Pham Harrison Secures Full Defense Verdict in Employment Discrimination Case

On Tuesday, January 23, 2024, a Tarrant County jury, consisting of 5 women and 7 men, unanimously rejected sex and age discrimination claims brought by a female former employee against Defendant Hasen Design Build & Development, a Fort Worth-based commercial construction and development company represented by Pham Harrison, LLP.  

"We are a family-owned business that strives to do right by our employees of all stripes," said owner David Hasenzahl. "We thank the jury for giving us peace and closure during this trying time for our family and business." 

The former employee alleged that she was wrongfully terminated because of her age and gender, but Hasen Design argued that the employee was treated fairly and treated like everybody else at the company.  Prior to the trial, Pham Harrison was able to achieve summary judgment on certain portions of the Plaintiff’s claims prior to trial, narrowing the issues presented to the jury.  The jury agreed with Hasen Design and returned their verdict in less than 30 minutes. 

"This was a case where the things the Plaintiff complained about, such as receiving lower bonuses or having her company credit card revoked, all had reasonable business justifications and were not because of age or gender," said managing partner Caroline Harrison, who tried the case. "Ultimately, the employer's thorough documentation of the employee's performance issues persuaded the jury that she was terminated for legitimate reasons. We thank Hasen Design's general counsel, Brenda Hasenzhal, for her wise stewardship of the case before litigation, which enabled us to put on the best defense possible."  

Hasen Design brought a counter-claim against the employee under the Texas Theft Liability Act, arguing that the former employee, an accountant, stole and publicized sensitive financial documents after she was terminated. The jury found the employee liable for civil theft and awarded Hasen Design the maximum relief it requested in closing arguments in damages. 

"We are pleased the jury sympathized with our client, who had to expend significant fees to seal its confidential documents from public view," said associate attorney Aaron Sigal, who also tried the case. "We believe the jury reached the right result." Under the Theft Liability Act, the prevailing party is entitled to collect its attorney's fees.

Pham Harrison is a boutique law firm based in downtown Fort Worth that specializes in labor and employment law. It is the largest labor and employment law firm in Tarrant County.