Carney R. Shegerian

For Shegerian, the labor and employment practice has benefited from a growth in diversity not just in juries, but in jurists.

Shegerian’s impressive trial record presents a string of multimillion-dollar verdicts for victims of whistleblower retaliation, wrongful termination, discrimination, and nearly every wrong an employer can commit in the modern workplace.

“My typical jurors these days are more interested in protecting civil rights, whether or not they need those protections themselves. I think they recognize the damage of being wrongfully terminated now more than ever,” he said. He cited a case earlier this year in which he won $13 million for a former UCLA research doctor who sued for gender discrimination and retaliation after she said a male colleague made her job unbearable. Pinter-Brown v. UC Regents, BC624838 (L.A. Super. Ct., filed June 22, 2016).

“It was really significant because the jury saw the misconduct, and there was a lot of smoke and mirrors by the defense,” he said.

At trial UCLA’s counsel stressed the doctor had not been fired and had not seen a salary decrease.

“They had minimized her job despite higher pay to treat patients and participation in studies, and that was significant to me, trying a case to verdict with a highly skilled woman who was wronged,” Shegerian said.

“I think for a few reasons we’re seeing new recognitions. One is, I think the California judiciary is more sophisticated about discrimination than ever, where they recognize these blatant unfairness issues with respect to gender,” he said.

Shegerian said he also anticipates more age discrimination cases on the horizon for his firm. In June, he won $3 million for a 58-year-old Ontario woman who was fired based on her age. The jury also hit the company that fired her with $28 million in punitive damages. Rael v. Axis Sybronendo, BC584994 (L.A. Super. Ct., filed June 12, 2015). Later this year, Shegerian is set to try a case against Apple Inc. on behalf of former in-house counsel Lynn Levitan for gender discrimination. Levitan originally sued as Jane Doe. Levitan v. Apple Inc., BC622413 (L.A. Super. Ct., filed June 1, 2016). Levitan claims she was fired after bringing “pervasive gender discrimination” to the attention of her superiors, only to be fired a month later. Along with juries and judges, Shegerian also cited the state Legislature as a protective force for his clients.

“California remains at the forefront, wonderfully and honorably protecting people against all kinds of discrimination,” he said.

— Andy Serbe