One Colorado Ally Award: 2017
One of the most meaningful awards a law firm can receive is one from the community it serves. One Colorado’s Ally of Year Award recognized our firm’s long-standing commitment to the LGBTQI community, particularly towards the advancement of civil rights protections. Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC has proudly stood for marriage equality, non-discrimination on the basis of gender identity, and complete equality and representation for our LGBTQI community within all aspects of our society. We are thankful for One Colorado’s advocacy and are humbled to receive this prestigious award.
CTLA Case of the Year: 2017
EEOC v. Vail Run Resort Community Association, Inc.
The Colorado Trial Lawyers Association’s Case of the Year Award recognizes the work of a law firm in achieving a substantial social justice impact through a single case. This case involved ongoing sexual harassment and employment discrimination against undocumented workers in Colorado’s Vail Valley. Our clients secured a $1,000,000 settlement in addition to substantial policy changes, the latter of which will help ensure that future employees will not be similarly subjected to the abuse our clients faced. The outcome of this lawsuit – which we pursued jointly with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission – resulted in a positive impact not only for our clients but for other similarly situated vulnerable employees. We appreciate the prestigious recognition of CTLA for our advancement of employees’ rights in the workplace. Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC has received CTLA’s Case of the Year three times and has been nominated for this award four times.
CTLA Case of the Year: 2014
Jamal Hunter v City & County of Denver
The Colorado Trial Lawyers Association’s Case of the Year Award recognizes the work of a law firm in achieving a substantial social justice impact through a single case. Jamal Hunter’s case centered around the civil rights of detainees and prisoners. While incarcerated, our client was severely attacked by other inmates, resulting in tremendous and life-altering injuries. As we approached trial, the case settled for $3.25 million in addition to substantial policy changes within the Denver Detention Center. We are humbled by CTLA’s recognition of our work protecting and advancing the civil rights of our incarcerated population. Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC has received CTLA’s Case of the Year three times and has been nominated for this award four times.
CTLA Case of the Year: 2013
Denver Diner
The Colorado Trial Lawyers Association’s Case of the Year Award recognizes the work of a law firm in achieving a substantial social justice impact through a single case. The Denver Diner case centered around the use of excessive and unlawful force by law enforcement against citizens within our community. Our clients – who were subjected to various forms of excessive force by the Denver Police Department – suffered from significant physical and emotional injuries. In addition to a $350,000 settlement, the information obtained from this lawsuit revealed a pattern and culture of Denver’s failure to investigate and discipline officers who violate our community’s constitutional rights. We are deeply moved by the recognition of CTLA for our work standing up against police abuse and brutality. Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC has received CTLA’s Case of the Year three times and has been nominated for this award four times.
Finalist for the 2017 CTLA Case of the Year Award
Firefly Autism Recognition
This education and disability law case involved the inconceivable physical and emotional abuse of our client Shiva, who is autistic and non-verbal. Over the course of many months, Shiva was struck repeatedly with objects and sprayed in the eyes and face with chemical cleaning agents while he rode on a school bus. The perpetrator of these assaults was an employee of the St. Vrain Valley School District whose singular function was to ensure the safe passage of disabled and at risk students to and from school. As Shiva’s victim advocates, we worked with the Boulder District Attorney’s Office to ensure the community obtained justice through the criminal system. We then secured a $3.85 million settlement and substantial policy changes within the school district. The resulting policy changes have become the gold standard for other school districts to ensure the safety and dignity of disabled students during school transport. We cannot overstate our appreciation to Firefly Autism for this award and for its incredible assistance with enforcing and vindicating Shiva’s civil rights. This case was also a finalist for the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association’s Case of the Year Award, which recognizes the work of a law firm in achieving a substantial impact through a single case.
LEONARD WEINGLASS IN DEFENSE OF CIVIL LIBERTIES AWARD
2015: Siddhartha H. Rathod, Arash Jahanian, Matthew J. Cron, Qusair Mohamedbhai
The Leonard Weinglass In Defense of Civil Liberties Award is given to an individual—usually, but not necessarily, an attorney—who has made a notable contribution to the defense of civil liberties by bringing, trying, or resolving a suit, or by otherwise protecting or advancing civil liberties, in a way that has had a significant impact n the past year or over the course of his/her career.
2017: Siddhartha Rathod (Law’07)
Siddhartha became a founding partner of Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC in Denver in 2011. Since then he’s been involved in several high-profile legal settlements. He successfully negotiated one of Denver’s largest-ever settlements in a prisoner abuse civil rights case, which resulted in policy changes for the Denver sheriff’s department and detention center. Additionally, two of his settlements involving officer-involved shooting deaths brought law enforcement and the community together to initiate positive change.
An Award-Winning Service
We are honored to have been recognized with multiple awards for our advocacy work, and it is thanks to the bravery of our clients in coming forward and speaking out that these cases have had such a powerful impact on the state of Colorado.
Everything we do is about raising awareness, exposing abuses, shining a light on weaknesses in systems and policies, and pushing for change – on an individual, city and state level. These awards recognize the successes we have achieved and the victories we have won so far, and give us a platform to shout even louder and fight even harder for the people we serve.