Remarkable Cases and Results
The firm has received the largest jury verdict in U.S. history in a gender discrimination lawsuit; the largest jury verdict in a Title IX lawsuit; one of the largest settlements in a wage and hour matter; some of the largest whistleblower and False Claims Act (qui tam) settlements in U.S. history (totaling over $1 billion); and one of the largest Title IX settlements in U.S. history involving sexual abuse of students. The firm also routinely settles cases that result in significant monetary recoveries for our clients.
Discrimination and Harassment Cases
$253 Million Settlement
Gender Discrimination Verdict Against Pharma Company
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight achieved the largest jury verdict in U.S. history in an employment discrimination case. A jury awarded $253 million after finding the pharmaceutical giant liable for gender discrimination in pay, promotions, and relating to pregnancy. The case benefited over 7,000 female pharmaceutical representatives.
$24 Million Settlement
Sanofi-Aventis Gender Discrimination Class Action
In 2007, Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight represented a class of approximately 6,000 female sales employees in pay and promotion and gender discrimination claims against the pharmaceutical corporation, Sanofi-Aventis U.S. The settlement produced more than $15 million in monetary benefits plus the $13.4 million reverberating effect of a $2 million pay equity adjustment over a five-year period.
$19.5 Million Settlement
Qualcomm Gender Discrimination Class Action
In 2016, Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight reached a $19.5 million settlement against Qualcomm in a gender discrimination class action involving a class of approximately 3,300 women and was reached before plaintiffs filed suit. The settlement included comprehensive programmatic relief to ensure female employees working in STEM and related positions at the company will have access to equal job opportunities.
$8.7 Million Settlement
Cracker Barrel Race Discrimination Class Action
David Sanford was lead counsel in a race discrimination class action suit against Cracker Barrel restaurants. The case concerned discrimination in pay and promotion, and also involved discrimination against African-American customers. The United States Department of Justice intervened in the case after five years of litigation and the suit settled for $8.7 million.
$8.2 Million Settlement
Daiichi Sankyo Gender Pay, Promotion, and Pregnancy Discrimination Class Action
On February 11, 2013, six current and former female pharmaceutical sales professionals filed a class and collective action gender discrimination lawsuit against Daiichi Sankyo in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging discrimination in pay, promotion, and other terms and conditions of employment based on gender, pregnancy, and family responsibilities.
$5 Million Settlement
Fairfield Resorts Gender Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Class Action
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight represented a class of women in a sexual harassment and gender discrimination claims against Fairfield Resorts Incorporated, a major resort and timeshare company. The case was settled on behalf of all female employees at Fairfield’s Nashville, Tennessee facility in 2006, with more than $5 million in damages and significant modifications to Fairfield’s internal policies and procedures.
Executive Representation Cases
$8 Million Settlement
Retaliation Settlement for Law Firm Partner
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight represented a client who was fired from her job as a law firm partner after she accused the firm of discriminating against her. Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight secured an $8 million settlement for our client.
$5 Million Settlement
Settlement for Pair of Law Firm Partners
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight secured a settlement that exceeded $5 million for two law firm partners who experienced discrimination at their law firm.
$5 Million Settlement
Sexual Harassment Victim at University
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight secured a $5 million settlement for a client who experienced sexual harassment from a tenured faculty member whom she trusted.
$5 Million Settlement
Discrimination and Retaliation Victim at Major Company
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight represented a client who experienced harassment and retaliation at a prominent company. Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight secured a $5 million settlement for our client.
$3.3 Million Verdict
Title IX Wrongful Termination Case
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight achieved the largest known jury verdict and monetary award in a Title IX case in U.S. history. Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight represented women’s basketball coach Beth Burns, who was terminated by San Diego State University after she raised complaints about gender equity in athletics. A jury awarded over $3.3 million in damages following a four-week trial.
Financial Mismanagement and ERISA Litigation Cases
$69 Million Settlement
Record Settlement Protects Over 350,000 UnitedHealth Plan Participants
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight achieved a record breaking $69 million settlement on behalf of the UnitedHealth Group 401(k) Savings Plan and more than 350,000 participants and beneficiaries. The firm litigated the case for four years and alleged that UnitedHealth Group violated its fiduciary duties by keeping the Wells Fargo Target Fund Suite, one of the worst options on the market, in the plan.
$61 Million Settlement
ERISA Class Action Against General Electric Retirement Savings Plan
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight was the first to file an eventual nationwide ERISA class action against General Electric (“GE”) that resulted in a $61 million settlement to resolve allegations that GE improperly offered proprietary funds to 401(k) plan participants.
$13.75 Million Settlement
ERISA Class Action Against Walgreen Co. Retirement Savings Plan
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight represented a class of approximately 190,000 participants in Walgreens’ 401(k) retirement plan who suffered staggering losses in savings due to the company’s alleged failure to prudently monitor the investment performance of the plan.
Whistleblower and Qui Tam Cases
$762 Million Settlement
Whistleblower Settlement Against Biotech Company
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight represented a former employee-turned-whistleblower who accused biotech company Amgen of violating the False Claims Act by promoting off-label drug use and illegal kickbacks to promote sales. Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight's work with the U.S. Department of Justice culminated in a $762 million global qui tam settlement.
$120 Million Settlement
Whistleblower Settlement Against Pharmacy
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight and co-counsel represented a general manager of an Omnicare pharmacy who blew the whistle on violations of the Medicare Anti-Kickback Statute and the False Claims Act. As part of the settlement, Omnicare agreed to pay $120 million.
$68.5 Million Settlement
Whistleblower Settlement Against Office Supplier
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight represented a whistleblower who alleged that office supply company Office Depot violated the California False Claims Act by overcharging over 1,000 government agencies for office and classroom supplies. The qui tam suit against Office Depot settled for $68.5 million.
$50 Million Settlement
Qui Tam Settlement Against Navistar
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight represented a former employee turned whistleblower who alleged that Navistar, a defense contractor, overcharged the Government in the MRAP vehicle purchase. The case settled in 2020 for $50 million, $11 million of which was awarded to the whistleblower.
$23.5 Million Settlement
Whistleblower Settlement Against Medical Device Company
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight filed a whistleblower lawsuit alleging that medical device company Medtronic violated the False Claims Act by engaging in an illegal kickback scheme. Working with the Department of Justice and the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight negotiated a $23.5 million global settlement.
$22.865 Million Settlement
Whistleblower Settlement Against Vitamin Importer
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight and the U.S. Government settled a whistleblower action under the False Claims Act (“FCA”) with International Vitamin Corporation (“IVC”), a leading importer of dietary supplements, in January 2023.
$11 Million Settlement
Qui Tam Settlement Against Smith and Nephew
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight reached an $11 million settlement against Energy Plus on behalf of a class of New Jersey consumers who alleged that Energy Plus engaged in a bait-and-switch scheme that led to the defrauding and deception of thousands of people.
$5.1 Million Settlement
Qui Tam Settlement with Meridian Surgical Partners
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight won a $5.1 million qui tam settlement against Meridian Surgical Partners LLC, an investor in an Ambulatory Surgical Center (“ASC”). The whistleblower, represented by the firm and the U.S. Department of Justice, alleged that Meridian violated the federal Anti-Kickback statute and the False Claims Act by paying unlawful remuneration to ambulatory surgical center owners to physicians to induce referrals of patients to ASCs.
$4.15 Million Settlement
Qui Tam Settlement Against Medical Device Manufacturer
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight brought a whistleblower/qui tam matter against AtriCure Inc., (“AtriCure”), a medical device manufacturer. Subsequently, AtriCure agreed to pay $4.15 million to resolve all claims against it. The Complaint charged that AtriCure violated the federal False Claims Act by using illegal kickbacks and an off-label marketing campaign to induce doctors and hospitals to perform AtriCure’s costly inpatient cardiac surgical ablation procedures.
$4.1 Million Settlement
Qui Tam Settlement Against Pathway Genomics Corporation
WASHINGTON, December 30, 2015, Washington, DC — Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight today announced that genetic testing giant Pathway Genomics Corporation has agreed to settle a qui tam suit and pay the United States government, 28 states and the District of Columbia $4.1 million.
Sexual Violence, Title IX and Victims’ Rights Cases
$20+ Million Trial Judgement
Trial Judgement for Victims of Pornography Website
In Jane Doe v. GirlsDoPorn.com, Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight represented a group of 22 women who were manipulated and defrauded by the owners and operators of the website GirlsDoPorn. Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight won rulings to preserve the women’s anonymity, and after a 99-day bench trial the Court awarded over $20 million to punish the wrongdoers and benefit the victims.
$14 Million Settlement
Sexual Harassment Settlement Against University
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight brought a Title IX alleging that tenured male professors in a science department engaged in widespread sexual harassment of female college and graduate students. Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight negotiated a $14 million class action settlement for the victims.
Asian American Litigation and Finance Cases
$8.3 Million Arbitration Award
Arbitration Award in Silicon Valley Fraud Case
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight won an arbitration for a Chinese client who co-founded a Silicon Valley semiconductor company but was defrauded by his co-founder and wrongfully deprived of an equity stake in the company he helped build. Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight proved breach of contract and fraud and won an award totaling over $8.3 million.
Wage Theft and Overtime Violations Cases
$99 Million Settlement
Overtime Settlement Against Pharma Company
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight brought a major wage and hour class and collective action lawsuit alleging that Novartis misclassified its pharmaceutical representatives and failed to pay them overtime that they were owed. Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight negotiated a $99 million settlement—one of the largest overtime pay settlements in U.S. history—that which resulted in over 7,000 sales reps receiving settlement payments.
$28 Million Settlement
Overtime Settlement Against Tech Company
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight secured a $28 million settlement for AT&T managers who had not been paid overtime by the telephone giant. The settlement benefited thousand of employees and resolved multiple class action and collective action lawsuits filed in California, Connecticut, and Georgia.
$14 Million Settlement
C&S Wholesale Grocers Overtime Wage and Hour Class Action
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight represented C and S Wholesale Grocers employees throughout the United States with claims regarding failure to pay overtime. Plaintiffs successfully resolved their lawsuit for a gross sum of up to $14 million. All details relating to the settlement can be found in the settlement documents filed with the federal district court.
$5.5 Million Settlement
Google, Inc. Wage and Hour Class Action
On January 27, 2016, a former contract worker at Google filed a class action lawsuit in the Superior Court of California, Santa Clara County, alleging that the company failed to pay contract recruiters and sourcers for all overtime worked. The lawsuit also named Urpan Technologies, one of the many staffing agencies through which Google acquires contract workers, as a defendant.
Trial and Appellate Practice Cases
Public Interest Litigation Cases
Opioid Litigation
Ongoing Opioid Litigation
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight represents over 70 city and county governments across the nation in their claims against opioid manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and pharmacy benefit managers who created and contributed to our country’s ongoing opioid epidemic.
$11 Million Settlement
Energy Plus Consumer Fraud Class Action
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight reached an $11 million settlement against Energy Plus on behalf of a class of New Jersey consumers who alleged that Energy Plus engaged in a bait-and-switch scheme that led to the defrauding and deception of thousands of people.