David M. deRubertis

As a college student working for a law firm, deRubertis found himself testifying in a case involving a family who was denied a $100,000 life insurance payment after their father was murdered.

DeRubertis' mother worked for the insurance company in question, and when her boss found out that deRubertis testified, demoted her -- but offered a pay raise so she couldn't seek any legal redress.

"That was the last straw that got me into employment," said deRubertis, owner of the deRubertis Law Firm in Studio City.

His desire to be a trial lawyer started young. At 15, deRubertis was working for medical malpractice attorneys, and would later take on his share of those cases. In the 1990s, he took a sexual harassment case assigned to a colleague, "and that opened my eyes to this subject," he said.

The Loyola Law School graduate is no stranger to publicity. He recently filed suit on behalf of Oscar-winning actress Mo'Nique.

The lawsuit claims that Netflix tried to underpay her for a stand-up comedy special, but offered other performers millions of dollars more. Along with damages for pay discrimination, the actress is alleging retaliation because she spoke up. The lawsuit was initially filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, but Netflix won its bid to move the case to the Central District of California.

U.S. District Judge Andre Birotte Jr. dismissed two of Hicks' retaliation claims though giving leave to amend. But he left the bulk of Hicks' case intact, finding Hicks showed sufficient evidence to survive the streaming service's motion to strike. Monique Hicks v. Netflix Inc. 2:19-cv-10452-AB-MAA (C. D. Cal. filed Dec. 10, 2019.)

"We've had a couple of substantiative hearings already," deRubertis said. "The judge held the allegations are fair."

Whether his client is well-known or not, DeRubertis said he has the same approach. "Every person is a human, and I'm a lawyer to them. Regardless of their background, all clients want a lawyer who's straight, direct and down to earth," he said.

-- Karen Weil