Kiyonaga & Soltis has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in a variety of discrimination/civil rights cases. Recently, the firm prevailed at trial on behalf of a plaintiff in a federal housing disability discrimination action in Alexandria, Virginia, winning significant awards of compensatory and punitive damages against one of the nation’s largest investors, developers and operators of apartment communities.
Other recent matters have included a Section 1983 civil rights action on behalf of Georges Marciano, a co-founder of Guess Jeans, alleging pervasive violations of his constitutional rights by a California state court judge; a sexual harassment claim brought by an OB/GYN physician against her employer, a prominent university hospital; an age discrimination claim filed against a major weapons manufacturer; and race discrimination actions against a major D.C. bank and a Fortune 500 office supply store; and representation of a former Bureau Chief for a major news organization. Given its track record on the plaintiff side, Kiyonaga & Soltis has been hired by corporations to defend against discrimination claims and to train personnel in administering harassment policies. Kiyonaga & Soltis also uses its expertise in employment law to negotiate employment agreements and severance packages for high-level corporate executives.
The firm also has significant class action experience, having acted as lead counsel in an employment discrimination class action brought on behalf of over 2000 Hispanic employees of the FDIC and co-counsel with Williams & Connolly, LLP in a class action case against the U.S. Department of Justice seeking overtime pay for some 9000 DOJ attorneys. The firm also worked with Susman Godfrey, LLP of Houston, Texas on behalf of plaintiffs in a multi-state antitrust class action matter against Visa and MasterCard pending in D.C. Superior Court.
Kiyonaga & Soltis often pursues novel discrimination claims in seeking redress for its clients. For example, Kiyonaga & Soltis recently sued a major insurance company on behalf of a young man who was denied coverage of emergency surgery for his morbid obesity. The suit, alleging discrimination on the basis of personal appearance under the D.C. Human Rights Act, is currently pending in D.C. Superior Court. In an important ruling, the Court established, for the first time in any reported case, that the morbidly obese may sue for discrimination when a healthcare insurance provider refuses to cover the costs of surgical treatment for obesity – a significant victory for those affected by this medical condition.
The firm has handled over 300 criminal matters, ranging from simple assaults to homicides. Recently, the firm represented an alleged MS-13 member in Superior Court in a five co-defendant armed robbery case and won acquittals on all charges. Representative clients include a young mother charged with first degree murder in connection with the death of her three-year old daughter; a grandfather charged with decades of sexual molestation of his own family members; and a young man, diagnosed with severe paranoid schizophrenia, charged with a series of rapes and armed robberies on Capitol Hill. Given the complexity of such criminal matters, the firm often works closely with forensic psychologists and experts in crime scene reconstruction, DNA analysis and sexual offender treatment.
The firm has handled over 300 criminal matters, ranging from simple assaults to homicides. Recently, the firm represented an alleged MS-13 member in Superior Court in a five co-defendant armed robbery case and won acquittals on all charges. Representative clients include a young mother charged with first degree murder in connection with the death of her three-year old daughter; a grandfather charged with decades of sexual molestation of his own family members; and a young man, diagnosed with severe paranoid schizophrenia, charged with a series of rapes and armed robberies on Capitol Hill. Given the complexity of such criminal matters, the firm often works closely with forensic psychologists and experts in crime scene reconstruction, DNA analysis and sexual offender treatment.
K & S has represented an array of diplomats and foreign nationals in local and overseas matters. The firm defended a Georgian diplomat in a civil action in federal court and secured the dismissal of the case on immunity grounds. The firm also represented the former Ambassador from Brazil to the United States in a civil matter and has represented a prominent Argentine political figure before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. The firm recently settled a Warsaw Convention action brought on behalf of a young boy who was sexually assaulted on an international flight by an intoxicated passenger, and worked with foreign police authorities in securing the arrest of the perpetrator. K & S routinely collaborates with overseas law firms, particularly in Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia.
Since its inception, K & S has represented a variety of clients in divorce, domestic and other family law matters, including negotiating separation agreements and litigating contested divorces, complex divisions of marital property, alimony, child support and custody matters. Unlike many domestic lawyers who are often comfortable in conference rooms but not in courtrooms, K & S is able to effectively use its broad-based litigation experience, including investigations, depositions, motions practice and trial strategies, to leverage favorable resolutions for its clients.
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