The path to achieving justice is not a uniform one. Trials – whether before a jury or a bench trial before a judge – are one avenue to reach a just result. Pre-suit negotiations, mediations, and arbitrations are other avenues to justice. For many individuals, strategies that occur outside of the courtroom offer a faster and more efficient way to obtain favorable outcomes. Still, having an attorney who possesses the ability and willingness to go to trial – and the preparedness of a strong trial team – remains critical to successfully navigating those avenues.
At Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, our Trial Practice Group leverages the insight of talented trial lawyers who have extensive litigation experience in state and federal courts but who are also well-versed in alternative dispute resolution methods. Our strength, skill, and determination over the past 20 years have brought many significant wins on behalf of our clients, in both individual plaintiff and class action cases.
Experienced Litigators: An Edge in the Courtroom and in Negotiations
Our Trial Practice Group plays an instrumental role in many of our cases, cutting across nearly all areas of our practice. We are fortunate to have highly experienced litigators with valuable backgrounds, including former federal prosecutors Brent Hannafan, Andrew Macurdy, and Christine Dunn, as well as a former federal judge, Kevin Sharp. Our clients can rely on the strong litigation skills of these lawyers and the legal talents of our other partners, senior litigation and of counsel attorneys, and associates to provide an offensive edge in both the courtroom and the conference room.
The Value of A Dynamic Legal Team
For each new case we take on – whether a high-impact class action litigation or representing an executive in their pre-suit matter – our firm curates a legal team based on the specific needs of each case. This model of representation positions us well to achieve successful outcomes for our clients. Collaboration among passionate, highly intelligent attorneys is at the heart of developing creative and innovative legal strategies. Coupled with meticulous case preparation by both our attorneys and staff, we have proven our ability to take on powerful interests like corporations and major institutions, and the large law firms at their disposal. Our clients can be confident that we will advocate for them with the utmost dedication.
Pursuing Justice Outside of Jury Trial Settings
For many clients, taking their claims to trial is not the objective. The objective is an outcome that achieves accountability and justice while providing adequate compensation to fully redress the harm they have suffered. Our Trial Practice Group attorneys, along with other experienced litigators on our roster, share their strategic and tactical acumen with those working on out-of-court solutions, ensuring all clients – whether their case is bound for court or not – receive the full measure of our knowledge base. Our representation in pre-suit actions through negotiations, mediation, and arbitration often produce favorable resolutions without the delays, expense, and stress of taking a case to trial.
For example, our Executive Representation Practice Group attorneys often secure confidential settlements for clients through mediation, without ever having to file a lawsuit. We have successfully mediated disputes for C-suite executives, high-level employees, physicians, senior attorneys, and others in sensitive positions who don’t want to attract the publicity of a lawsuit. Our opponents understand that we can and will pursue litigation with the full force of our practice behind us if we can’t reach a fair settlement.
Preparedness is a cornerstone of this success. We arrive at every step of a client’s case ready for any challenge that could arise and those that follow. This not only strengthens our position during negotiations but also instills confidence in our clients, who have peace of mind knowing we will diligently work toward a positive outcome no matter how their case evolves.
Successful Resolutions for Our Clients
Our team has achieved successful resolutions for our clients through various legal proceedings. Here are some notable examples:
- Jury trial in Robert De Niro gender discrimination case: We won a major victory at trial in a case against actor Robert De Niro’s company, Canal Productions. Our client, who was De Niro’s longtime executive assistant, was subjected to years of abusive treatment, including gender-based discrimination and harassment. Following a high-profile trial, the jury awarded our client $1.26 million in damages on her claims and found her not liable on any of De Niro’s claims against our client.
- Jury trial in Big Pharma gender discrimination class action: In a case against the pharmaceutical giant Novartis, we represented 5,600 female employees who faced gender discrimination. It was the largest gender discrimination case ever to go to trial at that time. The jury found in our favor, awarding over $253 million in damages, the most-ever in an employment discrimination case.
- Groundbreaking settlement in General Electric ERISA case: We originated a class-action lawsuit against GE on behalf of 401(k) plan participants for mismanagement of their retirement funds. After nearly eight years of legal efforts, the litigation resulted in a $61 million settlement, which is thought to be the largest of its kind for an Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) case concerning the improper offering of proprietary funds.
- Arbitration award in an executive employment case: We successfully represented a co-founder of Silicon Valley company InnoGrit in a case involving breach of contract, fraud, wrongful termination, and other claims. Through arbitration, we won $8.3 million in damages for our client.
Our extensive experience in litigation has consistently delivered substantial, and in many instances, record-setting verdicts and settlements for our clients. Our reputation as effective litigators strengthens our position in pre-trial and pre-suit negotiations. We remain steadfast in advocating for our clients, committed to navigating any legal challenges in pursuit of justice and accountability.