Representative Results
The following are some notable results we have attained for our clients over the years. Lawyers cannot guarantee results. All results are case-specific and depend on the true facts of the case.
Employment
Obagi and Kim secured a $1 million settlement for an employee who faced racial and disability discrimination in addition to retaliation after reporting the incidents through the appropriate channels at their place of employment. This successful result was achieved after the attorneys reviewed tens of thousands of documents and conducted 14 depositions.
Obagi and Holcomb obtained a jury victory resulting in economic and emotional distress damages for their client in a Shasta County Superior Court upon taking over a retaliation case for a school distict’s former employee who experienced a wrongful termination. The jury found that the Chief Business Officer’s termination by the Cascade Union Elementary School District was a result of him raising important issues of non-compliance and violation of state law and regulations, not due to budget restrictions as they had claimed.
Attained a $625,000 settlement for former big box store employee who was discriminated against based on his sexual orientation and disability discrimination for being HIV positive by his conservative former manager, who was later terminated for the discrimination, yet the big box store also terminated Plaintiff.
Attained a jury verdict in San Diego for a nurse who experienced retaliation after she on non-compliance with the law, and reported employee mental health safety threats such as bullying and hostility. The jury found that her employer had retaliated against her for violations of Lab. Code sections 1102.5 and 6310, and awarded the nurse $466,400 including $350,000 in emotional distress damages and $42,400 awarded by the Court in a non-jury Phase II trial, plus civil penalties. The case affirmed that unlawful whistleblower retaliation will not be tolerated in California.
Attained a $130,000 pre-litigation settlement in mediation for former employee of a non-profit 501(c)(3) who was retaliated against for whistleblowing on legal violations, including for alleged Medicare fraud, by the employer, and presented sex and disability based discrimination claims based on the employer characterizing her as “too emotional”.
Attained $700,000 settlement from uninsured joint employers that had retaliated against an employee who complained about a sexual assault and battery by another employee by firing her within two days of her complaint. Employers were represented by three large law firms.
Attained six-figure pre-litigation settlement for in-house paralegal at Southern-California based hospital who alleged that she was discriminated against based on her disability, and retaliated again.
Attained $200,000 early settlement for short tenured financial security executive after filing suit against institution for unlawful retaliation and age discrimination, and then a federal suit against the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency seeking to require it to disclosed financially privileged information that was relevant to executive’s lawsuit.
Attained $125,000 for sports broadcasting company junior executive who claimed sex-discrimination in his demotion and ultimate termination.
Attained $85,000 early settlement from hotel operator for an Asian executive chef who treated with hostility by staff who called him derogatory names including “chinito.”
Got “below-outstanding” arbitrary and discriminatory reviews of an African American client upgraded to “outstanding,” resulting in an immediate promotion within the GS-11 pay scale to Step 10 for a deserving black correctional officer.
Attained $53,000 mediation settlement for a 19-year-old community college student who was retaliated against by his employer for reporting COVID-19-related workplace-safety violations. The client is looking forward to using the money attained to pursue a bachelor’s degree.
Attained $94,000 pre-arbitration settlement for low-wage Iraqi security guard with only non-written evidence of nationality-based hostility and wrongful termination.
Attained $25,000 settlement from jeweler following a letter alleging that international jeweler breached written contract with our client for consulting services by terminating early.
Attained $40,000 settlement from accountant employer within one month of filing suit. Employer was an alleged alcoholic, who let his alcoholism bleed into work to create a toxic environment that caused employee to quit, claiming constructive discharge.
Attained $35,000 settlement — without filing a lawsuit — for $15/hour employee who alleged sexually hostile environment and conduct by employer.
Attained $450,000 settlement against national company based on retaliatory discharge for, among other things, employee seeking FMLA leave. We sued the employer in federal court and applied maximum pressure by exposing numerous, egregious employment violations documented in writing.
Attained $250,000 early settlement from company that 1) retaliated against employee for complaining about the late payment of sales commissions, 2) denied her FMLA and CFRA medical leave when she had a doctor’s note recommending them, and 3) subjected their only female salesperson to a sexually hostile work environment.
Attained a $170,000 early settlement for entry-level investment advisor alleging invasion of privacy, disability discrimination and constructive termination, before proceeding to two long arbitrations — first privately then via FINRA.
Recovered $150,000 in federal-court action prosecuted on behalf of wrongfully terminated employee against former employer for 1) sexual harassment, 2) retaliation, 3) wrongful discharge in violation of public policy, 4) solicitation of employee by misrepresentation, 5) nonpayment of overtime, and other California Labor Code violations.
Recovered $150,000 in federal-court action prosecuted on behalf of employee against employer for 1) nonpayment of overtime compensation, 2) failure to provide meal and rest periods or compensation in lieu thereof, and 3) misclassification of inside sales representative as independent contractor, wage-statement violations, etc.
Attained settlement of $125,000 for two security officers working in the hay fields in Imperial Valley, Calif., who were both unlawfully retaliated against after one of them got sick from heat stroke and they complained to OSHA about workplace-safety violations.
Attained a settlement for two years of pay for client as part of early confidential settlement after filing complaint for sexual harassment and wrongful termination.
After identifying spoliation of evidence through intentional destruction of electronically stored information, attained an early six-figure confidential settlement against Beverly Hills employer for same-sex sexual battery during after-hours workplace hangout.
Recovered strictly confidential settlement for ex-big bank employee unlawfully discriminated against based on same-sex sexual orientation.
Attained two years of salary for client as part of early confidential settlement after filing complaint for sexual harassment and wrongful termination. Matter was compelled to arbitration.
As defense counsel through mediation, successfully settled claim presented by former contractor that she was entitled to $200,000 plus bonus at termination, settling for less than 50 percent of that sum.
Personal Injury
Attained a non-jury $36,000,000 judgment against Ali Elmezayen and other defendants, after Elmezayen attempted to murder his wife, and two autistic children to recover insurance proceeds from life insurance policies he had taken on their lives. The mother survived, and attained the judgment for wrongful death.
Attained $7,225,000 unanimous federal jury verdict for Middle Eastern passengers of Delta Air Lines who was physically injured and emotionally traumatized when a flight attendant caused him to be surrounded, man-handled and handcuffed in the back of a plane because they profiled him as an Arab who was using the restroom often, ignoring that another flight attendant had served him five bottles of wine on a three-hour flight. The Court later granted a new trial because the damages were so high.
Attained a $443,800 personal-injury jury verdict in federal court against a transportation company and a truck driver. The case involved a collision between two 18-wheeler tractor-trailers at the Coca-Cola plant in Downey, Calif. The defendant truck driver, having consumed alcohol prior to the incident, crashed into plaintiff’s parked tractor-trailer that was being loaded with product.
Attained a $337,500 collective settlement for a mother and her special-needs son from a public school district based on torts committed against the minor child based on his disabilities. Settlement came after taking three cases over from mother in pro per.
Tried a case against Permanent Mission of Sweden to the United Nations, which was represented by multiple attorneys from Holland & Knight, LLP, to verdict after nine-day, non-jury trial in Manhattan’s Southern District of New York federal courthouse.
Business Litigation
Attained $750,000 settlement for our plaintiff client in business dispute in arbitration alleging fraud and breaches of multiple agreements and building the case with a half-dozen videotaped depositions, forensic financial examination and inviting the arbitrator into the zoom deposition to compel responses to questions when opposing counsel directed his client not to answer.
Attained a $2,718,000 jury verdict, including 50-percent ownership of business and punitive damages, against client’s partners who 1) converted nonprofit mutual benefit corporation to a for-profit corporation, 2) took 100 percent of the stock in violation of the parties’ agreement, and 3) wrongfully relocated adult-use dispensary license to new location. Prior to trial, defendants’ highest offer was $200,000 and no ownership. Jury awarded only $25,000 less than the damages we sought.
Recovered payments exceeding $3.4 million for balance of purchase price after our client (the seller of a legal California dispensary) received only $2.55 million of $7 million dollar asset purchase and sale agreement.
Attained a $900,000 settlement in bad-faith insurance claim by homeowners against major insurance carrier for sudden and accidental discharge of water.
Attained $480,000 settlement in case in federal court against two international corporations and national nonprofit that tortiously circumvented small-business client in marketing deal.
Attained $475,000 settlement in legal malpractice case against large Century City, Calif., law firm that advised a client to make a $1 million loan to a fraudster without doing basic due diligence to ensure that the international loan would be secure.
Attained a $385,000 settlement for breach of a wholesale textile (clothing) contract, even after distributor purchaser filed a cross complaint for damages.
After sellers of commercial property breached agreement to sell to our client, we filed suit, encumbered property in lis pendens, defeated defendants’ expungement motion, took depositions to uncover fraudulent conveyance, and caused defendants to pay $350,000 to client as lost profits on the deal.
Successfully prosecuted action to enforce residential real estate purchase agreement related to coveted real property by filing compliant, recording lis pendens, defending expungement of the same, and forcing defendants’ hand to sell the property to our client.
Attained judgment after court trial for more than $315,181 for pair of investors in Aura Systems, Inc. We then took aggressive judgment enforcement steps and attained stipulated payment plan for satisfaction of judgment plus interest within one year.
Attained $657,545 bench judgment against real estate agent who, while acting as project manager for real estate development, misappropriated funds entrusted to her for the project and instead used funds for personal use. We employed numerous forensic accounting methods and subpoenas to uncover full breadth of fraud and conversion. Judgment was for 100 percent of what we sought.
Successfully enforced judgment against the Country of Mexico and Consulate General of Mexico after the judgment had been unpaid for eight years. Within six months of retention, we attained 100 percent of the original judgment plus 80 percent of interest paid.
Attained nearly $129,000 in a legal malpractice settlement for real estate developer client against former attorneys who dismissed complaint without prejudice and failed to timely file a demand for arbitration. This stemmed from action against general contractor who breached written contract that included a shortened limitations period and arbitration clause for bringing an action on the contract. Settlement attained after filing suit but before arbitration against lawyers through direct negotiations with opposing counsel. The foregoing sum was nearly 100 percent of the damages client sought.
Attained a $160,000 legal malpractice settlement for our plaintiff client after former lawyer dismissed client’s cases without authority. We posit the settlement would have been for more, but the lawyer procured his insurance through fraud and the insurer threatened to rescind the insurance contract. Lawyer was ordered inactive and disbarred, and thus has no future source of income. This settlement was favorable light of the facts.
Attained a $45,000 settlement for business buyers after a transaction in which the sellers undermined the accounts receivables sold to the buyers by misappropriating payments to themselves. The settlement represented about 80 percent of the damages to the buyers, but was attained before significant litigation expenses were incurred.
Attained a $111,766 judgment in federal court against individual and her company when they defaulted on a promissory note. Proceeded to enforce judgment against them.
Attained a $70,000 settlement, paid in a lump sum, immediately after filing suit for our client after a pharmaceutical company with failed drugs failed to pay consultation fees owed, representing 95 percent of the total monies owed.
Collected more than $300,000 from dozens of outstanding commercial (business-to-business) accounts-receivable accounts on behalf of four courier companies in Southern California under common ownership through demands, litigation and judgment enforcement action.
Attained $124,615 arbitration award at ADR Services, Inc., in breach-of-contract action, including an award of all attorneys’ fees, arising from an engineering firm wrongfully assigning collection of its contract in violation of its contractual terms.
After arranger for wealthy Dubai prince told luxury homeowner to “hold” property for his client and then did not sign rental agreement, we filed suit against arranger and his broker for negligent misrepresentation, and reached favorable settlement agreement with each party.
After defeating defendants’ motion for summary adjudication in case alleging implied pedestrian easement, we negotiated settlement for pedestrian easement that runs with the land in perpetuity. Plaintiff clients received express written, recorded, and significant monetary settlement for temporary loss of use of easement, and $25,000 in compensation for client.
After non-jury trial, attained favorable statement of decision for plaintiff expert witness in breach of contract action against lawyer and law firm in the sum of $37,376. We then took aggressive judgment enforcement steps and attained stipulated payment plan for satisfaction of judgment plus interest within one year.
Acting as local counsel for North Carolina firm, attained California sister-state judgment on North Carolina judgment and then pursued judgment debtor for non-dischargeability in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Attained stipulated judgment for non-dischargeability in Bankruptcy Court, and engaged in judgment enforcement through the U.S. Marshall’s Office.
Acted as administrator for estate of deceased client, selling two parcels of real estate and collecting on promissory note in decedent’s favor so assets exceeding $400,000 could be distributed to family and spouse.
Represented administrator of estate in successfully prosecuting complaint against debtor under promissory note, recovering prejudgment interest and entire principal sum due.
Successfully second-chaired defense of prominent physician in multi-million dollar arbitration alongside attorneys from Los Angeles firm O’Melveny.
Successfully prosecuted action against slumlord of commercial property and procured favorable settlement of $100,000 on the record at mandatory settlement conference.
In federal court, recovered six-figure settlement after enforcing promissory note arising from a gambling loan at the poker table.
Attained judgment for fraud in the amount of $122,831 against individuals who claimed the ability to make custom carbon fiber automotive parts that met OEM (original equipment manufacturer) quality.
Attained set-aside of default judgment and return of garnished wages to wrongfully sued clients, then within two months attained dismissal of complaint with prejudice.