Legal Services

Civil Rights

The attorneys of Archer’s Civil Rights Practice Group have decades of experience defending civil rights claims against state, county and local law enforcement and corrections agencies, as well as school districts, municipalities, authorities, commissions and other government entities. These attorneys have tried hundreds of cases to successful conclusion, and have won pretrial dismissals or favorable settlements in hundreds more.

Archer’s civil rights attorneys have successfully defended claims alleging wrongful death, excessive force, malicious prosecution, false imprisonment, illegal search and seizure, deliberate indifference, cruel and unusual punishment, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, as well as claims stemming from alleged insufficient police staffing and security. These attorneys have also successfully defended numerous Monell claims brought under theories of liability including negligent hiring, failure to train, failure to discipline and lack of remedial measures.

Archer also has extensive experience defending employers against the full gamut of employment discrimination claims before state and federal courts as well as administrative agencies, including race, gender, sex, national origin and age discrimination, along with failure to accommodate disabilities, unlawful discipline and wrongful termination.

Our attorneys also have a wealth of experience in providing legal and counseling services to police and sheriff’s departments, child welfare agencies, correctional facilities and other municipal agencies aimed at prudent risk management in order to avoid costly litigation of municipal liability claims.  These lawyers assist clients in developing new policies or revising existing ones to meet evolving legal standards, emphasizing proactive risk management.  To that end, Archer attorneys regularly conduct training and counseling sessions to educate clients about potential areas of liability and changes in law.  We assist clients in pre-litigation case evaluation in order to identify and dispose of significant liability cases as early and as inexpensively as possible.

 

Experience

  • Successful defense verdict on federal civil rights claims alleging inadequate medical care for hepatitis C in New Jersey State Prisons.
  • Bowers, et al., v. New Century Transportation, Inc., Civ. No. 08-154 (N.D.W.V. May 18, 2009) (obtained summary judgment dismissing purported class action claim pursuant to the WARN Act).
  • Provided defense representation in various matters involving claims of racial, ethnic and gender employment discrimination and civil rights violations under federal and State laws.
  • Pflaumer v. State, Div. of State Police, 2007 WL 2050303 (N.J. Super. Ct., App. Div. 2007) (affirming summary judgment for defense in NJLAD, disparate treatment, and hostile work environment action)
  • Hill v. Algor, 85 F.Supp.2d 391 (D.N.J. 2000) (concluding in 3 week jury trial returning unanimous verdict of no cause for action in civil rights action)
  • Orsatti v. New Jersey State Police, 71 F.3d 480 (3d Cir. 1995) (reversing denial of summary judgment for defense in civil rights action)
  • The 39th District Police Litigation (class action alleging systemic police corruption);
  • The Baby Neal Litigation (a class action lawsuit brought on behalf of abused and neglected children against the City of Philadelphia, the Courts and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania);
  • The Pennhurst Consent Decree (class action alleging mistreatment of institutionalized mentally ill);
  • The Jackson and Harris Prison Consent Decrees (state and federal consent decrees concerning the conditions of confinement of inmates within the Philadelphia Prison System);
  • The NAACP, ACLU, Police-Barrio Relations Project Settlement Agreement (class-action civil rights lawsuit alleging that the City of Philadelphia had condoned the systemic practice by its police officers of violating the rights of citizens of Philadelphia in general, and particularly those of minorities);
  • National Republican Convention 2000 Litigation (First Amendment rights of protestors); and
  • Rosen et al v. City of Philadelphia (diabetics in custody).
  • Defense of all claims brought against the Department of Human Services under the Federal Civil Rights Act.

NEWS & EVENTS

11.15.2017 / PRESS RELEASE

Carlton Johnson Addresses West African Delegates at U.S. State Department Program

04.19.2017 / ARTICLES

Andrew Fede Discusses Sign and Billboard Law

11.10.2023 / EVENTS AND SEMINARS

Labor & Employment Seminar

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