billion last year as co-lead counsel in In re Wells Fargo & Company Securities Litigation, and are perennially recognized as one of the best securities practice groups in the country by legal publications such as The National Law Journal, Law360, Chambers USA, and The Legal 500.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. This may be considered Attorney Advertising.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Molly Bowen, Esq.
Licensed in DC, Florida, and Ohio
Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC
1100 New York Avenue, N.W., Fifth Floor
Washington, D.C. 20005
Telephone: (888) 240-0775 or (202) 408-4600
Email: mbowen@cohenmilstein.com
Historic undercover investigation found rampant discrimination & clear violations of the law by real estate companies against families with Housing Choice Vouchers in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose
New York, NY — A sweeping undercover investigation by housing watchdog group Housing Rights Initiative (HRI) has resulted in the filing of what appears to be the largest housing discrimination case in California’s history against 203 real estate agents, brokerage firms and landlords for illegally discriminating against families with Housing Choice Vouchers (“Section 8”). The 112 complaints (against 203 defendants) were filed en masse with the California Civil Rights Department. The defendants include some of the largest real estate companies in the country: Coldwell Banker, EXP Realty, Sotheby’s International Realty, and RE/MAX.
HRI is being represented by the Inner City Law Center, Cohen Milstein PLLC, and Handley Farah & Anderson PLLC.
In 2019, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 329, which made it illegal for landlords and brokers to discriminate against tenants with housing vouchers. This historic filing serves as an opportunity for the Governor and his housing enforcement agency to enforce the very bill he signed into law and hold violators accountable.
Over the course of a year, HRI trained, equipped, and deployed an army of undercover investigators, who posed as prospective tenants with Section 8 vouchers. These investigators contacted hundreds of brokers and landlords by text message to determine compliance with California’s fair housing laws. For completed tests (in which our investigators were able to conclusively determine whether a real estate company accepted vouchers), HRI found that voucher holders were explicitly discriminated against 44% of the time in San Francisco, 53% of the time in Oakland, 58% of the time in San Jose, and a whopping 70% of the time in Los Angeles.
Below are just a few examples of the alleged discrimination HRI uncovered during the course of its investigation:
- The complaints allege that a broker at EXP Realty, which is one of the largest brokerage firms in the county, illegally discriminated against one of HRI’s undercover investigators:
- The complaints allege that a broker at Sotheby’s International Realty, a leading multinational real estate company, illegally rejected the voucher of one of HRI’s testers:
The full list of alleged violators and screenshots of the discriminatory and illegal conduct broken down by city can be found here (Important note: Rely on columns B and C for the identities of the real estate companies, as the screenshots of the text message exchanges themselves may have obsolete contact names that are automatically populated by Google Voice): Evidence of Discrimination
The goal of these filings is to get the real estate companies to stop their discriminatory housing practices and exacerbating California’s homelessness and affordable housing crisis.
Furthermore, the result of HRI’s investigation underscores the need for proactive and systematic enforcement to combat housing discrimination and for the State of California to provide adequate funding for the California Civil Rights Department to meet the scale of the problem. At the end of the day, whatever our non-profit can do, the government could do better, if it had the resources and the political will to get the job done.
The national implications of this filing are clear: If housing discrimination is going unchecked in the largest and most well resourced state in America, this same problem is happening everywhere.
“In 2019, Governor Newsom banned housing voucher discrimination in the state of California. The goal of this historic filing is to enforce the very bill he signed into law with the power of his own enforcement agency,” said Aaron Carr,Founder and Executive Director of Housing Rights Initiative. “It’s time for California to get tough on real estate crime.”
“This mass filing, as historic as it is, represents just a fraction of the voucher discrimination that has been running rampant in California. By exposing this widespread and harmful practice, we call on the State to provide agencies like the California Civil Rights Department with the resources they need to eradicate voucher discrimination once and for all,” said Kate Liggett, Program Director of Housing Rights Initiative.
“This landmark filing with the California Civil Rights Department shines a spotlight on the insidious and illegal practice of discriminating against families with Housing Choice Vouchers,” said David Smith, Director of Litigation at Inner City Law Center.“This filing will hold landlords and brokers accountable for engaging in this unlawful conduct, and hopefully result in more funding and resources being devoted to government investigation and enforcement.
Matthew Handley, partner at Handley Farah & Anderson added “Source of income discrimination in California is a pernicious and persistent problem, further aggravating the affordable housing crisis that has plagued the state for years. These complaints aim to stop this practice.”
“Housing affordability is a national crisis, especially in California, where too many people pay an excessive proportion of their income for rent and are at risk of homelessness. Housing vouchers are one of the most successful methods for addressing this problem by ensuring families have access to safe and secure housing, and hundreds of thousands of Californians rely on vouchers to help pay their rent. But too often, discrimination against voucher holders only exacerbates the homelessness crisis. And because vouchers are disproportionately used by racial minorities, the elderly, and those with disabilities, this form of discrimination also has a disparate effect on these groups,” said Brian Corman, partner at Cohen Milstein, who helps lead the firm’s Fair Housing litigation efforts. “This lawsuit should send a clear message to landlords, property managers, and brokers, many of whom operate across the state and country, that housing discrimination will not be tolerated. It’s against the law. Period.”
“The persistent and widespread nature of this type of discrimination showcases the dire lack of affordable housing options available on the market here in California. Expanding the supply of affordable housing would mean corporate landlords being less likely to turn qualified tenants, including those with Section 8 vouchers, away, and to “cherry pick” their tenants, as there will be more available units, as opposed to the status quo where tenants are forced to compete for the same few units. All of these qualified tenants – just like you and I – are simply searching for stable housing, something we all have a right to,” said Francisco Dueñas, Executive Director of Housing Now! “Governor Newsom made a promise to bring one million new affordable homes to the state by 2030. Currently, only 12% of that funding needed to meet that goal has been committed. It’s time for him to make due on his promise and bring affordable homes to the people of California.”
“SB 329 was a critical step toward preventing discrimination against voucher holders – it enabled us to hold landlords accountable when they deny housing to a prospective tenant because of their voucher,” said Chione Flegal, Executive Director at Housing California. “But the Housing Rights Initiative’s critical work shows that without sufficient enforcement of the law, discrimination against voucher holders will continue. We look forward to working to strengthen enforcement of SB 329 and ensure that low-income tenants can use their vouchers to access the dignified housing they deserve.”
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About Housing Rights Initiative – Housing Rights Initiative takes a proactive and systematic approach to targeting, investigating, and fighting fraudulent real estate practices, promoting fair housing, and connecting tenants to legal support. HRI educates tenants about their rights to fair and affordable housing, launches investigations, and generates class-action lawsuits against predatory real estate companies. Through a legal mobilization effort, HRI lays the foundation for tenants who have been defrauded or discriminated against by the real estate industry, to seek redress and secure their rights under the law. HRI’s successful investigations into and class action lawsuits against Kushner Companies were featured in the Netflix documentary Dirty Money.
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About Inner City Law Center – Inner City Law Center is a nonprofit, poverty-law firm headquartered in Skid Row, working to end the homelessness crisis by providing free legal services to the most vulnerable residents of Los Angeles. Inner City Law Center’s staff of more than 130 (including 70 lawyers), together with hundreds of volunteers, fight for people facing eviction, struggling with landlord harassment, fighting to secure their veteran or disability benefits, or standing up to slum housing conditions.
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About Handley Farah & Anderson – Handley Farah & Anderson are lawyers who seek to improve the world. They fight for: workers deprived of wages, consumers deceived about products, tenants denied access to housing, farmers mistreated by processors, parents deprived of adequate parental leave, investors who were defrauded, small businesses harmed by antitrust violations, persons with disabilities denied access, whistleblowers who uncover fraud, and women and communities of color subject to discrimination.
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About Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll – Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC, a premier U.S. plaintiffs’ law firm, with over 100 attorneys across eight offices, champions the causes of real people—workers, consumers, small business owners, investors, and whistleblowers—working to deliver corporate reforms and fair markets for the common good.