Everyone Deserves to Be Treated with Dignity and Respect
No one should have to tolerate discrimination, harassment, or retaliation to keep a job. Civil rights laws protect people from being treated differently because of who they are and from being punished for speaking up, reporting misconduct, requesting an accommodation, taking protected leave, or exercising other legal rights.
Discrimination is rarely admitted. Retaliation is rarely announced. Employers and institutions often offer another explanation for what happened. That can make these cases difficult, but it does not mean the discrimination or retaliation was not present. Timing matters. So do emails, records, witnesses, shifting explanations, and how other employees were treated.
Smith Foster King represents employees and others whose civil rights have been violated. We handle cases involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, whistleblowing, disability rights, wrongful termination, and other unlawful conduct. We take these cases seriously because the consequences are real--and because people should be held accountable when they violate someone else's rights.
Practice Focus
Employment Litigation Claims
Sex and Gender Discrimination
Race and National Origin Discrimination
Age and Disability Discrimination
Harassment and Hostile Environment
Wrongful Termination and Retaliation
Whistleblower Claims
Representative Results
Selected Verdicts & Settlements
$1.25 Million — Retaliation
A Portland jury found an international athletic apparel company liable for retaliating against a director-level employee who complained of race and national origin discrimination.
$933,900 — Whistleblower Retaliation
Settlement for two public employees who alleged they were terminated after reporting mismanagement, gross waste of public funds, and abuse of authority.
$445,000 Jury Verdict — Wrongful Termination
A jury found a regional medical center liable for terminating a surgeon who objected to interference with patient care.
$1.2 Million — Age Discrimination
Judgment obtained on behalf of a former engineering manager who prevailed on his age discrimination claim.
$1.15 Million — Employment Discrimination
Judgment for our client in a race and sex discrimination, harassment, and retaliation case against a hospital employer. The judgment included $750,000 in damages plus $405,000 in attorney fees and costs.
$550,000 — Sex Discrimination
Recovery obtained on behalf of an employee asserting sex discrimination by client's employer, resulting in retaliatory discharge.
Representative results include matters handled by Smith Foster King attorneys. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its own facts and merits.
How We Work
Building the Case
The truth is often found in the details. Emails, text messages, personnel records, timing, changes in treatment, and the experiences of others can reveal what really happened.
Our lawyers and staff listen closely, follow the evidence, and ask hard questions. We are meticulous in our preparation because getting the details right is essential to telling our client's story well.
We prepare our cases for trial. We bring together the facts, the law, and our client's experience to tell that story with clarity and conviction--and to hold employers accountable when they violate the rights of the people who work for them.
