Felicia M. Medina

Most of Medina’s clients are “intersectional” employees — such as women and members of the LBGTQ community — who work in big industries. It’s a space where she’s found success in shifting corporate culture through employment litigation.

“Racism and sexism are structural in nature,” Medina said. “You have to look at a system that oppresses all and balance that with your individual experiences. I’ve experienced discrimination because there is rampant discrimination.”

This year, Medina left Sanford Heisler Sharp LLP, where she was a managing partner, to start a firm focused on social justice. She and partner Jennifer Orthwein opened Medina Orthwein LLP in May and filed a high-profile case the same day. The lawsuit is on behalf of Medina’s client Zola Mashariki, a former executive at Black Entertainment Television LLC and alleges gender discrimination, unequal pay and wrongful termination. Mashariki v. Viacom Inc. et al., 2:17-cv-03366 (C.D. Cal., filed May 3, 2017).

Work on the Mashariki case is still underway, but Medina said she believes when it comes to institutional sexism and racism, most of the work will be done outside the courtroom.

“It becomes about educating your adversaries,” she said. “A lot of this stuff isn’t in the court papers. It’s on the phone where you’re working with your adversary to implement policies and making sure they do the work to back up those words.”

One recent adversary, Qualcomm Technologies Inc., was reeducated to the tune of $19.5 million when the company settled a lawsuit brought by approximately 3,300 female employees on the grounds of gender discrimination. Pan et al. v. Qualcomm Inc. et al., 16-CV01885 (S.D. Cal., filed July 25, 2016). Medina was with Sanford Heisler Sharp at the time.

“The class action device and things like it are of supreme importance in terms of making our civil rights statute mean something and to move the needle,” Medina said. “It’s been under attack by a conservative Supreme Court, so if I was a young attorney I’d focus my efforts on preserving it. It’s a heavy burden but very necessary.”

— Paula Lehman-Ewing