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01/13/2006
Sanchez, Daniels & Hoffman LLP Wins Case for U-Haul International and U-Haul of Illinois Against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Chicago, Illinois, January 13, 2006. Sanchez, Daniels & Hoffman LLP prevails on behalf of U-Haul in a case momentous to all corporate employers.

Before Judge Joan H. Lefkow in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District, Eastern Division, attorneys Manuel ('Manny') Sanchez, John Huntley, and Camille Cribaro Mello of Sanchez Daniels successfully defended U-Haul against claims that U-Haul retaliated against an employee for allegedly complaining of race discrimination.

Gary Townes, a Shop Supervisor, claimed that race discrimination was a motivating factor in his demotion and later in his termination from employment. He further asserted that U-Haul retaliated by terminating him for allegedly complaining of race discrimination. U-Haul claimed that the demotion and termination were based not on retaliation, but on legitimate business reasons.

Eleven jurors returned a unanimous verdict in U-Haul's favor in less than two hours. Jurors in this case had a unique opportunity to be a part of a 7TH Circuit Jury Project which allowed jurors to take notes and tender questions to the Court. Jurors took advantage of this opportunity by submitting several questions to key witnesses, which may have ultimately facilitated their deliberations.

"It doesn't get any better than this," said Mr. Sanchez. "To have a Federal Court Jury declare in the courtroom of one of the most esteemed Jurists in the country, Judge Lefkow, that our clients, U-Haul International and U-Haul of Illinois are not guilty of racial discriminatory retaliation and that the EEOC is neither entitled to compensatory nor punitive damages is unbelievably gratifying and reaffirms our belief in the jury system."

Sanchez, Daniels & Hoffman LLP, based in Chicago, has long represented insurance companies, corporations, and professionals in employment law, insurance defense, product liability, and medical malpractice matters.

For more information, please contact attorney Manny Sanchez at (312) 641-1555.