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HSKRR Attorneys Receive Prestigious Top 75 Honor
July 13, 2011
HSKRR’s Dan Stormer, Virginia Keeny, and Cornelia Dai were named to the Top 75 Labor and Employment Attorneys in California by the Daily Journal™, the preeminent legal publication on the West Coast.
HSKRR Attorneys Josh Piovia-Scott and Randy Renick Secure a Published Appellate Court Victory for the Exercise of the First Amendment Right to Political Speech
March 28, 2011
HSKRR filed a lawsuit on behalf of Lieutenant Jeff Bardzik of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department alleging that Bardzik was retaliated against by former Sheriff Michael Carona for supporting Carona’s opponent in the election for Orange County Sheriff. HSKRR successfully opposed defendants’ motion for summary judgment and on March 28, 2011, the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a published decision finding that Carona is not entitled to qualified immunity for retaliating against Bardzik in his position in Court Operations. Bardzik’s case against Carona and the County is expected to go to trial later this year. Read more.
Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson & Renick Files Class Action Against FBI on Behalf of Southern California's Muslim Community
March 2011
HSKRR attorneys Dan Stormer, Josh Piovia-Scott and Reem Salahi, along with the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California and the Council on American Islamic Relations are co-counseling a class action lawsuit against the FBI alleging illegal and unconstitutional surveillance of the Muslim communities in Southern California. In a fourteen month operation, the FBI employed informant Craig Monteilh who was specifically tasked with targeting Muslims and mosques in the Southern California region. As a consequence of Monteilh’s violent provocations, Muslim organizations in Orange County reported Monteilh to the FBI and received a temporary restraining order against Monteilh. The FBI subsequently revealed Monteilh’s role in spying and reporting on the Muslim community, in direct contravention to the First Amendment. HSKRR, ACLU-SC, and CAIR are now suing the FBI for injunctive relief. Read more.
Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson & Renick Joins Legal Defense Team of "The Irvine 11."
March , 2011
HSKRR attorneys Dan Stormer and Reem Salahi have joined the legal defense team of the eleven University of California Irvine and Riverside students who were allegedly discriminatorily charged with two misdemeanor counts for peacefully protesting Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren. Despite being disciplined by their respective universities, the eleven students -- dubbed “The Irvine 11” -- now face criminal charges and possible sentenced incarceration. On the first date of arraignment, the legal defense team filed a motion to disqualify the Orange County District Attorney's office on the grounds of prosecutorial misconduct and discriminatory prosecution based on prejudicial statements made as well as evidence that the office illegally obtained the students’ privileged communications. Read more. More coverage here, and here.
Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson & Renick's File Class Action Against Walt Disney Company
February 22, 2011
HSKRR has filed a class action case on behalf of Disney employees claiming that, among other things, employee identification cards expose them to identity-theft risk. View the complaint. Read more.
Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson & Renick's Virginia Keeny Quoted Concerning Wrongful Termination Case
October 26, 2010
Wrongful Termination and Defamation case against the City of Colton, California brought on behalf of former Police Chief Kenneth Rulon, proceeding to trial. HSKRR's Virginia Keeny, lead counsel on the case, was recently quoted in a San Bernardino Sun article after defeating Colton’s Motion for Summary Judgment.
Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson & Renick's Dan Stormer Named Appellate Lawyer of the Week
October 6, 2010
HSKRR's Dan Stormer was named Appellate Lawyer of the Week by the National Law Journal following his appearance before the U.S. Supreme Court in a privacy case brought on behalf of employees of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Read more.
Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson & Renick's Dan Stormer Argues Case before the U.S. Supreme Court Challenging NASA's JPL Laboratory Background Checks
October 5, 2010
The United States Supreme Court is reviewing a lawsuit by 28 long-term scientists, engineers, and others at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory near Pasadena, California. The workers, who are independent contractors, claim the mandatory checks are overly intrusive -- permitting the government to obtain information on their health, finances, personal habits, and even their sex lives. All were classified as "low risk," unlikely to have a major "adverse impact" on the agency's mission.
HSKRR's Dan Stormer told the high court that government contractors like his clients, who perform “low-risk” work, should not have to face intrusive questioning about drug treatment or counseling simply to qualify for a government-issued ID badge. Under questioning from Justices Sotomayor and Stephen Breyer, Dan Stormer said the government usually had sufficient grounds to ask for basic information from employees but needed stronger justification for questions that touch on personal concerns such as sexual relations and family matters. CNN. USA Today. Christian Science Monitor.
The Central District Grants Plaintiffs' Motion in Class Action Wage and Hour Case
September 21, 2010
 The Central District granted Plaintiffs’ motion to compel the names and contact information of all putative class members today in Alvarez v. Hyatt Regency Long Beach, CV 09-04791. Hotel workers at the Hyatt Regency Long Beach represented by HSKRR's Randy Renick and Radhika Sainath filed a class action lawsuit in May 2009, alleging the hotel failed to pay them and other non-exempt employees for all hours worked, that they did not receive meal and rest breaks and were not paid for missed breaks as required by California law.
The Court found, in contrast to Hyatt’s arguments, that the disclosure of this information is “common practice” in the in the class action context and that an opt-out system was not necessary for both pragmatic and legal reasons. As such, Defendants were ordered to deliver this information directly to Plaintiffs’ counsel within two days.
The decision can be read here.
Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson & Renick Settle with Hermosa and Manhattan Beach Grocery Workers Over Strike Treatment
September 20, 2010
The cities of Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach will fork over $420,000 to 14 supermarket workers to settle a federal civil rights lawsuit over the workers' treatment by police six years ago, plaintiffs lawyer, HSKRR's Dan Stormer said Monday. The lawsuit, filed in December 2004 in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana, stems from the contentious labor dispute involving Ralphs, Vons, Safeway and Albertsons and members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union during the 2004 grocery strike and lockout. Read more.
Court Rejects LAX Hotels’ Claims on Banquet Fees
September 20, 2010
In a blow to hotels near Los Angeles International Airport already suffering from high vacancies, a state appeals court has ruled against them in a fight over tips.
The Second District Appellate Court upheld a 2006 city ordinance requiring that hotel managers turn over “service fees” they collect to banquet staff, porters and other employees.
Hotel executives haven’t decided whether to pursue a state Supreme Court appeal of the ruling, which could result in retroactive payment of millions of dollars. The ruling, which reverses a district court’s rejection of the ordinance, sends the case to Superior Court for trial, where damages and back payment will be determined.
As a result of the ruling, the employees of hotels can proceed in their lawsuit to collect their share of service fees charge.
Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson & Renick Win Appeal. Class Action Service Fee Case To Go Forward
September 8, 2010
 On September 8, 2010, the California Court of Appeals ruled that the employees of the Renaissance Montura Hotel, the Marriott LAX, the Four Points Sheraton, Hilton Los Angeles Airport, and the Radisson Hotel LAX hotels are allowed to recover service fees collected by the hotels since 2008. The panel of three judges from the Second Appellate District reversed the dismissals of class action lawsuits brought by employees of five hotels which had failed to pay to their employees mandatory service charges in violation of a city ordinance. The Court of Appeal held that the City of Los Angeles' Hotel Service Charge Reform Ordinance was not preempted by the California Labor Code provisions regulating gratuities and was not unconstitutional.
As a result of the ruling, the employees of hotels can proceed in their lawsuit to collect their share of service fees charge. You can view the opinion here.
Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson & Renick and ACLU File Class Action Wage And Hour Complaint Against Fullerton Medical Equipment Manufacturer
September 2, 2010
HSKRR, along with the ACLU, has filed a class action complaint against Terra Universal, a Fullerton, California based medical equipment manufacturer, alleging that the company deprived its employees, many of who were undocumented, of overtime, rest and meal breaks, and threatened the employees with deportation to keep them quiet. Randy Renick, an attorney representing the plaintiff has said: "In all my years of practicing law I've never seen such a sophisticated and oppressive scheme to cheat employees of their wages. More coverage and news video here.
Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson & Renick File Class Action Case Against the LAX Hilton Hotel Alleging Living Wage Violations
June 18, 2010
The case, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on behalf of approximately 150 current and former hotel workers alleges that the hotel cheated them out of legal wages required by the Airport Hospitality Enhancement Zone Ordinance, among other claims. The city ordinance was signed by the Mayor in 2007. The complaint seeks back pay for affected employees and a court injunction mandating that Hilton comply with the city living wage laws in the LAX Corridor area. Read the news coverage from the LA Times here.
You can view the press release here.
Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson & Renick in Human Rights Case before the Ninth Circuit
June 15, 2010
 Arguments in the Appeal of an international case alleging human rights abuses under the Alien Tort Claims Act against oil giant Chevron Corporation took place before the Ninth Circuit this week. HSKRR, along with its co-counsel, presented their arguments to the court that the 2008 jury verdict absolving Chevron should be set aside due to flawed jury instructions. Read the news coverage here. More coverage here.
Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson & Renick 's Radhika Sainath has Authored an Article Concerning the Recent Conflict off the Coast of Gaza
June 3, 2010
 HSKRR's Radhika Sainath's article concerning the recent Israeli attack on a flotilla off the coast of the Gaza Strip has been published in the Electronic Intifada. Read the article here.
Link to the article on the Electronic Intifada site here.
Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson & Renick 's Cornelia Dai Quoted
May 17, 2010
HSKRR's Cornelia Dai was quoted in a recent article concerning Federal and State governmental efforts to crackdown on employers' misclassification of employees as independent contractors. Read more.
HSKRR's Radhika Sainath Quoted while Observing Philippine Elections
May 11, 2010
HSKRR's Radhika Sainath was on location in the Philippines observing the recent elections. Civilians attempting to vote were subjected to widespread corruption and intimidation. Ms. Sainath was quoted in a widely read newspaper. Read more.
HSKRR's Dan Stormer and Anne Richardson Recently Returned from Guantánamo Bay, Cuba
May 5, 2010
 HSKRR's Anne Richardson and Dan Stormer recently returned from Cuba as they work as part of a legal team seeking habeas corpus relief for a Guantánamo detainee. This marks HSKRR's fourth trip to the prison.
HSKRR's Randy Renick and Anne Richardson Win Class Certification Issue in the Ninth Circuit
March 30, 2010
March 2010: HSKRR’s Randy Renick and Anne Richardson prevailed in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in UNITED STEEL v. CONOCOPHILLIPS . In a published decision, a unanimous panel reversed a lower court’s ruling, holding that the lower court improperly held that plaintiffs' "on duty" meal period in a wage and hour “on duty” meal period case could not meet class certification requirements. The case has been remanded back to the District Court.
Supreme Court to Hear Case Seeking to Halt Intrusive Background Checks at NASA's JPL Laboratory
March 1, 2010
 The U.S. Supreme Court has elected to review a federal appeals court's decision to grant a request by NASA scientists for a preliminary injunction to halt allegedly deep-reaching background checks on low-risk employees at the space agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. HSKRR's Virginia Keeny and Dan Stormer are representing the scientists. Read more.
Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson & Renick 's Virginia Keeny Named Chairperson of CELA
September 15, 2009
 HSKRR is proud to announce that Virginia Keeny, a Partner at Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson & Renick, has been named chairperson of the California Employment Lawyers Association. She recently served on the Executive Board at CELA and has been actively involved in the organization for over a decade. You can learn more about CELA here.
Dan Stormer Receives Prestigious Top 100 Honor
September 10, 2009
Dan Stormer, a founding Partner at Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson & Renick, has recently been named one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in California by the American Trial Lawyers Association. Mr. Stormer has received this honor in the past as well as countless awards and recognition for his tireless advocacy on behalf of Civil Rights. You can view many of his awards here.
Long Beach Hyatt Sued By Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson & Renick For Wage And Hour Violations
September 14, 2009
Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson & Renick currently represents a group of current and former employees of the Long Beach Hyatt Hotel. The employees allege that they were forced to start work before they clocked in, and coerced by management to work straight through their shifts without taking meal or rest breaks. The Plaintiffs, a group of Housekeepers, housemen, stewards, and other hotel employees, also allege that The Hyatt failed to pay them for all of their hours worked, failed to provide them and the Plaintiff Class meal and rest periods as required by the applicable California IWC Wage Orders, failed to pay them compensation required by the California Labor Code for missed meal and rest periods, and failed to comply with other legal requirements.
Read more.
Parking Facilities Operator Accused Of Statewide Wage Violations
September 9, 2009
Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson & Renick currently represents a statewide class of current and former employees of ABM Industries and AMPCO System Parking. AMPCO operates 680 parking facilities in California. The locations range from small and large retail complexes to airports, and consist of anywhere from 10 to more than 10,000 parking stalls. AMPCO employs approximately 3,500 hourly employees at these locations, including valets, attendants, cashiers, and maintenance workers. The employees allege that management at AMPCO systematically failed to pay its employees overtime compensation required by California law. The Plaintiffs also allege that Ampco failed to pay them for all of their hours worked, including failure to pay overtime compensation, failed to provide them and the meal and rest periods as required by the applicable California IWC Wage Orders, failed to pay them compensation required by the California Labor Code for missed meal and rest periods, failed to pay the statutory minimum wage, failed to keep accurate records as required by law, failed to pay employees who resigned or were terminated the wages due to them at the time they left their employment with Defendants, and failed to comply with other legal requirements. The Plaintiffs were routinely denied the ability to leave their posts to take their legally required meal and rest breaks, and in many cases were denied the ability to even use the rest room. Plaintiffs further allege that when hourly employees of Ampco requested breaks, they were consistently instructed by their supervisors that rest and meal breaks were not permitted if customers needed assistance and no other employee was available to relieve them.
You can view the complaint here. Read more here.
HSKRR's Barbara Hadsell And Co-Counsel Settle Slumlord Case in Westlake Region of Los Angeles For $4.5 Million
September 5, 2009
Fifteen families received more than $4.5 million to settle a three-year-old habitability suit against the current and former landlords of an apartment building who allowed the property to fall into egregious disrepair. The $4.5 Million settlement reached was reached during mediation, and is one of the highest amounts paid to individual plaintiffs in a habitability suit in Los Angeles County history. Despite repeated complaints from the tenants and a multitude of citations by several government entities, the defendants failed to improve the conditions in the building, forcing tenants to live in horrible conditions. The lawsuit was first filed in July 2006, and is subject to a confidentiality clause that prohibits the firms from publicizing details including plaintiff and defendants names.
Recent Study Finds Low-Wage Workers Continue To Be Cheated
March 25, 2009
Despite the efforts of Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson & Renick and many other firms and government agencies, low income workers continue to suffer wage and hour violations at an alarming rate. A recent study concluded that even prior to the recent recession, as many as 68% of low-wage workers suffer wage and hour violations regularly. Many employers refuse overtime pay, require off-the-clock work, or prevent workers' compensation claims, among other violations. Violations are more predominate in apparel and textile manufacturing, personal and repair services, as well as in private households. The study’s authors indicated that stricter enforcement of labor laws is necessary, whether through government enforcement or private civil actions, and that the most effective method of preventing violations is the education of workers of their rights and access to legal resources and representation regardless of immigration status or the ability to read and write English.
View the New York Times article here.
Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson & Renick Currently Litigating a Class Action Case Against Beauticians to the Stars
September 4, 2009
Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson & Renick currently represents employees in a class action lawsuit against Ziba Beauty Center, Inc. Ziba owns and operates twelve or more beauty salons in the greater Los Angeles area. The proposed class is made up of beauticians, threaders, and other employees who work in these salons. Ziba has many Hollywood stars among its clients.
Plaintiffs allege, among other things, that Ziba Beauty Center failed to properly calculate and pay their employees overtime compensation as required by the California Labor Code, failed to provide meal and rest periods, failed to pay compensation required by the California Labor Code for missed meal and rest periods, failed to pay employees who resigned or were terminated the wages due to them at the time they left their employment, failed to properly calculate and pay the minimum wage as required by the Labor Code, and failed keep accurate records as required by law. Virginia Keeny is lead counsel.
You can view the complaint here.
Victory for HSKRR! Court grants class certification. Read press release.
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