The firm represents an array of public agencies and private parties in matters involving constitutional and statutory issues affecting the public interest.

Employment Discrimination

Strumwasser & Woocher secured settlement of an action alleging race discrimination in employment of probation officers and in delivery of services to juvenile probationers. As part of the settlement, the County of Los Angeles agreed to allocate intervention resources to probationers according to rigorous criteria that research has shown to be most effective in reducing delinquency.

Anti-SLAPP

In 1994 California passed legislation to protect the victims of “SLAPP” cases (“Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation”), suits brought, typically by developers, against individuals and groups that appear before government agencies in opposition to development permits. Strumwasser & Woocher won early landmark cases applying the law to defend an archaeologist on a development project, and has successfully represented other private citizens and Public Interest Organizations who had been sued for their public speech. Dixon v. Superior Court, 30 Cal. App. 4th 733 (1994).

Striking Down Discrimination Insurance Legislation

On behalf of the California Insurance Commissioner and in conjunction with several local and national civil rights and consumer rights organizations, Strumwasser & Woocher won a judgment declaring new state insurance legislation invalid and unconstitutional. The statutory amendments in question discriminated against previously uninsured drivers — in direct violation of Proposition 103, a sweeping pro-consumer initiative regulating the insurance industry. The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, et al. v. Garamendi (Feb. 20, 2004, BS086235).

HUD Redlining Study

Strumwasser & Woocher advised the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for Civil Rights on enforcement of anti-redlining rules under the Fair Housing Act, and served as special counsel in hearings the Secretary conducted on possible rulemaking.

Weapon-Searches in Schools

Strumwasser & Woocher successfully defended Los Angeles Unified School District at trial and on appeal against a damages claim filed by an untenured teacher whose contract was not renewed after she twice obstructed searches of her classroom pursuant to the District’s weapon search policy (crafted in consultation with the ACLU and law-enforcement officials). Motevalli v. Los Angeles Unified School District, __ Cal. 4th __, 18 Cal. Rptr. 3d 562 (Sept. 9, 2004).

Title VI Compliance Analysis

As counsel to the Los Angeles Unified School District, Strumwasser & Woocher conducted a groundbreaking quantitative and legal study of the district’s bond-financed school construction and modernization program to determine whether any practices in implementing the program has a disparate impact on minority students.

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