Twila S. White

Hermosa Beach • Labor and Employment

Twila S. White made significant strides as a legal advocate long before movements like #MeToo gained prominence. She was actively championing cases that would set legal precedents in employee rights.

"I am really proud of the Johnson v. Cerebral Palsy case, 173 Cal.App.4th 740 (2009), where I was able to establish as a matter of law the admissibility of 'me too' evidence, or 'other victims of discrimination' evidence in proving discrimination cases long before the Me Too movement or hashtag #MeToo," White said.

Some of her more recent career highlights include a confidential matter in which she represented a whistleblower in a hospital billing fraud case, which concluded with a $2.75 million settlement.

"At the time of handling this case, I had a high-risk pregnancy," White said. "Women lawyers sometimes experience a lack of understanding or lack of empathy in some work settings, even if they are lawyers. There should be a greater level of compassion for these life events."

Another whistleblower matter involved a professor and dean of a nursing school that sought to protect students who complained about sexual harassment by the owner, who is a pastor. The case concluded with a $2.4 million jury verdict and a total judgment of over $5.5 million after fees and costs. Bralock v. American University Of Health Sciences, Inc. et al., BC614955 (L.A. Sup. Ct., filed March 25, 2016).

"The professor and dean initiated an investigation of the pastor, along with the president of the nursing school, but they were all removed from investigating with the matter given to the pastor's lawyer for handling," White said. "They were escorted off campus the same day and never returned to work there. The professor and dean were terminated."

The case was selected as one of Daily Journal's Top Verdicts.

Beyond her casework, White's influence extends to her roles within various legal organizations. Her contributions include board memberships and speaking engagements with groups like the California Employment Lawyers Association, Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles and the American Association for Justice. She also served on the Civil and Small Claims Advisory Committee appointed by the California Supreme Court Justice.