Personal Service With A Focus On Results

My goal is to provide you with personalized legal service that is efficient, affordable and gets the results you want in a timely way.

I personally handle each client matter from start to finish. If you hire me, I will not hand off the work to a legal secretary or associate with limited legal experience. I will use the knowledge and judgment I have developed over fifteen years in the legal industry to resolve your matter quickly and achieve the most favorable outcome.

I partner with my clients to understand their goals and work tirelessly to help them realize those objectives. I empower my clients by providing fair case evaluations, prompt responses to questions, and regular updates. I minimize the stress of litigation by making sure each client understands the process and by thoroughly preparing clients for appearances such as depositions. I advance the case with aggressive advocacy at every opportunity.

I am not afraid to take on your employer, even if you work for the biggest government agency or multi-national company. I litigate strategically, focusing on what it takes to get a case to a jury and win. I avoid unnecessary disputes that extend the life of the lawsuit. I invest in the latest legal technology so I have the same or better tools than attorneys at large firms.

I have litigated and resolved employment-related disputes on behalf of many clients. Although prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in your case, the following short list provides examples of cases I have settled (or played a main role in litigating and settling) to demonstrate the results I have obtained for past clients:

• $2.1 million in a Fair Housing Act sexual harassment case
• $2 million in racial harassment and retaliation case
• $863,000 in a male-on-male sexual harassment case
• $780,000 in unpaid minimum wage and overtime case
• $495,000 in Title IX student sexual harassment case

I Work On Contingency; You Pay No Fee Unless There Is Recovery

Contingent fee representation: I represent some clients on a contingent fee basis, which means the client does not pay any attorney’s fees unless the case is resolved with a settlement or by a jury. The contingent fee is 30-40% of the amount recovered, and is based on risk and other factors relating to the case.

Not all cases are eligible for contingency fee arrangements, but if I believe that you have a strong case, I will work with you, regardless of your ability to pay.

Flat-fee representation: I represent some clients on a flat fee basis, which means I will perform all of legal work you need done for a set price. Examples of the kind of work I will perform for a flat-fee are as follows:

• $500 to review any employment-related contact (employment contract; letter of engagement; severance or separation agreement; non-compete agreement; non-disparagement or non-solicitation agreement)
• $2,500 to review and negotiate enhancements to employer-provided severance/separation agreements and non-compete agreements

Hourly representation: I represent some clients on an hourly basis, which means I charge an hourly rate for the legal services I provide. My hourly rates are competitive because I keep my overheard low and pass on the savings to my clients.

Call Me For A Free Consultation – You Have Nothing To Loose

I offer free 30-minute initial consultations. We can discuss your case over the telephone, Skype, or I can meet at your home or office if that is most convenient for you. I offer appointments that fit your schedule, including evenings and weekends. To schedule a consultation, you can call me toll free during business hours at (888) 404-4975 or e-mail me any time at dn@danielananau.com.

Everything that you share with me during the consultation is private and I will not share the information with anyone, even if you decide not to hire me.

Legal Expenses Explained

Most cases involve legal expenses, which include the cost of filing a complaint in court, getting the complaint served on the other parties involved, the cost of court reporters who transcribe depositions, the cost of obtaining copies of important documents, such as medical records and police reports, and the cost of third-parties retained for your case, such as medical or economic experts.

Depending on the nature of the legal work I perform for you, I may require you to pay a retainer fee at the beginning of the case, which will be used to pay for legal expenses. The retainer fee amount will vary depending on the case and the nature of the issues involved. For some cases, no retainer fee is required.

Description Of A Typical Employment-Related Lawsuit

The following is offered as a general description of litigation involving employment-related issues. Every case is different; what follows is intended to provide prospective clients with a broad outline of the process.

There are times when employment-related claims are resolved before a lawsuit is filed in court. This may occur after the employer receives a demand letter or the parties engage in informal negotiations.

If the matter cannot be resolved by negotiating with the other party, it may be necessary to file a lawsuit. For some employment-related claims, the law requires that a Charge of Discrimination is first filed with the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission before the case can be heard in court.

A lawsuit in federal or state court begins with the filing of a “complaint,” which describes the facts of the case from the plaintiff’s point of view, the laws that the plaintiff believes have been violated by the defendants, and the remedies the plaintiff seeks from the court. Once the defendants are served with the complaint, they must file a response called an “answer.”

After the answer is filed, the parties engage in a process of exchanging information called “discovery.” During discovery, the parties exchange written answers to questions, paper documents, electronically stored information, and other information relevant to the claims of the plaintiff and the defenses raised by the defendants. In addition to exchanging information, the parties take depositions of witnesses, which are recorded question and answer sessions taken under oath.

During discovery or at the end of that process, any party may file a “motion for summary judgment.” With the filing of that motion, the party who made the motion argues to the court that the main facts of the case are not in dispute, and the case should be resolved by the court on the legal issues before it, without a trial.

If the case is not resolved on a motion for summary judgment, or another pre-trial motion, the case will proceed to trial where the judge or a jury will hear the facts of the case and ultimately make a resolution in favor of one side or the other.

The entire litigation process, from the time the Charge of Discrimination is filed to the end of the trial in court, can sometimes take several years.

Litigation involves a significant investment of time and money. For this reason, I take time to carefully investigate potential claims before I agree to litigate the case in court. If I agree to take your case, I commit myself to seeing the case through to the end, whether the case is resolved by way of a settlement or a jury.

In general, the parties are free to discuss settlement at any time during the lawsuit. However, no party can be forced to settle a case and both plaintiffs and defendants have a right to a trial. Even so, most lawsuits filed in court do settle before trial. Once the parties have agreed to settle the claims at issue in the lawsuit, they develop and execute a “settlement agreement,” which is an enforceable contract that spells out the terms of the settlement as they apply to all parties involved.

The information contained on this page is not, and is not intended to be, legal advice. Review of this information does not create an attorney-client relationship with the Law Offices of Daniela Nanau, P.C. Only individuals who have executed retainer agreements with the Law Offices of Daniela Nanau, P.C. are clients of the firm.