Phyllis W. Cheng, Esq., has excelled at every stage of her career. For nearly seven years, Ms. Cheng was Director of the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), the largest state civil rights agency in the United States. As Director, she oversaw six- and seven-figure settlements, including the largest settlements in DFEH history. In this episode, Ms. Cheng tells the story of a deaf woman, in the United States illegally, in the process of self-deporting, arrested by ICE and detained in a city jail for five months. She was not given access to interpreters or provided with any means by which she could communicate, effectively cutting her off from her lawyers or family, and preventing her from communicating her need for medical procedures or basic needs. She was unable to read, as well. What were her rights in such circumstances? Who was culpable? Did her immigration status impact her ability to recover compensation by way of legal action? How was Phyllis Cheng able to mediate a resolution of this matter? Listen to find out the tools this master mediator applied to achieve this result.
Phyllis Cheng was also a Senior Appellate Court Attorney; a Deputy Attorney General with the Civil Rights Enforcement Section of the California Department of Justice; a partner with DLA Piper’s employment practice; and a two-term Commissioner and Vice-Chair of the Fair Employment and Housing Commission.
Ms. Cheng is a Fellow of The College of Labor & Employment Lawyers, which honors the leading lawyers nationwide in the practice of labor and employment law. Recognized as the 2012 Ronald M. George Public Lawyer of the Year, Ms. Cheng brings her unwavering work ethic and extensive experience to her dispute resolution practice. As a private mediator and as a panelist for the U.S. District Court and the California Court of Appeal, Ms. Cheng has settled significant matters in the areas of employment, including discrimination, harassment, and retaliation; wage and hour; class actions; civil rights; attorney’s fees; housing discrimination; and public accommodations and disability access.
For more information, including case summaries, please visit her website at www.mediate.work. Phyllis Cheng may be contacted through her Case Manager, Haward Cho, at (213) 683-1600 or by email at [email protected].