Brian Corman, a partner in the Civil Rights & Employment practice, represents victims of employment and housing discrimination and wage and hour violations through class and collective actions and mass arbitrations, along with other high-profile impact litigation. He also helps spearhead the firm’s fair housing litigation efforts, representing fair housing organizations, tenant unions, and those who have been unlawfully denied housing or otherwise discriminated against, often in cases addressing novel state and federal claims. A hands-on litigator, Brian leads his cases from initial investigation, to briefing and presenting oral arguments before the court, to overseeing trials and settlement negotiations.
Prior to joining Cohen Milstein in 2015, Brian was a litigation associate at a top-tier defense firm, where he focused on Foreign Corrupt Practices Act internal investigations for Fortune 500 clients, as well as pro bono cases in federal district court and before the Supreme Court.
Following law school, Brian clerked for the Honorable Harry Pregerson of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. He then participated in the D.C. Bar Association Pro Bono Fellowship at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, working on education, voting rights and fair housing cases.
During law school, Brian was an editor of the California Law Review, a member of the Jessup International Law Moot Court Team, co-chaired the Berkeley Law Expulsion Clinic, and externed for the Honorable William Alsup of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
Brian was a professional ballet dancer for eight years, performing with the Houston Ballet and Washington Ballet, among other companies.
- California
- District of Columbia
- University of California, Berkeley School of Law, J.D., 2013
- Columbia University, B.A., Political Science, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, 2010
- Pro Bono Fellowship, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law, D.C. Bar Association, 2014
- Clerk, the Hon. Harry Pregerson, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, 2013-2014
Current Cases
Probationary Federal Employees Appeals
Probationary Federal Employees Appeals (M.S.P.B.): Cohen Milstein and co-counsel represent probationary federal employees in class action appeals against 20 federal government agencies for unlawfully terminating them from their respective jobs. The appellants include those who were terminated in mass layoffs by the Trump Administration. Allegedly, the government agencies failed to perform the mass terminations in accordance with proper procedures—namely, the requirements for conducting reductions in force (RIFs) of federal workforces. The appellants seek full restoration to their jobs and backpay on behalf of themselves and the putative classes they represent.
Elite Wall Systems Wage Theft Litigation
Calderon, et al. v. Elite Wall Systems LLC, et al. (D. Md.): Cohen Milstein represents construction workers in a class action case brought against Elite Wall Systems and multiple general contractors that retained Elite, in a wage theft action involving numerous construction projects across Maryland and Washington, D.C. The workers claim that Elite engaged in an unlawful wage theft scheme by misclassifying them as independent contractors, failing to pay overtime wages, and failing to pay workers prevailing wages.
California Housing Voucher (“Section 8”) Mass Action
California Housing Voucher (Sec. 8) Mass Action (Cal. Civil Rights Dept.): Cohen Milstein represents Housing Rights Initiative, a housing watchdog group, in what appears to be the largest housing discrimination action in California’s history against 203 real estate agents, brokerage firms and landlords for illegally discriminating against families with Housing Choice Vouchers (“Section 8 vouchers”). On October 8, 2024, more than 112 induvial complaints were filed en masse with the California Civil Rights Department.
IBM Age Discrimination Litigation
Rodriquez, et al. v. IBM (S.D.N.Y.): Cohen Milstein is representing 16 former employees of IBM Corporation who claim that IBM terminated their employment because of their age in violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). Plaintiffs claim that in an effort to rebrand its image and shift its recruiting focus to “Millennials,” people born between 1980 and 1996, IBM carried out a company-wide “Resource Action” scheme of discharging its older workers through group terminations.
Amazon Flex Driver Mass Arbitration
Amazon Flex Driver Arbitrations (AAA): Cohen Milstein represents thousands of current and former Amazon Flex delivery drivers in California, Illinois and Massachusetts who allege that Amazon misclassified them as independent contractors instead of employees to avoid paying them overtime or reimbursing for expenses, and to deny them other benefits under these states’ laws. These cases are currently being litigated before the American Arbitration Association.
Lee, et al. v. Trump, et al.
Thompson, et al. v. Trump, et al. (D.D.C.): In partnership with the NAACP, Cohen Milstein is representing members of Congress in a novel civil rights lawsuit filed under the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871 against Donald J. Trump, in his personal capacity, the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, alleging that they conspired to prevent members of Congress from carrying out their constitutional duty to certify the results of the 2020 election on January 6, 2021. The case addresses novel questions of presidential immunity and the First Amendment. On December 1, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit decided that President Trump is not entitled to official-act immunity for his actions leading up to and on January 6 as alleged in the complaint, since he was acting as an office-seeker, not an officeholder.
Louis, et al. v. SafeRent Solutions, et al.
Louis, et al. v. SafeRent Solutions (D. Mass.): Cohen Milstein represents individual plaintiffs and the Community Action Agency of Somerville against SafeRent Solutions (formerly known as CoreLogic) in a putative Fair Housing Act violation (FHA) class action. Plaintiffs allege that SafeRent, which provides tenant screening services to landlords and property managers, has been violating the FHA and related Massachusetts state laws because its tenant screening software algorithm disproportionately gives low scores to Black and Hispanic rental applicants who use federally funded housing vouchers, causing them to be denied housing. In 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development filed a statement of interest in this case. On April 25, 2024, the court granted preliminary approval of a $2.275 million settlement and significant injunctive relief.
Connecticut Fair Housing Center, et al. v. CoreLogic Rental Property Solutions
Connecticut Fair Housing Center, et al. v. CoreLogic Rental Property Solutions (D. Conn.): Cohen Milstein is partnering with Connecticut Fair Housing Center and the National Housing Law Project in the representation of Carmen Arroyo, as well as the Connecticut Fair Housing Center itself, in a cutting-edge legal challenge to CoreLogic’s algorithmic background check system which allegedly discriminates against African Americans and Latinos seeking rental housing in violation of the Fair Housing Act. Because of the novel artificial intelligence (AI)-related discrimination claims, the case has been identified as one of Law360’s “3 Real Estate Cases to Watch in 2022.”
Past Cases
Equal Rights Center v. Air Communities, L.P., et al.
Equal Rights Center v. Air Communities, L.P., et al. (D.C. Sup. Crt.): Cohen Milstein represented the Equal Rights Center (ERC) in a consumer protection lawsuit against AIR Communities, L.P., Rhode Island 15 LP, dba Latrobe Apartment Homes, and Vaughan Place, LLC, for their use of discriminatory policies and practices that create unlawful barriers for applicants in the District of Columbia using housing vouchers and applicants with stale eviction and criminal background histories. On July 1, 2024, ERC announced a cooperation agreement with AIR. As part of the settlement, AIR agreed to not deny applicants for having criminal records and evictions over a certain number of years, as well as using income-based housing subsidies, such as vouchers, to pay for rent.
Federal Aviation Administration Flight Service Litigation
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Flight Service Litigation (D.D.C.): Cohen Milstein represented plaintiffs in lawsuit against the Department of Transportation (DOT) and FAA for discrimination against 670 former Flight Service Specialists who live in nearly all 50 states after they were terminated by the FAA through the RIF. On April 28, 2021, the DOT and FAA agreed to a record-breaking $43.8 million settlement to end this 16-year-old age discrimination lawsuit.
Long Island Housing Services, Inc. v. NPS Holiday Square LLC
Long Island Housing Services, Inc., et al. v. NPS Holiday Square LLC, et al. (E.D.N.Y.): Cohen Milstein, in partnership with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, represented Long Island Housing Services (LIHS), Suffolk Independent Living Organization (SILO) and Suffolk County residents in a Fair Housing Act race, disability, and source of income discrimination class action against NPS Property Corporation, a prominent Long Island-area property management company. On February 16, 2024, parties reached a settlement for $105,000.00 in monetary damages, separate from attorneys’ fees, and significant injunctive relief to safeguard against future discrimination, including adopting certain requirements for participants in housing subsidy programs, such as voucher holders.
Gentiva Health Services
Gentiva Health Services (N.D. Ga.): Cohen Milstein represented hundreds of health care workers in a nationwide class action against Gentiva, one the country’s largest home health care service providers. Plaintiffs sought unpaid overtime wages under FLSA. In June 2017, the court granted final approval of a confidential settlement.
Park 7 Tenant Union – Right to Organize
Park 7 Tenant Union - Right to Organize Litigation (D.C. Sup. Crt.): Cohen Milstein, along with the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, represented the Park 7 Tenant Union and individual tenants of Park 7 Apartments, an affordable housing apartment building in Washington D.C., against the property’s owner and property manager. Plaintiffs alleged that Defendants violated their “right to organize,” which is protected under D.C.’s Right of Tenants to Organize Act. In October 2021, the parties signed a first-of-its-kind Consent Agreement that established the procedures by which the Park 7 Tenant Union can operate free from interference and retaliation.
Sutton v. Patricia McCoy, et al.
Sutton v. McCoy (N.D. Ga.): Cohen Milstein and the ACLU represented a plaintiff in a race-based Fair Housing Act discrimination lawsuit, where the plaintiff claimed she was unjustly evicted for inviting an African American family to her home. In February 2020, Cohen Milstein and the ACLU settled the case, requiring that the landlords admit to their discriminatory actions and making racist statements in violation of the Fair Housing Act, apologize for the harm they caused, and agree to pay the plaintiff $150,000.
Long Island Housing Services, Inc. v. Village of Mastic Beach
Long Island Housing Services, Inc., et al. v. Village of Mastic Beach (E.D.N.Y.): Cohen Milstein represented LIHS and African American tenants in a Fair Housing Act race discrimination case. The tenants, who relied on housing subsidies to pay their rent, claimed they were unfairly evicted. The case settled on August 23, 2017 for $387,500.
Lopez, et al. v. Ham Farms, LLC, et al.
Lopez, et al. v. Ham Farms, LLC, et al. (E.D.N.C.): Cohen Milstein represented hundreds of migrant seasonal and H-2A farm labor workers in a wage and hour dispute under the FLSA, the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA), and the North Carolina Wage & Hour Act. On May 14, 2021, the Court granted final approval of a class action settlement with a total value of $1 million. At the final approval hearing on May 14, Judge James C. Dever III commended plaintiffs’ counsel for the "excellent [settlement] papers."
Walmart Litigation
Walmart Litigation: Originally filed as Dukes v. Walmart (N.D. Cal.), a high-profile gender discrimination class action, involving more than 1.6 million women, which went up to the Supreme Court in 2011 and defined class action law, continued after class certification was denied. Litigation against Walmart Stores has been ongoing since June 2001, in an effort dedicated to ensuring that women who have worked for Walmart over the years received equal pay and an equal chance at promotion. All outstanding litigation concluded in 2024.
Amicus Briefs
Hare v. David S. Brown Enterprises, LTD.
Hare v. David S. Brown Enterprises, LTD. (Sup. Md.): On March 7, 2025, Cohen Milstein and the Public Justice Center submitted an amicus curiae brief to the Supreme Court of Maryland in support of petitioner Katrina Hare in Hare v. David S. Brown Enterprises, LTD. The case revolves around Katrina Hare, an elderly and disabled African American woman who was denied housing by a landlord because she did not meet its minimum income requirement of $47,700 a year, even though her Housing Choice Voucher would have covered all but $126 of the rent. The Circuit Court of Baltimore County ruled in favor of the landlord and claimed the denial was not discriminatory.
NAMIC v. U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development
NAMIC v. U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (D.C. Circ.): On July 10, 2024, Cohen Milstein, the National Fair Housing Alliance, and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, on behalf of other interested parties, submitted an amicus brief to the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeal in support of the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This appeal concerns HUD’s Rule regarding disparate impact liability under the Fair Housing Act.
City of Oakland v. Wells Fargo Bank
City of Oakland v. Wells Fargo Bank (N.D. Cal.): Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC, alongside the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the National Fair Housing Alliance, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights and Human Rights, the National Consumer Law Center, Impact Fund, the Poverty & Race Research Action Council, and the ACLU Foundation, filed an amicus curiae brief to the Supreme Court in support of the City of Miami. This brief highlighted how racially discriminatory lending practices were a major cause of residential segregation in this county, how the Fair Housing Act was specifically designed to address the systemic problems associated with residential segregation, and how the predatory and discriminatory lending practices by banks like Bank of America and Wells Fargo have been perpetuating the harms of residential segregation.
Amicus Curiae Brief – Bank of America v. Miami
On October 7, 2016, Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC, alongside the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the National Fair Housing Alliance, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights and Human Rights, the National Consumer Law Center, Impact Fund, the Poverty & Race Research Action Council, and the ACLU Foundation, filed an amicus curiae […]
March 31, 2025
Fair Housing Month 2025: Four Things You Need to Know
Every April, National Fair Housing Month marks the anniversary of the signing into law of the Fair Housing Act of 1968. The legislation was passed in response to the civil rights movement and the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., and it aimed to eliminate discrimination in housing, ensuring that all people have access to safe and affordable homes, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability.
Articles | Cohen Milstein
March 6, 2025
Fired Federal Workers Challenge Mass Layoffs
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.
Press Releases | Cohen Milstein
February 25, 2025
Fired IBM Workers Wrap Up Age Bias Lawsuit with Co.
IBM Corp. and 16 former employees have resolved a lawsuit claiming the technology giant unlawfully fired older workers to make room for millennials, according to New York federal court filings.
In the News | Law360
October 8, 2024
Mass Civil Rights Complaints Filed Against 205 Real Estate Agents, Brokerage Firms, and Landlords Across California for Rampant Housing Discrimination
A sweeping undercover investigation by the housing watchdog group Housing Rights Initiative 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.
Press Releases | Cohen Milstein
October 8, 2024
Housing Nonprofit Alleges Widespread Discrimination Against Section 8 Tenants in California
A national investigative nonprofit on Monday lodged discrimination complaints against more than 200 California landlords and their representatives — including major real estate brokerages — alleging they illegally refused to rent to Section 8 voucher holders. The Housing Rights Initiative filed the complaints, based upon an undercover investigation, with the California Civil Rights Department. The […]
In the News | Los Angeles Times
October 24, 2024
Brian Corman to Speak on Redlining and Home Insurance Abuse
Brian Corman, a partner in our Civil Rights & Employment practice, will participate as a speaker in the 2024 Consumer Rights Litigation Conference & Class Action Symposium, October 24 – 27, 2024, at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista, FL. Brian’s program, Insurance Redlining and Other Abusive Practices, will be hosted on October at 4:00 […]
Events | National Consumer Law Center
July 3, 2024
DC Property Management Company Settles Lawsuit Alleging Discrimination Against Potential Tenants
A D.C.-based property management company has settled a lawsuit from the Equal Rights Center (ERC) accusing the company of discriminating against potential residents by denying them housing on illegal grounds. ERC’s lawsuit accused AIR Property Management TRS, known as AIR Communities, of discriminating against voucher holders and using “overbroad eviction and criminal history screenings,” at two […]
In the News | WTOP
July 1, 2024
D.C. Civil Rights Group Settles Tenant Screening Discrimination Case Against Rental Property Management Company
The Equal Rights Center (“ERC”) today announced that it has reached a Cooperation Agreement to resolve its housing discrimination lawsuit against AIR Property Management TRS, LLC (“AIR”) which manages several Washington D.C. apartment complexes in Northwest D.C. neighborhoods. The settlement includes reforms designed to ensure equal access for all applicants, including voucher holders, at Latrobe Apartment Homes in Logan Circle, Upton Place in Cathedral Heights, and Vaughan Place in McLean Gardens. As part of the settlement, AIR agrees not to deny applicants on illegal bases, including having criminal records more than 7 years old and evictions more than 3 years old, as well as using income-based housing subsidies to pay for rent. In accordance with D.C. law, it also won’t consider credit scores for those using housing subsidies.
Press Releases | Cohen Milstein
June 18, 2024
1,700 Bay Area Delivery Workers Join Mass Arbitration Claim Against Amazon
Saman Khodaei said that delivering packages for Amazon as part of its DoorDash-like Flex program was stressful. The company gave him a set number of packages to deliver in a block of time, he said — noon to 2 p.m., for example. But any number of things could and did delay his deliveries — traffic, […]
In the News | San Francisco Examiner
June 11, 2024
Amazon Flex Drivers File Thousands of Wage & Hour Actions Against Amazon
More than 15,750 individual claims filed simultaneously against Amazon, alleging drivers were misclassified as independent contractors. Lawyers continue to sign up other misclassified drivers to participate in arbitration. San Francisco, CA – Today, more than 15,750 Amazon Flex drivers in California, Illinois and Massachusetts deluged Amazon, the e-commerce and delivery giant, with individual wage and […]
Press Releases | Cohen Milstein
April 30, 2024
Rental Applicants Reach $2.28M Settlement Agreement for Discriminatory AI-Powered Screening Tool
“The changes SafeRent has agreed to make are key to ensuring the original intention of the nation’s voucher programs, helping to erase historic discrimination in the housing markets,” said Brian Corman, a partner at Cohen Milstein who leads the firm’s fair housing litigation efforts and helped negotiate the settlement. What You Need to Know Rental […]
In the News | Law.com
April 26, 2024
Rental Applicants Using Housing Vouchers Settle Ground-Breaking Discrimination Class Action Against SafeRent Solutions
On April 25, 2024, the United States District Court of Massachusetts allowed a $2.275 million settlement on behalf of Massachusetts housing voucher recipients to move forward, certifying the settlement classes and directing notice to be sent to class members. The Court will hold a final approval hearing in November. The settlement, if finally approved, will resolve a lawsuit against SafeRent Solutions, a national tenant screening provider formerly known as CoreLogic Rental Property Solutions, claiming that SafeRent’s algorithmic tenant screening program (the “SafeRent Score”) disproportionately harmed housing voucher recipients, including Black and Hispanic individuals, under Massachusetts law protecting individuals based on their source of income and race. In July 2023, the Court denied SafeRent’s motion to dismiss the Plaintiffs’ Fair Housing Act (FHA) and Massachusetts Discrimination Law claims.
Press Releases | Cohen Milstein
March 28, 2024
IBM Must Face Ex-Workers’ Age Bias Suit
A New York federal judge said a lawsuit brought by 16 former workers accusing IBM Corp. of firing older employees to replace them with millennials can proceed despite them not filing the necessary presuit charge with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Vincent L. Briccetti denied IBM’s motion to dismiss […]
In the News | Law360
April 3, 2024
Settlement Reached in Long Island Housing Discrimination Lawsuit
Two housing organizations and two Long Island residents have settled a long-running federal housing discrimination lawsuit against the owner of several apartment complexes in Suffolk County. The lawsuit, filed in 2017 by Long Island Housing Services, Suffolk Independent Living Organization, and two residents, alleged that NPS Property Corp. and five of its rental communities participated in […]
In the News | Long Island Business News
April 2, 2024
Long Island Residents Reach Settlement With Five Suffolk County Apartment Complexes in Wide Ranging Housing Discrimination Case
Long Island Housing Services, Suffolk Independent Living Organization, and two Long Island residents reached a settlement in a federal lawsuit brought against five companies that own and manage a range of residential complexes across Long Island.
Press Releases | Cohen Milstein
February 16, 2024
Trump Opts Against Appealing Civil Immunity Claim in Jan. 6 Lawsuits to Supreme Court
Former President Trump and his legal team have decided against appealing a court’s decision that found he is not immune from civil lawsuits that blame him for the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, after they previously signaled he would file an appeal. Trump’s decision to not take his broader immunity claim to the Supreme […]
In the News | The Hill
February 2, 2024
DC Apts. Accused Of Discriminating Against Black Applicants
A civil rights organization claims two Washington, D.C., apartment complex owners discriminate against Black people by unlawfully creating boundaries for applicants with eviction or criminal backgrounds or who qualify for Section 8. Civil rights organization Equal Rights Center said the owners of upscale apartment complexes Latrobe Apartment Homes and Vaughan Place created unlawful barriers for […]
In the News | Law360
February 1, 2024
D.C. Civil Rights Powerhouse Sues Northwest D.C. Apartment Complexes for Tenant Screening Discrimination
The Equal Rights Center (ERC) has alleged that two upscale D.C. apartment complexes, Latrobe Apartment Homes in Logan Circle and Vaughan Place in McLean Gardens, discriminated against potential tenants using vouchers. The lawsuit, filed today in D.C. Superior Court, also alleges that Air Communities, the owner and manager of the complexes, created unlawful barriers for applicants who have criminal records more than 7 years old and evictions more than 3 years old.
Press Releases | Cohen Milstein
December 1, 2023
Trump Has To Face Riot Suits, DC Circ. Affirms
Former President Donald Trump must face a trio of lawsuits seeking to hold him liable for inciting the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, a D.C. Circuit panel ruled Friday, rejecting Trump’s claim that he has absolute immunity from liability. In a highly anticipated opinion delivered a year after the case was argued […]
In the News | Law360
March 27, 2023
Lawmakers Say DOJ Rejection Of Trump Immunity Too Narrow
Federal lawmakers and police officers seeking to hold former President Donald Trump responsible for inciting the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol have told the D.C. Circuit that the U.S. Department of Justice’s suggested ruling in the case would be too narrow. Eleven members of the U.S. House of Representatives and two U.S. […]
In the News | Law360
March 2, 2023
DOJ Says Trump Not Immune From Capitol Riot Suits
The U.S. Department of Justice told the D.C. Circuit on Thursday that former President Donald Trump is not immune from a trio of lawsuits filed by lawmakers and U.S. Capitol Police officers accusing him of inciting the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in January 2021. In an amicus brief, the department told the appellate […]
In the News | Law360
February 6, 2023
Plaintiffs Bar Partner Promotions Highlight Rising Caseload, Commitment to Firm Culture
Plaintiffs firms are off to a dynamic start into 2023 with diverse partner classes and a strong commitment to antitrust, MDL and health care litigation. U.S. plaintiffs firms are kicking off the year with a strong round of partner promotions tied to growing caseload and a commitment to firm culture that emphasizes in-house elevation over […]
In the News | The National Law Journal
January 10, 2023
Cohen Milstein Announces New Partners: Christopher J. Bateman, Molly J. Bowen, Brian Corman, Alison Deich, and Eric A. Kafka
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: cohenmilstein@berlinrosen.com WASHINGTON, DC – Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC, one of the nation’s leading plaintiffs’ law firms, has named Christopher J. Bateman, Molly J. Bowen, Brian Corman, Alison Deich, and Eric A. Kafka as the firm’s newest partners, effective January 1, 2023. Christopher J. Bateman, a member of the […]
Press Releases | Cohen Milstein
December 7, 2022
DC Circ. Panel Doubtful on Trump Immunity for Capitol Riot
A D.C. Circuit panel seemed disinclined Wednesday to say former President Donald Trump has absolute immunity for his Jan. 6, 2021, rally speech given the “colorable case of incitement” at issue, but wrestled with how to structure a limit on presidential immunity. During a nearly two-hour oral argument, U.S. Circuit Judge Gregory Katsas said several […]
In the News | Law360
March 14, 2022
Trial To Ask: Was Tenant Screener’s Conduct Discriminatory?
A bench trial starting Monday in Connecticut federal court will determine if a third-party company’s conduct while screening tenants was racially discriminatory in violation of the Fair Housing Act, a claim that is typically leveled at individual housing providers. The 2018 suit against CoreLogic Rental Property Solutions, which has since been spun off as SafeRent […]
In the News | Law360
January 10, 2022
In Marathon Hearing Over Jan. 6 Civil Lawsuits Against Trump, Judge Questions How Far Presidential Immunity Can Go
A federal judge in Washington on Monday wrestled with whether ex-President Donald Trump is immune from civil lawsuits filed over last year’s Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta of the District of Columbia, who is simultaneously presiding over criminal prosecutions stemming from the Jan. 6 violence, pressed an attorney […]
In the News | The National Law Journal
January 3, 2022
3 Real Estate Cases to Watch in 2022
While the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic is still front of mind for real estate attorneys, a diverse range of legal challenges are expected to take the spotlight in 2022, touching on everything from fair housing law to eminent domain. Here, Law360 looks at three real estate-related disputes lawyers will be watching in 2022. […]
In the News | Law360
November 2, 2021
Court Grants First-of-its-Kind D.C. Tenant Consent Agreement to Cease Illegal Suppression of Park 7 Tenants’ Right to Organize
Park 7 tenants have experienced prolonged racial and economic mistreatment from the building owners and property management company FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON – The Superior Court of the District of Columbia has approved a first-of-its kind tenant right to organize consent agreement between Park 7 Tenant Union and tenants of Park 7 Apartments, an affordable […]
Press Releases
July 22, 2021
D.C. Renters’ Lawsuit Is a Blueprint for Tenant Organizing
A lawsuit filed on Wednesday by a group of tenants against a major Washington, D.C.-area developer stands to be the first test of the bounds of the most robust tenants’ rights laws in the country. The litigation could establish a model for renters to enforce their fundamental housing rights amid a spiraling housing affordability crisis […]
In the News | Reuters
July 21, 2021
Park 7 Residential Sued for Illegally Suppressing Tenants’ Right to Organize
Tenants have experienced prolonged racial and economic mistreatment from the building owners and property management company FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON – Today, the Park 7 Tenant Union and tenants of Park 7 Apartments, an affordable housing apartment building located at 4020 Minnesota Ave. in Northeast D.C. comprised mainly of Black residents, filed suit in a […]
Press Releases
June 22, 2021
Is Biden’s Justice Department Actually Going to Defend Trump Against Capitol Riot Lawsuits?
Earlier this month, this website wondered aloud, “Why the hell is Joe Biden’s Justice Department defending Donald Trump?” The question arose from a bizarre, troubling pattern of late in which the DOJ, currently lead by Attorney General Merrick Garland, has gone to bat for the ex-president. In May, for example, the department filed a motion […]
In the News | Vanity Fair
April 28, 2021
US Will Pay $44 Million in Age-Bias Case by Ex-FAA Workers
The U.S. government will pay nearly $44 million to settle an age-discrimination case filed 16 years ago on behalf of hundreds of workers who missed out on federal pensions after their jobs were outsourced. Lawyers for the 761 workers say the Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Department decided to outsource the jobs because many […]
In the News | Associated Press
April 28, 2021
FAA & DOT Agree to Record-Breaking $43.8 Million Settlement in Age Discrimination Lawsuit
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Settlement is the Largest Ever Payout From the Federal Government for Age Discrimination Claims Hundreds of Flight Service Specialists Sued FAA After Their Roles Were Contracted Out in 2005 Because of Their Age WASHINGTON D.C. – Attorneys representing 670 former flight service (FS) specialists employees announced a record-breaking $43.8 million settlement today with the […]
Press Releases
April 7, 2021
10 More Congress Members Join Lawsuit Accusing Trump, Giuliani, Proud Boys, Oath Keepers of Capitol Riot Conspiracy
Ten more Democratic members of Congress on Wednesday joined a federal lawsuit accusing former President Donald Trump, his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and several right-wing extremist groups of conspiring to incite the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol complex riot. The suit, first filed by Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and the NAACP, accuses the defendants of violating […]
In the News | CNBC
April 7, 2021
Trump Faces Legal Pressure Over Capitol Riot as More Democratic Lawmakers Join Lawsuit
Trump is now being sued by 11 members of Congress and two U.S. Capitol police officers over the Jan. 6 riot. Ten more members of Congress are joining a lawsuit against former President Donald Trump over the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, alleging that he and others violated federal law in inciting the […]
In the News | The National Law Journal
March 4, 2021
Brian Corman to Speak at MWELA 2021 Annual Conference
Brian Corman, an Associate in Cohen Milstein’s Civil Rights & Employment practice, has been invited to speak at the 2021 Annual Conference of the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association (MWELA) on March 4, 2021. Mr. Corman will speak on the panel “Lessons from Advocacy in the Time of COVID: Depositions, Mediations, Arbitrations, Remote & In-Person […]
Events
February 25, 2021
Brian Corman to Speak at Impact Fund Class Action Conference
Brian Corman, an associate in Cohen Milstein’s Civil Rights & Employment practice group, has been invited to speak as part of the 19th Annual Impact Fund Class Action Conference. The conference will be held via Zoom on February 25, 2021. Mr. Corman will speak on the panel “I Know You’re Out There: Representing Classes of […]
Events
February 16, 2021
NAACP Sues Trump for Inciting Capitol Riot
The NAACP filed a lawsuit Tuesday against former President Trump and far-right extremist groups in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol riots that killed five people and injured dozens of officers. Why it matters: The federal lawsuit filed on behalf of House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) shows that Trump continues to face legal […]
In the News | Axios
February 16, 2021
Trump, Giuliani Accused of Conspiring to Incite U.S. Capitol Riot in New Lawsuit
The NAACP, on behalf of Rep. Bennie Thompson (D., Miss.), filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against former President Donald Trump and his former personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, accusing them of conspiring to incite the violent riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. The lawsuit also names two right-wing groups, Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, […]
In the News | The Wall Street Journal
February 16, 2021
Trump Faces First Lawsuit Over Capitol Riots, Alleging Conspiracy to Block Certification of Election Results
Attorneys with Cohen Milstein and the NAACP allege the Jan. 6 riots were “the intended and foreseeable culmination of a carefully coordinated campaign to interfere with the legal process required to confirm the tally of votes cast in the Electoral College.” Donald Trump is facing his first lawsuit for inciting the violent Jan. 6 riot […]
In the News | The National Law Journal
February 16, 2021
Civil Rights Group Files Lawsuit Against Trump Over US Capitol Attack
The NAACP, the prominent civil rights organisation, has filed a federal lawsuit against Donald Trump, his attorney Rudy Giuliani and two white supremacist groups over their role in the deadly January 6 siege on the US Capitol. The lawsuit underscores how the former president’s legal woes are far from over, even after he was acquitted […]
In the News | Financial Times
February 16, 2021
NAACP Sues Trump and Giuliani Over Election Fight and Jan. 6 Riot
The civil rights group brought the suit on behalf of Representative Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, with other Democrats in Congress expected to join as plaintiffs. The N.A.A.C.P. on Tuesday morning filed a federal lawsuit against former President Donald J. Trump and his personal lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani, claiming that they violated a 19th century statute […]
In the News | The New York Times
February 16, 2021
House Homeland Security Chairman Sues Trump and Giuliani, Accusing Them of Inciting Capitol Riot
The chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee on Tuesday filed a federal lawsuit accusing former president Donald Trump, lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani and two extremist groups whose members have been charged in the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol of illegally conspiring to intimidate and block Congress’s certification of the 2020 election. Rep. Bennie […]
In the News | The Washington Post
February 16, 2021
Congressman Bennie Thompson Files Federal Lawsuit Accusing Trump and Giuliani of Inciting Capitol Riot
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lawsuit Alleges Violation of the “Ku Klux Klan Act,” a Civil War-Era Statute Prohibiting Interference with Congress’ Constitutional Duties. Filed by NAACP and Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll, Lawsuit Also Names Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. WASHINGTON D.C.—Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson filed a federal lawsuit today accusing Donald J. Trump, Rudy Giuliani, […]
In the News
February 16, 2021
Cohen Milstein Reps Lawmaker Suing Trump for Capitol Riot
Attorneys at Cohen Milstein and the NAACP are representing a Democratic lawmaker who sued former President Donald Trump and others on Tuesday for allegedly causing the deadly Capitol riot in January and violating the Reconstruction-era Ku Klux Klan Act. Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee, said he expects […]
In the News | Law360
February 16, 2021
Congressman, NAACP Sue Trump and Giuliani Over Capitol Riot
The lawsuit accuses the former president of conspiring with two extremist groups to block the Electoral College vote count. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and the NAACP filed a lawsuit Tuesday against former President Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani, accusing them of conspiring with two extremist groups to block the presidential vote count by storming the […]
In the News | NBC News
February 4, 2021
How to Ensure Employees Receive Class Action Notices
Whether a Section 216(b) collective action under the Fair Labor Standards Act, or a Rule 23 class action under state wage and hour law, notice to the potential class members will be required at some point for any class case.This may arise with the initial notice of the opportunity to opt in to an FLSA […]
Articles | Law360 Employment Authority
October 22, 2020
New Federal Rule Will Make it Harder to Challenge Discrimination in the Housing Industry, Lawsuits Allege
A pair of lawsuits aim to stop a HUD rule set to go into effect next week that will weaken a key fair housing tool. Civil rights groups on Thursday filed a pair of lawsuits against the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and HUD Secretary Ben Carson for weakening an Obama-era rule meant […]
In the News | The Washington Post
August 7, 2020
Judge Advances Fair Housing Case Citing Racial Implications of Criminal Record Screening
HARTFORD—On August 7, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut allowed a fair housing lawsuit against CoreLogic Rental Property Solutions (“RPS”) to proceed to trial. The plaintiffs, Connecticut Fair Housing Center (“the Center”) and Carmen Arroyo, allege that RPS’s tenant screening product, CrimSAFE, discriminates against people of color because it prevents landlords […]
In the News
February 14, 2020
In Settlement, Ga. Couple Admit Evicting Tenant for Having African American Guests at Her Home
A settlement has been reached in the case of a Georgia couple who evicted a tenant for inviting an African American family to her home. As WABE’s Maria White Tillman reports, Allen and Patricia McCoy acknowledged they discriminated against their tenant, Victoria Sutton, in 2018 for having African American guests in the Gordon County apartment […]
In the News | NPR
February 13, 2020
‘Not Just Immoral, Also Illegal’: Georgia Woman Evicted After Black Family Visits Settles With Landlords for $150k
A Georgia woman evicted for inviting a black family to her house for playdates with their children will be paid $150,000 by her former landlords to settle a discrimination lawsuit. Victoria Sutton filed the complaint in July against Patricia and Allen McCoy of Calhoun, Georgia. Sutton said the couple made racist statements and threatened to […]
In the News | USA Today
February 13, 2020
White Tenant Evicted for Inviting Black Guests to Georgia Home, Landlords Admit
A Georgia couple who evicted a white tenant after she brought an African-American family into her home has admitted to making a series of racist remarks to the woman in a tape-recorded phone call — telling her, for instance, that they don’t “allow n—–s” or “black dogs” on their property. The homeowners, Allen and Patricia […]
In the News | New York Daily News