Posts by John C. Taylor
Is It Time to Update Sexual Harassment Prevention Training?
Under state law, all California companies with five or more employees must provide sexual harassment and abusive conduct prevention training to all employees, both supervisory and non-supervisory. Before 2019, training was only required for companies with 50 or more employees, so this is a welcome expansion. However, some people are asking, especially in the wake…
Read MoreCalifornia Senate Passes “Silenced No More” Act
Legislation recently passed in the California Senate aims to protect employees who speak out about discrimination experienced at work, even if they’ve signed non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). This law would expand protections laid out in a previous act banning NDAs in cases of sexual harassment, assault, and discrimination, signed by Governor Jerry Brown in 2018. Both…
Read MoreLGBTQ Troops More Likely to Experience Sexual Assault, According to Study
A recent report from the RAND Corporation found that sexual assaults on non-heterosexual service members comprise nearly half of all military assaults. Because most research only focuses on the dangers and risks women face in the military, this study shines a light on another vulnerable population, as well as points to areas needing further examination…
Read MoreFormer Gynecologist Accused of Assaulting Over 100 Patients Facing More Charges
In September 2020, former Columbia University gynecologist Robert Hadden was indicted on six counts of sexual abuse. These alleged assaults, involving a minor and five adult patients, took place between 1993 and 2012, and involved enticing victims to travel to his medical practice in New York. Hadden entered a plea of not guilty. Now, Hadden…
Read MoreBoy Scouts of America Reaches Historic $850 Million Settlement
On July 1, the Boy Scouts of America agreed to pay $850 million to tens of thousands of men to settle sexual abuse claims going back decades. This amount could be the largest settlement for child sexual abuse claims in United States history, if approved by a judge. Some legal experts are calling this a…
Read MoreOld Yearbook Photo Leads to Sexual Harassment Suit Against Berkeley High School Teacher
In a sexual assault case filed in Alameda County, a former Berkeley High School student alleges the Berkeley United School District (BUSD) employed a sexual predator for decades. Matthew Bissell, who is no longer employed at the school, is also named as a defendant in the suit. A previous Title IX investigation found a years-long…
Read MoreAssault, Harassment, or Rape: Learn the Terms Associated with Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual misconduct, and sexual battery, sexual harassment, and rape all have different meanings. Some of these terms are legal terms. Others are used as catchalls and not correctly. There’s also a difference between how these terms may be used in civil cases and criminal cases. If you are looking to file…
Read MoreJohn Taylor & Dave Ring Named to Los Angeles Business Journal’s Leaders of Influence List
John Taylor and Dave Ring have been named to the Los Angeles Business Journal’s Leaders of Influence List: Litigators & Trial Lawyers. LABJ’s prestigious list is designed to honor trial lawyers “who go to the proverbial mat to fight for their clients before judges and jury have their own unique sets of skills,” and recognizes…
Read MoreElite Cate School in Carpinteria Under Scrutiny for Sexual Assault Allegations
Another elite boarding school is facing allegations of sexual misconduct. The Cate School in Carpinteria, CA is currently being investigated for suspected sexual abuse by a former employee of the school. It is reported that several survivors – both current and former students – have come forward. Per the Los Angeles Times, a mandated reporter…
Read MoreFatal San Diego Human Trafficking Boat Accident Shines a Light on Serious Issue
A “smuggling vessel” hit a reef off the coast of San Diego on Sunday, May 2, killing three people and injuring two dozen others. The incident occurred in Point Loma, which leads into San Diego Bay. A dive team couldn’t enter the waters because of severe weather. The boat was broken apart into hundreds of…
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