Console Mattiacci Law: Highest Employment Law Verdict in the Country For 2017
On January 26, 2017, after a four-day trial, a federal jury in Camden, New Jersey rendered an age discrimination verdict in favor of Robert Braden and against Lockheed Martin in the amount of $51,560,000. According to ALM’s “Top 100 Verdicts,” the unanimous jury award, in this case, was the highest employment law verdict in the country for 2017 by over $25,000,000. The verdict was also the 33rd highest verdict in the country in 2017, for any type of case and in any court, and the highest verdict in New Jersey state or federal court in 2017. To see the full list of the “Top 100 Verdicts” in the country, please visit here.
The case involved a reduction in force, which Mr. Braden claimed was an effort by Lockheed Martin to target older workers in a scheme to lay them off and replace them with younger workers. The jury of eight unanimously agreed, awarding Mr. Braden all of the economic loss he sought ($520,000), concluding that the action was willful (which adds liquidated damages of $520,000, pursuant to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act), and further awarding Mr. Braden pain and suffering damages of $520,000. The jury later concluded that Lockheed Martin was subject to punitive damages in the amount of $50,000,000 under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination. Plaintiff’s trial counsel was Rahul Munshi and Emily R. Derstine Friesen of Console Mattiacci Law, LLC, and they were assisted at trial by paralegals Charlene Bates and Cheryl Weaver.
If you have experienced age discrimination in the workplace, Console Mattiacci Law, LLC will fight for your rights. We serve Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. Contact Us Online or Call Us Today at 215-545-7676 to set up a consultation.
Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
Post Verdict Update: The $50,000,000 punitive damages award was overturned on appeal and a new trial was granted on punitive damages. The case settled prior to the new trial.