Lewis Rice Attorneys Win Significant Title IX Case for Saint Louis University in U.S. Court of Appeals
A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit ruled unanimously in favor of Lewis Rice client, Saint Louis University, in an action involving Title IX and several other Missouri common law tort and statutory claims. Lewis Rice attorneys Neal F. Perryman and Sarah E. Mullen successfully represented the University, both in the trial court and on appeal. Neal argued the matter before the U.S. Court of Appeals.
The plaintiff sued the University, attempting to hold it responsible for damages resulting from an alleged off-campus sexual assault, as well as an alleged back injury which the plaintiff claimed she suffered as the result of her participation in intercollegiate athletics. After lengthy trial court litigation, District Judge Henry E. Autrey granted summary judgment to the University on all claims, holding, among other things, that the University's conduct toward the plaintiff was not "clearly unreasonable" as a matter of law, and that the plaintiff's other statutory and other common law claims failed.
On appeal, the judgment was affirmed in all respects, holding that the University's conduct was not shown "to exhibit deliberate indifference" and that the University could not be held liable under Title IX or any other attempted tort or statutory theory.
Immigration Benefits for Foreign National Employees
A local tech start-up approached Sarah when it identified a front-end web application developer it wanted to employ. Start-ups and tech companies are often the subject of strict U.S. government scrutiny when they seek immigration benefits for their foreign national employees. Nevertheless, Sarah helped the start-up successfully file for H-1B status on behalf of the employee. When the employee became an integral part of the growing start-up's success, Sarah helped the company navigate the sometimes complicated employment-based green card process. With Sarah's help, the company avoided the expense of government audits and additional requests for evidence, and the company's green card application on behalf of its key employee was approved expeditiously.
R-1 Religious Worker Petitions, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and Special Immigrant Religious Worker Status
Sarah works regularly with an international Christian church headquartered in St. Louis. She has helped this Church secure temporary, and then permanent resident status, for a minister and missionary from Liberia who has helped the growing church serve its burgeoning African immigrant church members. Sarah filed multiple R-1 religious worker petitions on behalf of the Minister, and she also counseled through filing for temporary protected status (TPS) and, ultimately, helped the church file for Special Immigrant Religious Worker status (Form I-360) on his behalf. Sarah's work has helped this Minister continue his important spiritual work for the church over several years, and it has allowed the Minister to remain in the U.S. during a time of health crisis in Liberia.
Dismissal of Two Class Action Lawsuits
In 2014, individual taxpayers and businesses in the City of St. Charles brought two putative class action lawsuits against the City, its officials and its City Council members, claiming the City had failed to properly collect license taxes that were designed to promote local tourism. Before the litigation proceeded into the discovery phase, Sarah Mullen and Rob Golterman successfully secured dismissal of the plaintiffs’ claims for writ of mandamus and money damages at the trial level. Plaintiffs then appealed. On appeal, Sarah and Rob again defended the City, and the Court of Appeals affirmed dismissal of all the plaintiffs’ claims in their entirety. Click here to read the opinion in this case.
Lewis Rice Defends Automotive Dealer Against Violation of the Missouri Human Rights Claims
The Plaintiff claimed he was subjected to a hostile work environment and that his employment was terminated because of his race, in violation of the Missouri Human Rights Act. The Plaintiff attempted to assert claims against both his direct employer and the parent company of his direct employer.
Lewis Rice attorney Sarah E. Mullen defended both the parent entity and the direct employer against the Plaintiff's claims. She managed discovery, and prevailed on several discovery motions, resulting in sanctions entered against the Plaintiff and an award of fees to her client. Sarah also achieved dismissal of the Plaintiff's claims against the parent entity. Shortly after Sarah conducted the Plaintiff's deposition, she was able to negotiate a very favorable settlement of all claims.
