On July 21, 2014, NELA filed a motion for leave and submitted a proposed amicus curiae brief in Turner v. Inzer, Case No. 14-11357, pending in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Defendant Inzer refused to consent to the filing of the amicus brief. The major issues on appeal are whether: (1) attorneys’ fees were properly awarded to defendant under Christianburg Garment Co. v. EEOC and Sullivan v. Sch. Bd. Of Pinellas Cty.; and (2) attorneys’ fees were calculated properly pursuant to Fox v. Vice. Counsel for plaintiff Turner is NELA member Lisa Lambert, Of Counsel, Law Office of Marie A. Mattox, P.A., Tallahassee, FL.
Plaintiff Cynthia Turner brought claims for wrongful termination and retaliation under state and federal whistleblower statutes and Title VII. Summary judgment was granted for defendant on all claims. The court held that plaintiff did not meet the first prong of the whistleblower retaliation claim and failed to make out a prima facie case under Title VII. Plaintiff appealed and the Eleventh Circuit affirmed per curiam. Thereafter, the district court granted defendant’s request for attorneys’ fees on the Title VII race discrimination and retaliation claims, but denied the request … Read More