


Henderson currently represents and has served as counsel in a number of class action and individual cases in the practice areas below, including the following:
Executive Representation
Gender Discrimination in Employment
Race Discrimination in Employment
Age Discrimination in Employment
Minority & Women Business Opportunities
Housing Discrimination
Environment
Voting Rights
Education
Consumer Protection
Executive and Professional Representation
Henderson represents and has represented a number of executives with national and global companies, in-house, law firm and lobbying legal professionals, and university professors and administrators in a variety of claims against their employers.
Henderson has represented executives and professionals in race, gender and age discrimination claims regarding termination, promotion, compensation and partnership.; whistleblower claims in connection with a federal investigation and under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the False Claims Act; and regarding employment, partnership and non-compete agreements.
Henderson’s representation of executives and professionals has extended from litigation to representation in federal court and before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Labor and state fair employment agencies and to mediation and the negotiation of confidential employment, salary continuation and severance agreements, and six- and seven-figure settlement agreements.
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Gender Discrimination in Employment
As Senior Litigation Counsel at Sanford Heisler, Henderson is serving as co-counsel in two proposed class actions challenging gender and pregnancy discrimination in compensation, promotions, and other terms and conditions of employment, da Silva Moore, et al v. Publicis Groupe SA, Case No. 1:11-cv-01279 (S.D.N.Y.); and Barrett et al v. Forest Laboratories Inc, Case No. 12-cv-05224 (S.D.N.Y.).
Race Discrimination in Employment
As Senior Litigation Counsel at Sanford Heisler, is co-counsel in a proposed class action on behalf of African American U.S. Deputy Marshals challenging racial discrimination in promotions, assignments, awards, training and internal investigations at the U.S. Marshals Service, Grogan, et al v. Holder, Case No. 1:08-cv-01747 (D.D.C.)
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Age Discrimination in Employment
Henderson has served as consulting counsel with Gebhardt & Associates, Washington, DC, in this federal sector multi-plaintiff employment litigation alleging age discrimination in the FAA’s decision to outsource flight service controller positions and terminate controllers. Breen v. Mineta, Civil Action No. 05-654 (D.D.C.).
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Minority & Women Business Opportunities
Henderson represents an African American woman-owned business regarding claims that her business has been denied contract relationships due to the race and gender of the owner, in violation of federal and state discrimination and other laws, obtaining a finding of probable cause before the New York State Human Rights Division.
Henderson represented an African American owned business operating an airport concession in a complaint before the Federal Aviation Administration alleging discrimination, retaliation and violations of federal standards for Airport Concession Disadvantaged Enterprises.
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Housing Discrimination
Henderson was co-counsel in this class action challenging discriminatory code enforcement, demolition, property acquisition and municipal services in an African American community by the city and a private corporation. The case was resolved through a consent decree providing a community development corporation with planning authority and funding, including cash and thirty-year tax increment financing, for housing and community development activities in affected neighborhoods, and compensation for named plaintiffs. Tri-City Branch NAACP of Lake County, et al. v. City of Leesburg, et al., No. 92-165-Civ-Oc-20 (M.D. Fla. February 25, 1999).
Henderson was co-counsel in this class action against owners of private apartment complex challenging a scheme of racially coding applications for apartments, making false statements regarding availability of units, and denying units to African American and other dark-skinned applicants, in which an ex parte order seizing defendants’ racially-coded records was obtained as well as a consent decree providing $ 3.4 million in damages and injunctive relief for the class. Givens v. The Hamlet Estates, et al, No. 90-1908 (S.D. Fl. January 7, 1995).
Henderson was co-lead counsel in this class action against HUD, county and county housing authority challenging segregated public housing and discriminatory community development expenditures. A consent decree was reached providing for desegregation, improvements, new public housing units in white communities, Section 8 mobility program and comprehensive community development planning and expenditures in African American communities. The decree and new housing development were defended against two collateral attacks by municipal governments. Sanders, et al. v. United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, et al., 872 F. Supp. 216 (W. D. Pa. 1994)(approving consent decree).
Henderson was lead counsel for victim of sex discrimination when United States tried to withdraw appeal and dismiss action, and successfully represented the victim on appeal, reversing the district court by upholding the retroactivity of the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, and securing damage settlement on remand. United States v. Presidio Investments, Ltd., et al., 4 F.3d 805 (9th Cir. 1993).
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Environment
Henderson was lead counsel in this class action against EPA, HUD, city, city housing authority, and corporate owner of Superfund site challenging refusal to provide relocation and desegregated alternative housing for residents of historically segregated public housing project on lead-contaminated Superfund site. In spite of a statutory bar to challenges to Superfund remedies, the case resulted in a consent decree providing relocation of residents to desegregated housing, closing of project and amendment of cleanup plan. Washington Park Lead Committee, Inc., et al. v. United States Environmental Protection Agency, et al., No. 2:98cv421, 2000 U.S. Dist. Lexis 8011 (E. D. Va., April 12, 2000).
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Voting Rights
Henderson was one of many co-counsel and the organizer of a collaboration of six civil rights organizations representing the NAACP in this class action challenging various election practices of state and county election officials following the Florida 2000 presidential election. State legislation was passed and settlements were reached with each defendant providing for injunctive relief. NAACP v. Harris, No: 01-0120-CIV-GOLD/SIMONTON (S.D. Fla. 2002).
Henderson was lead counsel in this class action challenging city’s at-large election system under Section 2 of Voting Rights Act. The court approved a consent decree after a referendum that changed the voting system to single-member districts and provided for review and approval of districting plan by the court. On fee petition, district court awarded only partial fees, was reversed on appeal and a fee settlement was reached on remand. Metropolitan Pittsburgh Crusade for Voters, et al. v. City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, et al., 686 F. Supp. 97 (W.D. Pa. 1988) (consent decree); 727 F. Supp. 969 (W.D. Pa. 1989) (fees), reversed and remanded, 964 F.2d 244 (3d Cir. 1992) (fee appeal).
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Education
Henderson was co-lead counsel in this class action school desegregation case, including claims challenging segregated and unequal instruction. A class action was certified, and partial summary judgment granted, but after a three week trial the court held the district was desegregated and was affirmed after two appeals. Thomas County Branch of the NAACP v. City of Thomasville School District, 187 F.R.D. 690 (M.D. Ga. 1999)(class certification); No. 6:98-CV-63, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 900 (M. D. Ga., January 21, 2003)(partial summary judgment); 299 F. Supp. 2d 1340 (M. D. Ga. 2004), affirmed in part, vacated in part, reversed in part by Holton v. City of Thomasville School Dist., 425 F.3d 1325 (11th Cir. 2005), rehearing and rehearing en banc denied, 166 Fed. Appx. 477 (11th Cir. 2005); 490 F.3d 1257 (11th Cir. 2007), as clarified on denial of rehearing, 521 F.3d 1318 (11th Cir. 2008).
Henderson was lead counsel from 1980 until dismissal in 2003, in this class action school desegregation case, securing the only school district consolidation remedy in a "northern" case and extensive remedies for within-school segregation and inequality, including in curriculum and instruction, special education, discipline, activities and staff development, all of which successfully were defended in six appeals and two Supreme Court petitions for certiorari. The court determined that the district was desegregated after thirty-two years of litigation and twenty-two years of comprehensive relief. Hoots, et al. v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, et al., 639 F.2d 972 (3d Cir.), cert. denied, 452 U.S. 963 (1981); 510 F. Supp. 615 (W.D. Pa. 1981); 545 F. Supp. 1 (W. D. Pa. 1981), aff'd, 672 F. 2d 1107 (3d Cir.), cert. denied, 459 U.S. 824 (1982); 672 F. 2d 1124 (3d Cir. 1982); 672 F. 2d; 1133 (3d Cir. 1982); No. 71-538 (W.D. Pa. March 31, 1982), aff'd mem., 696 F. 2d 982 (3d Cir. 1982); 539 F. Supp. 335 (W.D. Pa. 1982), aff'd per curiam, 703 F. 2d 722 (3d Cir. 1983); C. A. No. 71-00538 (W. D. Pa. January 16, 1991), aff’d mem. 977 F.2d 568 (3d Cir. 1992); 118 F. Supp. 2d 577 (W.D. Pa. 2000); 272 F. Supp. 2d 539 (W.D. Pa 2003) (selected deHenderson Firmons).
Henderson was co-counsel in opposing efforts of the state and four school districts to end obligations under long-standing school desegregation order. The court ruled that the state and districts satisfied duties and ended decree. Coalition to Save Our Children v. State Board of Education of The State Delaware, et al., 901 F. Supp. 784 (D. Del. 1995), aff’d, 90 F.3d 752 (3d Cir. 1996).
Henderson was co-counsel in long-standing school desegregation case on issue of further relief regarding within-school segregation and inequality in classroom instruction resulting in a Modified Stipulated Remedial Order approved providing accelerated and desegregated instruction, together with additional relief. Vasquez v. San Jose Unified School District, No. C 71-2130 RMW (SJ) (N.D. Cal. February 18, 1994).
Henderson was lead counsel, retained by NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, to represent parents and children in this case challenging segregation among “constituent districts” of county school system. The court upheld the school district after a multi-week trial and again on remand after the deHenderson Firmon was vacated in part on appeal. United States and Ganaway, et al. v. Charleston County School District, et al., 738 F. Supp. 1513 (D. S.C. 1990), aff’d in part and vacated and remanded in part, 960 F.2d 1227 (4th Cir. 1992), on remand, 856 F. Supp. 1060 (D.S.C. 1994).
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Consumer Protection
Henderson is co-counsel with Sanford, Wittels & Heisler in a multi-party action under the DC Consumer Protection Procedures Act against a developer, appraiser and lenders in case challenging a scheme to convert a dilapidated apartment building into condominiums, sell the units and arrange for loans, without rehabilitating the building or following lending guidelines. Saucier v. Countrywide Financial Corp., 2005 CA 001475 B (DC Super.)