Testimonials

On August 15, 2017, The Employment Law Firm, LLC won a major victory for its client, James Coleman, before the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. In *Coleman v. Duke*, 867 F.3d 204, 2017 U.S. App. LEXIS 15179 (D.C. Cir. Aug. 15, 2017), the D.C. Circuit reversed the district court’s dismissal of Mr. Coleman’s lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security brought under the anti-retaliation provisions of § 704 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. §2000e-3. The D.C. Circuit reinstated Mr. Coleman’s unlawful retaliation claim surrounding a promotion denial and counseling letters.

“Attorney Johnson was highly recommended to me based upon his reputation for being aggressive and conscientious in litigation. He diligently kept me informed of the progress of my case and fought very hard to ensure the protections of my civil rights. I would not hesitate to call upon his legal expertise in the future.”

"Counselor Johnson and his staff are not only the best at what they do, but they pursued my case with both passion and compassion. He gave me peace of mind that he was always doing everything in his power to pursue my best interests and defend me, with the tenacity one would expect from an able family member. I will be forever in his debt for having my back at a time when others turned theirs."

"During the course of my lengthy EEO discrimination complaint and subsequent federal court litigation, Attorney Johnson competently represented my legal interests against my former federal employer. He was aggressive at all times, but professional. He consistently communicated with me the progress of my case, informed me of his proposed legal strategies and welcomed my input and approval. At the end, I was successful by obtaining a resolution that made my family and I quite happy. I strongly recommend Attorney Johnson and his conscientious staff."

"Throughout my entire case, Mr. Johnson was easily accessible and he always encouraged communication. This was very critical because this was my first time pursuing the legal process and knowing he was available to answer my questions in a manner in which I understood was very helpful."

"I can’t thank you enough for the time, effort, professionalism and compassion you exhibited throughout the last two years from the bottom of my heart. I sincerely appreciate everything you have done."

"The Employment Law Firm, LLC was invaluable in helping me through a difficult time with my former employer. Mr. Johnson is one of the shining examples of a professional, caring and knowledgeable attorney. He was consistently focused, determined, and dedicated to achieving the best results for my case. Throughout my entire ordeal, he listened and vigorously advocated for me. I was regularly informed throughout the proceedings of my case, promises were maintained, and I was always provided with copies of communications between The Employment Law Firm, LLC and the defendants. Mr. Johnson and his direct staff possess excellent knowledge of employment and discrimination law, and they believe in the meticulous preparation of their cases. Upon settlement of my case, I felt that it was a fair settlement amount, and that Mr. Johnson had done everything in his power to ensure this process had truly been as smooth and as comfortable as possible. I could not have asked for more! I want to thank Mr. Johnson and his staff for truly being for the people.”

“It is my pleasure to have had such a support team of legal advisors to help me win my legal case. They were very aggressive when needed and very wise of all applicable laws and statutes. I felt very confident in The Employment Law Firm, LLC and would refer them to anyone who needs an energetic and conscientious employment law team.”
Thank You the Employment Law Firm LLC,
Sincerely

“During one of the most traumatizing moments of my life....Attorney Johnson and his team really helped and supported me through a lot of the uncertainty. He was very responsive, patient and most importantly showed an immense amount of empathy. He is strategic with his approach which is one of the best parts about working with him. When I first started working with him he told me his main focus is his clients and he has never wavered.”

The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration must face a Black former bus inspector's suit alleging she was fired for complaining about her supervisor's response to racial harassment she faced from bus operators, with a federal judge ruling Thursday that a reasonable jury could find in favor of the ex-employee.

U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson in a 50-page opinion rejected the state agency's bid for summary judgment on Mashelia Gibson's claims of race discrimination and retaliation under Title VII and the Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act.

The MVA had argued that Gibson was fired for falsifying mileage and bus inspection records, not for a December 2018 internal complaint in which she detailed racial harassment she'd experienced from her white supervisor, Michael Groff, as well as colleagues and school bus contractors.

But Judge Hurson said that just because the MVA could have fired Gibson for allegedly falsifying the records — something Gibson denies doing — doesn't mean the agency necessarily would have.

"According to the opinion, Groff asked an equal employment opportunity investigator about filing defamation charges against Gibson shortly after she filed her discrimination complaint. Additionally, Gibson went on medical leave between January 2019 and May 2019, and only a month passed between her return to work and her alleged fireable offense, which Groff discovered within 24 hours.
"A jury may reasonably question this prompt discovery given that this type of offense was never investigated before and had never resulted in a firing before plaintiff's," Judge Hurson wrote. "Most critically, a jury may reasonably question this prompt discovery because Groff played an active role in the internal investigation."

The judge added that a jury could find "something abnormal and disproportionate" about the investigation into Gibson considering that she was surveilled for several weeks, while an Asian colleague facing similar accusations was not surveilled and ultimately got to keep his job.

Judge Hurson also noted the severe harassment that Gibson said she faced from white bus operators across the state. This included incidents where she was threatened with a bear taser, a snake and a guard dog; called the N-word by a man who had Confederate flags in his buses; and told to pee in a bucket because the restrooms were for white people only.

Gibson alleged in her complaint that she told Groff about how she was being treated while doing inspections, but he told her the school bus operators just needed to get used to her. Additionally, Gibson said Groff told her not to ride in an MVA vehicle with a Black colleague because it would "look strange" and told her he'd never hire another woman, while other coworkers referred to her as "it" and "Whoopi Goldberg."

"The allegations cumulatively are severe and/or pervasive enough to survive a motion for summary judgment. … Indeed, some of the incidents may have been severe enough to be actionable in and of themselves," Judge Hurson wrote.

Nathaniel Johnson, who is representing Gibson, told Law360 in an interview Thursday that his client "feels fully exonerated" considering the court refused to toss any of her claims.

"We feel pretty good in our position as far as next steps, and hopefully the next step is going to be a good faith discussion about settlement resolution," Johnson said. "And if not, then we have to do what we have to do. But hopefully, the state of Maryland will do the right thing."

A representative for the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration declined to comment.

Gibson is represented by Nathaniel D. Johnson of Employment Law Firm LLC.

The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration is represented by Leight D. Collins, Neil I.
Jacobs and David C. Merkin of the Maryland Attorney General's Office.
The case is Gibson v. Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, case number 8:20-cv-03220, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.
--Editing by Leah Bennett.