KMB News 2006

December 13, 2006
Capitol Tunnel Workers Receive Award
David Marshall is quoted in the Washington Post in a story about a group of ten KMB clients employed to maintain the utility tunnels under Capitol Hill. The workers received the Joe A. Callaway Award for Civic Courage, given to people who take a public stance to advance truth at personal risk, for blowing the whistle on dangerous working conditions at the Capitol.

The Washington Post, December 13, 2006
Capitol Tunnel Workers Receive Award

November 30-December 2, 2006
ALI-ABA CLE: Advanced Employment Law and Litigation Course
Debra S. Katz served as a member of the faculty for the ALI-ABA CLE: Advanced Employment Law and Litigation course, in Washington, D.C. Ms. Katz taught the following programs: "Retaliation, Whistleblower Protection and Sarbanes Oxley Developments," and "Ethical Problems in Employment Litigation."

November 3, 2006
Employment Law Training
Avi Kumin was a speaker at the D.C. Employment Justice Center's employment law training for pro bono attorneys. Mr. Kumin spoke about "Litigating and Resolving Americans with Disabilities Act and Family and Medical Leave Act Issues".

October 18, 2006
Employee's Formal Request for Counseling
David Marshall and co-counsel Joanne Royce, General Counsel for the Government Accountability project (www.whistleblower.org), file a complaint with the Office of Compliance on behalf of ten workers who maintain utility tunnels beneath Capitol Hill. The workers allege that the Architect of the Capitol, the Legislative Branch agency that employs them, knowingly exposed them to dangerous levels of asbestos and other pathogens for years, and retaliated against them for making these and other life-threatening conditions known to Congress and the public.

	Office of Compliance, October 18, 2006 Employee's Formal Request for Counseling
	By Hand Delivery, October 18, 2006 Medical Testing for U.S. Capitol Tunnel Shop Employees The workers also demand that the Architect or Congress pay for medical diagnostic testing for asbestos-related and other occupational diseases, for which the workers intend to pursue compensation.

October 14, 2006
The Fall Seminar
Debra S. Katz was a speaker at the National Employment Lawyers Association Fall seminar, "Beyond Stereotypes: Discovering & Proving Hidden Bias in Employment Cases," in Washington, D.C.

October 9, 2006
Acting Above the Law
Debra S. Katz and Justine Andronici publish an article in the National Law Journal regarding sexual harassment of teenagers, and Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert's failure to adequately respond to notice of Rep. Mark Foley's harassing conduct.

The National Law Journal, October 9, 2006
Acting Above the Law

October 2006
Teen Workplace Harassment & the Foley Scandal - The Untold Story
Ms. Magazine publishes article by Debra S. Katz and Justine Andronici regarding sexual harassment of teenage workers and the Mark Foley scandal, titled "Teen Workplace Harassment & The Foley Scandal - The Untold Story" (October 2006). Ms. Katz and Ms. Andronici write that "the partisan game of "gotcha" politics is in full swing with the Mark Foley scandal occupying center stage. Unfortunately, in this political drama that has overtaken Washington, an issue of critical importance has been overlooked. Republican leaders who were given strong indications that something was gravely amiss in the interactions between Congressman Foley and the Congressional pages, failed miserably in their legal obligations to protect their young employees from sexual harassment. In this respect, Congress joins the ranks of many of the nation's leading retail and food service establishments - workplaces where teens have been subjected to harassment with impunity in what has increasingly become a vile rite of passage for youth joining the American workforce".

Ms. Magazine, October 2006
Teen Workplace Harassment & the Foley Scandal - The Untold Story

September 30, 2006
No More Excuses!
Debra S. Katz and Justine Andronici publish article in Ms. Magazine regarding sex-based wage discrimination.

Ms. Magazine, Fall 2006
No More Excuses!

September 28, 2006
The Labor Day Luncheon
KMB sponsors the D.C. Employment Justice Center's Labor Day Luncheon.
See the Employment Justice Center website.

September 28, 2006
The Labor Day Luncheon

September 7, 2006
A Published Dress Code Is Dressed Down in Furor
Debra S. Katz is quoted in the Washington Post's article about Scott Bloch, the head of the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, which instituted a sexist dress code policy for its employees.

The Washington Post, September 7, 2006
A Published Dress Code Is Dressed Down in Furor

The Washington Post, March 9, 2005
Senators Have Questions About Changes in the Office of Special Counsel

KMB has filed a complaint against Mr. Bloch, the federal official charged with protecting the rights of whistleblowers, alleging that he retaliated against whistleblowers in his own agency after they voiced objections to his policy decisions. KMB's complaint is now being investigated by the Inspector General of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

September 2006
"The 3,000 Leading Lawyers in America."
Lawdragon, an online and print legal-services information company, has named Debra S. Katz on its list of "The 3,000 Leading Lawyers in America." The award is based on nominations by clients, law school deans, judges and other leaders in the legal profession. According to Lawdragon, "Setting the standard for the best of the legal profession, the attorneys listed ... include private lawyers from a wide range of practices; in-house counsel; law professors; judges and neutrals; government attorneys; and public interest lawyers. They represent less than 1 percent of the legal profession; they are the most elite group of legal professionals compiled."

August 2006
"500 New Stars New Worlds"
Lisa J. Banks was selected by Lawdragon for inclusion in the "Lawdragon 500 New Stars New Worlds," which highlights the rising stars who will define the future of the legal profession.

August 15, 2006
Debra S. Katz and Justine F. Andronici have become contributing writers for Ms. Magazine
We are delighted to announce that Debra S. Katz and Justine F. Andronici have become contributing writers for Ms. Magazine. They will write a quarterly legal column focusing on issues of importance to women. Their first piece, calling for a new legal theory to redress the persistent gender-based wage gap, is expected to run in Ms. Magazine's Fall issue due on news stands in October. Ms. Magazine is recognized nationally and internationally for its cutting-edge approach to issues relating to women's status and women's rights.

August 2, 2006
Victories for Workers
Debra S. Katz and Lisa J. Banks publish article in The National Law Journal analyzing the Supreme Court's decisions in employment cases during the 2005-2006 term.

The National Law Journal, August 2, 2006
Victories for Workers

August 1, 2006
Daniel B. Edelman, Of Counsel
KMB announces that Daniel Edelman, formerly a partner with the highly-regarded law firm of Yablonski, Both & Edelman, has joined the firm as Of Counsel. Mr. Edelman, who served as a law clerk to the U.S. Supreme Court Justice Harry A. Blackmun, has been a highly successful civil rights attorney and preeminent appellate advocate for over 30 years. KMB partners - like the rest of the legal community who is familiar with his work - regard Mr. Edelman as a brilliant and remarkably creative legal advocate. Mr. Edelman will head the firm's new appellate practice.

June 26, 2006
A New World for Retaliation Claims
Debra S. Katz is quoted in National Law Journal article on the Supreme Court's decision in Burlington Northern v. White, a major employment law case.

The National Law Journal, June 26, 2006
A New World for Retaliation Claims

June 26, 2006
Meritor' at 20: Ills Persist
Debra S. Katz and Avi Kumin publish article in National Law Journal about the development of sexual harassment law over the past 20 years.

The National Law Journal, June 26, 2006
Meritor' at 20: Ills Persist

June 23-26, 2006
17th Annual Convention: Bridging The Divide: Strategies for Fairness in the Workplace
Debra S. Katz spoke at the National Employment Lawyers Association Seventeenth Annual Convention: Bridging The Divide: Strategies for Fairness in the Workplace, San Francisco, CA.

San Francisco, CA, June 23-26, 2006
17th Annual Convention: Bridging The Divide: Strategies for Fairness in the Workplace

June 2006
Top 40 Lawyers Under 40
Washingtonian Magazine names Lisa J. Banks "Washington's hottest young employment lawyer" in its "Top 40 Lawyers Under 40" article. The Washingtonian stated that Banks "has made Wal-Mart and other "big box" retailers a target of sex- and disability-discrimination claims. A former appellate attorney at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Banks has been suing companies for violations of federal worker-protection laws since she was 28."

Washingtonian Magazine, June 2006
Top 40 Lawyers Under 40

May 19, 2006
Response to Sen. Rudman's Report
Debra Katz, representing Roger Barnes, a former Fannie Mae accountant and whistlebower, sent a detailed letter to former Senator Warren Rudman demonstrating that the report commissioned by Fannie Mae, known as the Rudman Report, painted a false picture of the events that led to the investigation of accounting failures at the nation's second largest financial institution. Fannie Mae agreed to publish Barnes' response to the Rudman report on its website.

	May 19, 2006 Response to Sen. Rudman's Report
	Includes 21 documents Exhibits for Rudman [4MB file]

May 1, 2006
KMB is among a group of organizations that helped sponsor the 25th Anniversary celebration for POGO
KMB is among a group of public interest organizations that helped sponsor the 25th Anniversary celebration for Project on Government Oversight ("POGO"), an independent non-profit organization that investigates and exposes corruption and other misconduct in order to achieve greater accountability in the federal government. POGO provides critical support to whistleblowers and others who raise questions about fraud and abuse in federal agencies. At a time when the government is keeping more and more secrets, POGO conducts journalistic investigations to shed light on government activities, create vigorous public debate, and foster opportunities for reform.

April 25, 2006
Maximus CEO Fired Over Conduct Toward Worker
KMB attorneys David Marshall and Justine Andronici represented a female employee of a leading government services company in a sexual harassment case, resulting in the ouster of the company's CEO and a settlement that was reported to be substantial. In a news release, MAXIMUS, Inc. announced the termination of its CEO because he had "violated the Company's Standards of Business Conduct and Ethics related to his conduct towards a female MAXIMUS employee. The Company has reached a settlement with the employee, who has since left MAXIMUS."

The Washington Post, April 25, 2006
Maximus CEO Fired Over Conduct Toward Worker

April 23, 2006
KMB sponsored fund-raiser for Lambda Legal
KMB sponsored fund-raiser for Lambda Legal , the nation's premier legal organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of gay men, lesbians, and those with HIV, through impact litigation, education and public policy work.

April 20, 2006
Ari Wilkenfeld made a presentation to the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyer's Association
Ari Wilkenfeld made a presentation to the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyer's Association regarding covenants not to compete.

April 18, 2006
Ruling and Order on Motion to Compel Deposition and Motion for Protective order Quashing Deposition of CEO
KMB scores an important legal victory by winning the right to depose Biogen Idec's CEO in the case of Blanton v. Biogen Idec, Inc., a Sarbanes-Oxley whistleblower case which alleges that the Boston-based pharmaceutical company fired its chief reimbursement expert for complaining about illegal kickbacks to physicians. In ruling on Biogen's motion for a protective order preventing the deposition of CEO James Mullen, Department of Labor Administrative Law Judge Richard A. Morgan rejected the company's argument that a whistleblower cannot take a CEO's deposition unless she can show that he has unique knowledge of the facts, and ordered Biogen to produce its CEO for deposition.

April 18, 2006
Ruling and Order on Motion to Compel Deposition and Motion for Protective order Quashing Deposition of CEO

April 17, 2006
Justices May Hash Out the 'R' Word
Debra S. Katz quoted by National Law Journal on U.S. Supreme Court retaliation case.

The National Law Journal, April 17, 2006
Justices May Hash Out the 'R' Word

April 13, 2006
The 2007 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America
Debra S. Katz selected for inclusion in the 2007 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Inclusion in Best Lawyers® is based on an exhaustive and rigorous peer-review survey. The 2007 edition of Best Lawyers is based on 1.8 million confidential evaluations by only the top attorneys in the country and thousands of extensive telephone interviews with leading attorneys throughout its balloting process.

April 11, 2006
Sarbanes-Oxley: Update on Recent Court Decisions
Debra S. Katz participated as a member of the faculty for the American Bar Association-CLE national broadcast titled "Sarbanes-Oxley: Update on Recent Court Decisions."

April 6, 2006
24th Annual Employment Law & Litigation Institute
Debra S. Katz served as a member of the faculty for the Georgetown University Law Center CLE: 24th Annual Employment Law & Litigation Institute: Legal Trends and Practice Strategies in Washington, D.C.

March 22, 2006
Women in Negotiation
Debra S. Katz spoke on a panel for the D.C. Women's Bar Association for a program entitled "Women in Negotiation" at the law offices of Winston & Strawn LLP.

March 17, 2006
"The Leading Lawyers in America."
Lawdragon, an online and print legal-services information company, has named Debra S. Katz as one of "The Leading Lawyers in America." The award is based on nominations by clients, law school deans, judges and other leaders in the legal profession. The editors at Lawdragon conduct independent research based on the information submitted. During the selection process, the editorial staff and an advisory board review votes to ensure the credibility of each entry and to ensure that the breadth and depth of each practice area and geographic region has been maintained.
Lawdragon is headed by award-winning legal journalists and lawyers and is the only company to provide evaluations of them as submittedby their peers and clients. They can be found online at Lawdragon website.

March 10-11, 2006
Accommodating Disabilities and Family & Medical Leaves in the Workplace Conference
Lisa J. Banks was a member of the faculty at the National Employment Lawyers Association: Accommodating Disabilities and Family & Medical Leaves in the Workplace conference, which took place in Seattle, Washington.

March and April, 2006
First Amended Complaint for Monetary, Declaratory, and Injunctive Relief
KMB attorneys David J. Marshall and Debra S. Katz, together with The Sturdevant Law Firm of San Francisco and Professor Gary Peller of Georgetown Law School, file class-action lawsuits in Federal District Courts in California and Maryland against BlueHippo Funding, LLC. The lawsuits allege that BlueHippo uses deceptive television ads and telephone sales pitches to trick low-income consumers into paying hundreds of dollars each for computers they never receive. Charging that BlueHippo takes money from two thirds of it customers while providing nothing in return, the lawsuits seek millions of dollars in restitution for consumers. See News Articles.

United States District Court, Northern District Of California, March and April, 2006
First Amended Complaint for Monetary, Declaratory, and Injunctive Relief

March 5, 2006
President of the American Psychological Association presented firm lawyers with an award
Dr. Gerald Koocher, President of the American Psychological Association, presented the law firm of Bernabei & Katz, PLLC, including Lynne Bernabei, who served as lead-counsel, Debra Katz, Ari Wilkenfeld, and Alan Kabat, with a Presidential Citation for their work in representing Dr. Susan Lerner. Dr. Lerner served as John Hinckley, Jr.'s Clinical Psychologist at St. Elizabeth's Hospital for several years in the 1980s. When Dr. Lerner and her team of mental health professionals concluded that Mr. Hinckley had improved enough to warrant incremental privileges, she was pressured by the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Secret Service, and her supervisors to "alter" her opinion and to perjure herself if she was called to testify. When Dr. Lerner refused, she was subjected to a campaign of retaliation by four of her supervisors. In 2000, the law firm of Bernabei & Katz, PLLC (Katz and Wilkenfeld's former law firm), filed suit on Dr. Lerner's behalf against the District of Columbia, including First Amendment and whistleblower claims. Five years later, after Dr. Lerner's attorneys fended off two motions to dismiss and one motion for summary judgment, the District was forced to settle the case for $800,000. The Citation commends Bernabei, Katz, Wilkenfeld and Kabat for their "commitment to fighting on behalf of psychologists and others who have faced unjust discrimination, sexual harassment, and psychological intimidation in corporate, educational, and governmental settings." The Citation continues that the recipients of the Citation are "among the best employment lawyers in the nation."

« « « KMB News 2007

KMB News 2005 » » »