Dan Siegel

Dan Siegel is a well-known trial and appellate attorney who has represented individuals, labor unions, community organizations, government agencies, and businesses in complex civil litigation for over 30 years. He is nationally known as an expert in employment and labor law, particularly cases involving colleges and universities, with over 125 jury trials to his credit. Lindy Vivas v. Fresno State (2007) Dan recently won a $5.85 million dollar verdict against Fresno State on behalf of former Fresno State volleyball coach Lindy Vivas. Learn More. This case was covered by the national press, including the New York Times. Siegel is a 1970 graduate of Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California, Berkeley. He obtained his bachelor's degree from Hamilton College in 1967. After working for the Legal Aid Society of Alameda County and the National Lawyers Guild Military Law Project in Southeast Asia, Siegel entered private practice in 1973. His store front community law collective specialized in employment discrimination, labor law, and civil rights litigation and developed an extensive practice representing pipeline workers in Alaska, shipyard workers in San Diego, casino employees in Las Vegas, and farm, cannery, factory, and office workers throughout California. In 1987 he joined the San Francisco City Attorney's Office as chief of complex litigation. While there he led the effort to settle 14 years of employment discrimination litigation against the San Francisco Fire Department, negotiating a consent decree that guaranteed affirmative action in hiring and promotions for women and people of color. He successfully defended the decree in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals against a challenge by the firefighters union. In 1989 Siegel became General Counsel for the Oakland Unified School District. He supervised the district's legal, labor relations, and security departments and successfully defended the district in several high profile trials. In 1993 Siegel resumed private practice and was recruited by Anne Weills to represent Jenny Harrison in her suit against the University of California for sex discrimination in the denial of tenure in the Berkeley Mathematics Department. As a result of his aggressive advocacy, the University agreed to a settlement which led to Dr. Harrison's appointment as a tenured full professor and a substantial financial award. Siegel next took on Donna Hunt's case for sexual harassment against the University of California at Davis. That suit ended successfully as well, with a cash settlement and a commitment for ongoing support for Ms. Hunt as she completed her Ph.D. in the Department of Geology. That case led to the termination of the professor who harassed Ms. Hunt, only the second dismissal of a tenured professor for misconduct in the entire history of the University of California. In 1997, Siegel won the largest employment law case in Arizona history, a $1 million verdict against Arizona State University for Dr. Laurie Vollen, ASU's former director of student health. Dr. Vollen was fired after she argued with the university's athletic director over the care provided to student athletes. In 1998, Siegel won a $700,000 judgment for a Caltrans biologist, Sally Walters, who suffered sexual harassment and retaliation on the job. On March 1, 2000, the jury in the case of Colleen Crangle v. Stanford University returned a verdict of $545,000 for Dr. Crangle. Dan Siegel and Anne Weills represented the Stanford research scientist in her case for gender bias and retaliation. The verdict, later increased to over $1 million when the trial judge awarded attorney's fees and costs to Dr. Crangle, was the first loss ever for Stanford in a civil rights case. In spring 2003, Siegel and Weills won a $1 million judgment in a tenure discrimination case against Brown University, representing Fred Shoucair, a native of Lebanon. Dr. Shoucair suffered discrimination in retaliation for opposing gender bias in the school of engineering. Siegel and his associates at Siegel & Yee maintain an active civil rights and employment law practice. Their caseload in recent years has included lawsuits against the University of California at several of its campuses, the University of San Francisco, Brigham Young University, Arizona State University, California State University, the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, and many California community college and public school districts. Siegel is currently the general counsel of Pacifica Radio and, with others in his firm, represents several locals of the Service Employees International Union. Siegel writes and lectures frequently on trial practice, labor and education law, and other legal matters. He teaches education law at Mills College and is a member of the Board of Education of the Oakland Unified School District. He has completed terms as chair of the Oakland Housing Authority, the Greater Oakland YMCA, and the Oakland Community Policing Task Force. SELECTED RECENT CASES Susan Bradford and Lavona Stanley v. Moonstone Management Corporation San Luis Obispo County Superior Court. (2004) Won jury verdict of $766,584 for two women who suffered sexual harassment while working as hotel waiters and front desk employees. Charlotte Laughon v. International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees California Court of Appeal. (2004) Won appeal establishing that an arbitration award must be vacated when the arbitrator failed to make mandated disclosures, regardless of the party's failure to seek the arbitrator's disqualification earlier. Stella Holmes v. Alta Bates Medical Medical Center Alameda County Superior Court. (2003) Won jury verdict of $204,600 in general damages based on failure of physician to obtain informed consent for use of experimental medical device on patient undergoing routine angiography. Fred Shoucair v. Brown University Providence Rhode Island Superior Court. (2003) Won jury verdict of $675,000 plus attorney's fees, and costs for former assistant professor of electrical engineering denied tenure and terminated after he protested discrimination directed at him due to his Lebanese national origin and his advocacy against gender bias. This was the largest jury award in Rhode Island in 2003. Colleen Crangle v. Stanford University United States District Court for the Northern District of California. (2000) Obtained jury verdict of $545,000 plus attorneys' fees of $492,925 for research scientist terminated in retaliation for complaining about gender bias. This was the first successful civil rights suit brought against Stanford University. Paul Kranz v. P.C.C. Group, Inc. Alameda County Superior Court. (2000) Won jury verdict of $704,624, including punitive damages of $500,000, for attorney defrauded of his fees. Sally Walters v. California Department of Transportation Alameda County Superior Court. (1998) Obtained a jury verdict of $500,000 plus attorneys' fees and costs of $200,000 for CalTrans biologist who suffered sexual harassment and retaliation on the job. Laurie Vollen v. Arizona State University Maricopa County Superior Court. (1997) Won jury verdict of $999,053 plus attorneys' fees, costs, and interest of $645,000 for physician director of student health who was terminated for whistle-blower activities involving the department of intercollegiate athletics. This was the largest judgment obtained in an employment case in Arizona. Kelly Torres v. Baker Alameda County Superior Court. (1997) Obtained jury verdict of $354,120 for family of man who died in house fire. City of Oakland v. California Beverage Retailer Coalition California Court of Appeal. (1996) Won landmark appellate decision upholding city ordinance restricting the proliferation of liquor stores and imposing requirements that liquor store owners prevent public nuisances and blight on their property. Donna Hunt v. The Regents of the University of California United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. (1994) Won settlement for graduate student at the University of California, Davis, who was sexually harassed by a professor. Ms. Hunt received over $200,000 plus support for her continued education, and the professor was fired. Jenny Harrison v. The Regents of the University of California Alameda County Superior Court. (1993) Won settlement for teacher of mathematics at the University of California, Berkeley, in action for gender bias in the denial of tenure. Dr. Harrison was promoted to full professor, with tenure, and received a confidential monetary award. San Francisco Fire Fighters v. City and County of San Francisco United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Review denied by the United States Supreme Court. (1990) Won appellate ruling upholding affirmative action plan for women and minorities in the San Francisco Fire Department. Visit: http://www.siegelyee.com