Shegerian & Associates
Employment Law: Wrongful Termination, Discrimination, Harassment, Whistleblower Litigation.
Carney Shegerian and the trial lawyers of Shegerian & Associates reflect on the past year as one of the most memorable and critical in the plaintiffs employment firm’s history.
“When courtrooms reopened, we were back in our element securing the favorable results for which we are known,” said founder Carney R. Shegerian, who closed out 2021 with a $155.4 million verdict that served as a record for the firm and for Los Angeles County.
In this critical public policy and retaliation matter, Shegerian represented a former Farmers employee who was preparing to testify against the insurer in a Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) case, Coates v. Farmers. In anticipation of what would have been damaging testimony, Farmers retaliated against Andrew Rudnicki and fired him after 37 years of devoted service. Shegerian’s advocacy on behalf of Mr. Rudnicki resulted in a jury verdict, awarding $5.4 million in compensatory damages and a groundbreaking punitive damages award of $150 million against Farmers Insurance Exchange and Farmers Group Inc.
“Employer retaliation matters can have a lasting effect on employees, who are often already bravely speaking out against wrongdoing,” Shegerian noted. “We were honored to secure justice for our client and are confident the result sent a message to other well-funded entities about the consequences of retaliation.
“The December 2021 victory was a standout in a long track record of success. Since launching the firm in 1996, Carney has secured more than $1 billion for clients. He has won more than 100 jury verdicts, 50 of which secured seven figures or more. This includes several high-value verdicts, such as:
• $31.1 million - Age Discrimination
• $26.1 million - Age Discrimination
• $21.7 million - Disability Discrimination
• $16.6 million - Wrongful Termination
Additional record-setting resolutions include multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements in the areas of race, gender, and pregnancy discrimination, whistleblower litigation. Shegerian’s achievements in the courtroom are recognized by the legal profession and the media. He won the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA) Trial Lawyer of the Year Award in 2013, as a result of his record-breaking verdicts and settlements, and received his tenth overall nomination for the honor in 2022. He was also named Best Lawyers Lawyer of the Year in Los Angeles for Employment Law - Individuals (2023 edition).
His tradition of excellence has attracted some of the brightest and most prestigious legal minds, as the firm boasts a roster of more than 20 attorneys and 40 more staff members. The high caliber of the firm’s attorneys and their diverse perspectives uniquely positions Shegerian & Associates for more trial successes in 2023 and beyond.
“The employment landscape continually evolves and Shegerian & Associates adapts with it,” Shegerian noted. “In 2023 my personal goal is to try eight jury trials, and to have our associates try dozens more. Many of our clients have patiently waited for their day in court and we have the experience, knowledge and confidence to secure more favorable resolutions on their behalf.”
11520 San Vicente Boulevard | Los Angeles, CA 90049
Office: (310) 860-0770 | Facsimile: (310) 860-0771
shegerianlaw.com