Law Firm Overview

Special Qualifications:

Adjunct Professor of Law, University of Baltimore Law School, 1420 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD

Regular Speaker before employment seminars of the District of Columbia Bar Association and the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association (MWELA)

As an attorney and an individual I have demonstrated a lifelong dedication to representing individuals who suffer discrimination and reprisal-- with documented results.

General Counsel to Cancervive, the Cancer Survivor's Network Brentwood California

General Counsel to ADFA, The France-USA Association of Medical Professionals Dealing with issues of Pain Management

Assisted the District of Columbia Council in providing written testimony on the 2001 amendments to the D.C. Whistleblower Protection Act.

Representative Cases and Notes:

Nichol v. Office of Personnel Management

AT-0842-06-0480-I-1

In this case the firm made new law for federal employees who had part time service as part of their federal careers. It resulted in new annuity calculations for part time federal employees.

Dalmas v. Office of Personnel Management

CH-8444E-08-0589-I-1

In this federal disability retirement case, representative of many of the cases that the firm takes on, the Merit Systems Protection Board reversed OPM's denial of disability retirement benefits to a deserving federal employee. The firm has had significant success in obtaining disability retirement benefits for deserving federal employees in appropriate cases.

Zojourner v. Brown O1:CV:02358-GK

650,000 verdict plus 250,000 in back pay awarded to federal psychologist who was retaliated against for making allegations of sexual discrimination.

Killeen v. OPM 832 F.3rd 1316 (2004)

Areas of Practice

• Sexual Harassment
• Discrimination
• Employment Law -- Employee
• Whistleblower/Qui Tam

Published Works

• "The New Whistleblower Protection Act: Fine Tuning Disclosure Protection" Michael L. Spekter, Esq., Federal Merit Systems Reporter, Volume 89, Number 4E, May, 1989
• "Lawyers Lounge" Stuart Stiller Prize for Creative Writing by a Member of the D.C. Bar, The District Lawyer, 1989

Representative Cases

• Raphael v. Okyiri, 740 A.2d 935 (D.C. 1999)
• Zenian v. District of Columbia Office of Employee Appeals, 598 A.2d 1161 (D.C. 1991)
• Berube v. General Services Administration, 820 F.2d 396 (Fed. Cir 1987)
• A.Z. v. Tom Ridge, Director Department of Homeland Security
• $650,000 Jury Verdict Compensatory Damages for Violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, District of Columbia District Court (01-2358 GK 2004)
• John M. Killeen v. Office of Personnel Management
• Reversing OPM Determination of Retirement Benefits due to Federal Air Traffic Controllers who Mix Part Time and Full Time Work During their Federal Careers, Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (04-3033 2004)
• Nichol v. Office of Personnel Management, AT-0842-06-0480-I-1
• Dalmas v. Office of Personnel Management, CH-8444E-08-0589-I-1
• Zojourner v. Brown, O1:CV:02358-GK
• Killeen v. OPM, 832 F.3rd 1316 (2004)

West Practice Categories

Sexual Harassment, Discrimination, Employment Law -- Employee, Whistleblower/Qui Tam