Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, LLP

03/02/2026

Christine Dunn, Co-Managing Partner of Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight’s Washington, D.C. office and Co-Chair of the firm’s Sexual Violence, Title IX, and Victims’ Rights Practice Group, outlines the legal rights and options available to military s*xual assault survivors in the National Crime Victim Law Institute's latest “Rights & Remedies” blog.

Sexual assault remains a pervasive issue within the U.S. armed forces. The Department of Defense’s Fiscal Year 2024 report documented 8,195 reported cases involving service members, and given that s*xual assault is often unreported, the actual number is likely much greater.

Victims may file either a restricted report, which remains confidential and does not trigger an investigation, or an unrestricted report, which initiates a formal investigation and notifies the chain of command. Throughout this process, survivors have enumerated rights under DoD directives, including protection, notice, presence at hearings, and fair treatment, and are entitled to a Special Victims’ Counsel. Dunn notes that civil claims against individual perpetrators or institutions are possible, though significantly constrained by the Feres doctrine, which limits active-duty members’ ability to sue the government for harms connected to military service.

Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight has extensive experience representing many service members who have been s*xually assaulted and has experienced firsthand how complex the legal landscape can be for military survivors. It’s important for service members to understand their rights and what options they have for seeking justice and accountability.

Read the full blog article here:

By: Christine Dunn

12/17/2025

Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight has filed a $36 million complaint, in the Southern District of California, alleging that the defendants behind the American Airlines Cadet Academy (“AACA”)—an expedited flight training program—engaged in false advertising and discriminated against cadets on the basis of race. The case is brought on behalf of 18 former student pilots of color, who allege civil rights violations and fraud by defendants against American Airlines, the American Airlines Federal Credit Union, and Coast Flight Training.

Saba Bireda, Co-Chair of the firm's Discrimination and Harassment Practice Group and Lead Counsel for the Cadets states: "The eighteen former AACA Cadets we represent were ecstatic to fulfill lifelong dreams of becoming pilots and making better lives for themselves and their families. ….However, instead, Defendants’ unlawful conduct has saddled them with crippling debt, damaged their self-esteem, and ruined their reputations through a program that failed to deliver on the promises it advertised on slick websites and brochures.”

Learn more about the firm's complaint here:

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, a leading national civil rights law firm, today filed a complaint against...

11/13/2025

This year, US workers will file nearly 100 class-action lawsuits over excessive retirement plan fees. Favorable decisions from the Supreme Court and increased awareness on the part of workers about these fees have driven a recent surge in lawsuits. From 2013 to 2023, a McKinsey study found that record-keeping and administrative fees for 401(k) plans dropped 25 to 35 percent, partially due to "increased litigation."

We are proud to see our Co-Vice Chairman Charles Field featured in the Financial Times for his work protecting retirement security for American workers. Charles emphasized our firm's commitment to accountability: "We try to keep everybody on the straight and narrow." And on the impact of this work: "We are not there to shake down companies. We are there to bring cases that will bring about change."

That change is measurable. In June, Charles secured a record $69 million settlement for 350,000 UnitedHealth Group employees, our largest 401(k) breach of fiduciary duty victory to date.

This work matters because retirement security matters. Congratulations to Charles and the entire team working to ensure plan sponsors meet their fiduciary duties.

Read the Full Article from the Financial Times:

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

11/07/2025

Christine Dunn, Co-Managing Partner of Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight’s Washington, D.C. office and Co-Chair of the firm’s Sexual Violence, Title IX, and Victims’ Rights Practice Group, announced that the firm plans to file legal claims against the U.S. Army on behalf of victims of alleged s*xual misconduct involving a medical provider at the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center in Fort Hood, Texas.

Christine, and Associate Jillian Seymour, will pursue Federal Tort Claims Act actions to hold the Army accountable and seek justice for those affected.

As reported by Military.com, Christine stated, “This doesn’t happen to so many people without failing on the part of the Army. The Army has a duty to keep its patients at these military hospitals reasonably safe, and they fail here.”

Christine Dunn has previously represented survivors in the matter involving Major Michael Stockin, a former Army Doctor who was convicted of s*xually abusing patients at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Read the full article from Military.com: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/11/06/victims-of-alleged-s*xual-misconduct-fort-hood-take-legal-action-against-army.html

The new allegations at Fort Hood come the same year as another Army doctor, Maj. Michael Stockin, was sentenced to prison for s*xually abusing male servicemembers.

11/03/2025

Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, a national civil rights and public interest law firm, is representing victims of alleged misconduct involving a medical provider at the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood in Texas.

If you received care at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center and have questions or concerns about your experience, please contact Christine Dunn at (202) 499-5214, or at [email protected]. You can also contact our legal team by completing our online intake form below. Speaking with an attorney does not obligate you to take legal action. We approach these inquiries with care, discretion, and a trauma-informed perspective.

Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight has extensive experience representing survivors of medical abuse within military healthcare systems. Christine Dunn, the Co-Managing Partner and Co-Chair of the firm’s Sexual Violence, Title IX and Victims’ Rights Practice Group has represented survivors in the matter involving Maj. Michael Stockin, a former Army doctor who was convicted of s*xually abusing patients at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. That experience informs our understanding of the institutional processes and the particular challenges that can arise when misconduct occurs in military medical environments.

Read more via the Press Release: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/11/03/3179724/0/en/Sanford-Heisler-Sharp-McKnight-to-File-New-Federal-Torts-Claims-Act-Complaints-Against-the-Army-on-Behalf-of-Victims-of-Fort-Hood-Army-Doctor-Who-Sexually-Abused-Patients.html

Online Intake Form:
https://sanfordheisler.com/contact/

FORT HOOD, Texas, Nov. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, a national civil rights and public interest law firm, is...

09/17/2025

Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight recently filed a class action complaint detailing breaches of fiduciary duty by the law firm Husch Blackwell LLP and members of its executive board. The complaint alleges that Husch Blackwell LLP violated duties of loyalty and prudence by using 401(k) contributions to generate a fund of assets inaccessible to employees and used to pay the firm’s operating expenses.

Our Financial Mismanagement and ERISA Litigation Practice Group, led by Co-Vice Chairman Charles Field and Nashville Managing Partner Leigh Anne St. Charles, works tirelessly to hold fiduciaries accountable and secure the retirement security that workers deserve. This suit is the latest testament to the practice group’s transformative impact on our firm, having secured over $145 million in recoveries for employees since its creation in 2015. Last year, Charles and Leigh Anne spearheaded the firm’s efforts in a record $69 million ERISA settlement against UnitedHealth.

As Charles says, “Employees should be able to trust that when their employer withholds retirement plan contributions from their paycheck, those funds will go directly to their retirement savings, not into the employer’s pocket.”

Learn more about the firm’s complaint here:

Claims firm used employee retirement plan contributions to pay its expenses...

09/11/2025

Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight is proud to join organizations across the country in signing a letter in support of the reintroduction of the Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal (FAIR) Act. The FAIR Act would end the widespread use of forced arbitration in employment, consumer, antitrust, and civil rights disputes, restoring individuals’ right to seek justice in public courts.

By signing this letter addressed to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, we affirm our commitment to protecting the rights of workers, consumers, and small businesses. Learn more about the legislation and upcoming roundtable here:

DATETKTKTK Hon. Chuck Grassley, Chairman Hon. Jim Jordan, Chairman Hon. Dick Durbin, Ranking Member Hon. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee U.S. House Judiciary Committee Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20515 Re: Forced Arbitration Injustice Relief Act (FAIR Act) Dear C...

09/11/2025

In 2020, Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, alongside co-counsel, secured a $13 million trial verdict for 22 young women against GirlsDoPorn. A criminal prosecution followed, in which five individuals have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit s*x trafficking and related offenses.

On Monday, Michael J. Pratt, the founder and owner of GirlsDoPorn, was sentenced to 27 years in prison—four years more than what the prosecution recommended due to “the sheer scope and magnitude” of the offense.

However, with more than 450 documented victims, this sentence amounts to just 22 days in custody per victim. While we applaud the court’s decision, this sentence highlights the ongoing need for accountability in online exploitation. Survivors deserve justice, and we remain committed to that fight.

Read more:

The founder of a California-based p**n empire that recruited women with false modeling offers was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison.

09/05/2025

We’re proud to share that Saba Bireda, Partner and Co-Chair of the firm’s Discrimination and Harassment practice group, has been recognized as one of Litigation Daily’s Litigators of the Week for her exceptional work representing the City of Baltimore in a landmark public nuisance lawsuit.

Saba shares the Litigators of the Week honor with two other trial team members, James Hannaway (Berger Montague) and Phil Bangle (Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence). The trial team, including lawyers from Sanford Heisler, Brady, and the Baltimore City Solicitor’s office, helped secure a $62 million verdict holding Hanover Armory, a gun dealer who sold over 2,000 “ghost gun” kits, accountable for contributing to gun violence in Baltimore.

Reflecting on the trial, Saba said: “This case allowed a jury of six Baltimore City residents to stand up and send a message that they would not tolerate this reckless and dangerous behavior from gun dealers … This was my first trial and one of the best professional experiences of my legal career. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to say that and to have been a part of this excellent trial team.”

More here:

A trial team led by Saba Bireda of Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, James Hannaway of Berger Montague and Phil Bangle of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence convinced jurors in Baltimore that Hanover Armory, a gun dealer on the outskirts of the city, was negligent in its sale of ghost gun kits...

09/03/2025

We are proud to share that Qiaojing Ella Zheng, Palo Alto and San Francisco Offices Managing Partner and Asian American Litigation and Finance Practice Group Chair, has been named a 2025 NAPABA Best Under 40 Award Recipient. This award celebrates Ella’s prominence and distinction in her field as well as her strong commitment to AANHPI civic and community affairs. Congratulations, Ella!

More here: https://www.napaba.org/page/best-under-40

08/29/2025

We are proud to announce that Andrew Macurdy, Partner and Co-Chair of the Trial Practice Group, has been named a New Leaders of the Bar finalist in the New Jersey Legal Awards 2025.

This recognition highlights attorneys who demonstrate both notable achievements and outstanding potential in the legal profession. Congratulations, Andrew, on this well-deserved honor!

Announcing this year's honorees for the New Jersey Legal Awards, including finalists for two of the Law Journal's most prestigious awards: Attorney of the Year and Law Firm of the Year.