The Klinedinst Housing Discrimination Defense and Civil Rights group is dedicated to defending individual and corporate property owners, landlords, and property management companies against federal and state claims of alleged discrimination. The practice group has broad knowledge in defending property-based and real estate investment businesses against all potential categories of alleged housing discrimination, including race, disability, sex, age, familiar status, and sexual orientation. Our attorneys frequently defend businesses against claims brought under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and the federal Fair Housing Act (FHA).

The Klinedinst Housing Discrimination Defense and Civil Rights group has ground-breaking and leading experience due to its joint defense of one of Los Angeles' most high-profile landlords in the largest housing discrimination case in history filed by private plaintiffs in conjunction with the Department of Justice. The highly-publicized and consolidated cases were pending in the Central District of California from 2006-2009 [Department of Justice v. Donald T. Sterling et. al. Lead Case No. CV 06-4885-DSF (Ex) related to Kevin Tyrrell v. Donald T. Sterling et. al., Case No. CV 06 07442 DSF(Ex); Darrell Rhodes v. Donald T. Sterling et. al.,Case No. CV 07 7234 DSF(Ex)]. The case involved 65 million pages of documents and thousands of witnesses. After more than three years of successful defense by various members of the Klinedinst practice group, the cases were globally resolved in November 2009 on extremely advantageous terms to the clients. After over two and a half years of litigation, the United States and two private plaintiff firms had only been able to locate twenty families who were claiming discriminatory treatment, out of over 12,000 total tenants at issue.

Likewise, in 2007, Greg Garbacz, the chair of the Practice Group, obtained a complete defense verdict at trial in a Section Eight housing discrimination case that involved inflammatory allegations of disability and income-based discrimination. In April of 2010, the verdict was unanimously upheld on appeal by the Second Appellate District in a published decision, which affirmed the arguments advanced by Klinedinst at trial and on appeal. The published opinion is Sabi v. Sterling (2010) __ Cal.App.4th __ [2010 Cal. App. LEXIS 486], and is available at:

http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/documents/B205279.PDF

In addition to being the leaders in California in the defense of property owners and property management companies in housing discrimination cases, the Klinedinst Housing Discrimination Defense and Civil Rights Group has trial-based experience in the defense of all of California's civil rights statutes, including the Bane, Ralph, and Unruh Civil Rights Acts. These statutes often raise the stakes for California businesses due to the potential for treble damages, attorneys' fees and statutory penalties. As Fair Housing and Employment Act experts in employment law as well as housing, the firm can provide a solid defense of any real estate or other business against claims of alleged discrimination or violation of civil rights no matter what the context or setting. Moreover, with extensive trial experience in the defense of these cases, Klinedinst has unique credibility with the plaintiff's bar, which will add needed leverage for exploring settlement of such cases, if that is the client's desired objective.

Learn more about the Klinedinst attorneys that make up our practice group by selecting from the names below: