Mira Hashmall

Los Angeles

Litigation

Chances are if there's high-profile civil litigation against the county of Los Angeles, J. Mira Hashmall is leading the defense.

Her matters have run the gamut from the Kobe Bryant death scene photo case to a confrontation between Black Lives Matter and former District Attorney Jackie Lacey and the efforts by a federal judge to house all of Skid Row.

Homelessness is an issue she has tackled, leading negotiations between the county and city of Los Angeles to shelter the homeless as part of a federal lawsuit brought by Skid Row business owners. L.A. Alliance for Human Rights v. City of Los Angeles, et al., 2:20-cv-02291 (CACD, filed March 10, 2020).

The case is scheduled to go to trial after the 9th Circuit refused to intervene when the U.S. District Court Judge David Carter would not sign off on the county's settlement agreement.

"While I think everyone shares the frustration with how dire the situation is, I think there are also a lot of examples of success and progress and programs that are making a difference," Hashmall said. "I'm actually optimistic that if the case does proceed to trial, that the public will get a greater understanding of the hard work the county has committed to the crisis."

Hashmall is passionate about promoting diversity and inclusion, belonging to numerous service organizations, including the California Minority Counsel Program, which is focused on giving attorneys of color opportunities for advancement.

So when named partner Dave Carothers of the employment law firm Carothers DiSante & Freudenberger left his job claiming harassment in the wake of George Floyd's death, Hashmall was his attorney of choice. The case is set for trial next year.

"He was the head of the firm's diversity inclusion committee and was essentially told to sit down and shut up when it came to addressing the entire communities' concerns about equality and justice in the wake of the George Floyd incident," Hashmall said of her client, who is black. "Through a series of retaliatory actions, the firm just attempted to cut him off at his knees and rather than continuing to practice in such intolerable conditions, he decided to stand up and pursue this case."

--Tori Richards