Our attorneys have prosecuted and defended civil rights matters related to highly publicized events and with challenging legal barriers. The Larson team includes former federal prosecutors, federal public defenders, and assistant district attorneys with the background and knowledge necessary to tell any client’s story while addressing the intricacies of federal and state civil rights law.
Our firm represents individuals and companies in matters involving civil rights violations. Notably, we represented real estate developers in a novel civil rights dispute seeking millions of dollars in damages for claims including First Amendment retaliation, conspiracy to deny civil rights, and malicious prosecution, arising from what is considered one of the largest public corruption cases in California history. Larson’s efforts culminated in a $65 million settlement for our exonerated clients.
We have also represented municipalities, law enforcement, federally recognized tribes, and other government entities and agencies in both the defense and prosecution of civil rights allegations—ranging from fabricated evidence, Brady violations, malicious prosecution, and Monell liability. Having litigated both sides of a civil rights matter, we are as adept at negotiating a swift settlement with minimal outlay as we are at pursuing a case through unrelenting advocacy at trial. Our greatest victory is protecting our clients’ civil rights and achieving the result they deserve under the law.
We also bring the unique perspective from the other side of the bench, as founding partner and former U.S. District Judge Stephen G. Larson adjudicated hundreds of civil rights lawsuits in the Central District of California. Outside of using his experience to benefit the firm’s civil rights litigation practice and our clients, Stephen has shared his expertise with the legal community by teaching law school courses in civil rights law and presenting on civil rights litigation at conferences around the world.