Trusted civil rights attorneys with over three decades of experience fighting for victims in California.
If you’ve had your civil rights violated, we understand the gravity of such an offense. At The Bloom Firm, we have been fighting for victims since 2010. Our San Francisco, CA civil rights lawyer represents individuals facing police misconduct, discrimination, retaliation, and other violations of their constitutional and statutory rights. We take cases on contingency, meaning we only collect a fee if we win. Contact us to schedule a free consultation.
Civil Rights Attorney San Francisco, CA
What does it mean to have your civil rights violated? This term covers a wide range of conduct, but at its core, a civil rights violation occurs when a person in authority, whether a government official, police officer, or in some contexts an employer, deprives you of rights protected by the U.S. Constitution or federal and state law.
In California, those protections are especially broad. The California Constitution, alongside federal civil rights statutes, gives individuals meaningful remedies when their rights are ignored or deliberately infringed upon. A civil rights lawyer in San Francisco, CA can assess what happened, identify the responsible parties, and help you understand what your case is worth.
Types of Civil Rights Cases We Handle in San Francisco
Civil rights law covers a wide array of offenses. We represent plaintiffs across a range of claims, and every case we take on is driven by achieving accountability.
- Police brutality and eExcessive force. When law enforcement uses force that goes beyond what the situation requires, that’s a civil rights violation. We’ve represented protestors shot with rubber bullets, people unlawfully detained, and individuals subjected to serious physical harm by officers. These cases require understanding how police departments work internally, and how to build a record that holds them responsible.
- Unlawful arrest and false imprisonment. Being arrested without probable cause isn’t just wrong, it’s a violation of your Fourth Amendment rights.
- LGBTQ+ discrimination. Discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, deadnaming, mocking, exclusion, or termination, is illegal. We’ve represented transgender clients whose civil rights were violated in the workplace and in public accommodations.
- Sexual orientation discrimination. Discrimination against someone because of who they are or who they love violates both federal and California law. We exclusively represent victims in these matters.
- Racial and religious discrimination. Discriminatory conduct by employers, institutions, or government actors based on race or religion is actionable under federal and state civil rights law. We’ve fought and won in cases involving racial discrimination across a range of industries.
- Sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is a civil rights issue. We represent employees and individuals who’ve faced quid pro quo harassment, hostile work environments, and retaliation after reporting misconduct.
- Hostile work environments. When workplace conditions become so severe or pervasive that a reasonable person couldn’t continue working, you may have a claim. We handle these cases with attention to the full pattern of conduct, not just individual incidents.
- Age discrimination. Workers 40 and older are protected from discriminatory treatment under both federal and state law. We represent employees who’ve been pushed out, passed over, or demoted based on age.
- Retaliation. Retaliation for filing a complaint, cooperating with an investigation, or asserting your rights is itself a civil rights violation. We’ve handled these claims in the employment context and in the context of whistleblower reports.
- Due process violations. Government actors are bound by due process obligations. When those obligations are ignored, the consequences for individuals can be serious and lasting.
Why Choose The Bloom Firm for Civil Rights in San Francisco, CA?
Results That Speak to What’s Possible
Lisa Bloom founded The Bloom Firm in 2010. She has been practicing law since the early 1990s, admitted to the California Bar in 1992, and holds a J.D. from Yale Law School. A longtime civil rights advocate, Lisa has represented victims in police misconduct cases, LGBTQ+ discrimination matters, racial discrimination claims, and high-profile litigation involving some of the most well-known defendants in the country.
Attorney Bloom has been a Super Lawyers selectee every year since 2015. She regularly appears on CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, and Court TV, as someone who has spent decades in the trenches actually litigating these cases. That visibility makes a difference in civil rights work, where public accountability is often part of the strategy.
Lisa has been an activist for equality, LGBTQ+ rights, and women’s rights throughout her career. That personal commitment isn’t separate from her legal work. It shapes how she approaches every case. As a civil rights lawyer in San Francisco, CA, Lisa brings decades of courtroom experience and a track record in exactly the kinds of cases that matter most to the clients we serve.
Results That Matter
Our case results in civil rights and excessive force matters include a $1,350,000 recovery and a $775,000 recovery, among others. These are real outcomes in cases where the clients came to us after something went very awry. The Bloom Firm has recovered over $3 million for a peaceful protester who was shot in the eye with a rubber bullet during a BLM demonstration. We’ve resolved multiple cases involving law enforcement use of non-lethal weapons against George Floyd protesters. If you want to know more about what we can do about your situation, contact us today.
Understanding Civil Rights Cases in San Francisco
Charges, Penalties, and Legal Frameworks in Civil Rights Cases
Civil rights cases in California are brought under a combination of federal statutes and state law. Here are key frameworks that come up in civil rights litigation:
- Constitutional claims: Unlawful search and seizure, equal protection and due process), and retaliation for protected speech or protest.
- Statutory discrimination claims: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA).
- State civil rights statutes: The Bane Act and the Ralph Civil Rights Act provide remedies for hate violence and interference with civil rights by threat or intimidation.
- Damages available: Compensatory damages (medical expenses, lost income, emotional distress), punitive damages in egregious cases.
Important Aspects in Your Civil Rights Case
Civil rights cases have distinct features that make them different from most other litigation. A few things worth understanding before you move forward:
- Qualified immunity. This can shield individual officers from personal liability in excessive force and police misconduct cases, even when their conduct was wrong.
- Government defendants. In cases against public entities, there are notice requirements under the California Tort Claims Act that must be met before you can sue, and missing those deadlines can forfeit your claim.
- Pattern and practice. In discrimination cases, there may be a recurring pattern of offenses and prior complaints.
- Documentation is fragile. Body camera footage may get erased or purposefully destroyed, so contacting us right away is imperative to preserve evidence.
- Statutes of limitations vary. In California, the statute of limitations for civil rights cases is two years from the violation date. though some claims against government entities have shorter deadlines.
Civil Rights Case Timeline
The timeline for a civil rights case in San Francisco depends heavily on the defendants involved and the complexity of the claims.
- Initial consultation and investigation: We evaluate your claim, gather initial documentation, and assess the applicable statutes and deadlines.
- Government claims filing: If your case involves a public entity, a government tort claim must typically be filed within six months of the incident before a lawsuit can proceed.
- Filing the complaint: Once we have the foundation of your case, we file in federal or state court depending on the nature of your claims.
- Discovery: Both sides exchange documents, take depositions, and gather evidence. This phase can take six to eighteen months depending on the case.
- Mediation or settlement discussions: Many civil rights cases resolve before trial, but we are prepared to go to court if needed.
- Trial: If a fair resolution isn’t possible, we try the case. Our attorneys have significant trial experience and are not afraid to go to a jury.
What to Bring to Your Civil Rights Consultation
Here is the kind of information we need to review during your consultation. However, don’t worry if you do not have all of these, as we can gather them at a later time:
- Any documentation of the incident (photos, video, written communications)
- Police reports, arrest records, or citations if the case involves law enforcement
- Internal HR complaints, employer communications, or written policies if the case involves workplace discrimination or retaliation
- Medical records if you suffered physical injury
- Names of any witnesses and their contact information if available
California Legal Resources for Civil Rights
California has a set of legal resources for those whose rights have been violated. Here are some starting points for understanding your rights and about the laws that protect you:
- California Civil Code § 52: Sets out remedies and damages for violations of civil rights statutes, including treble damages and attorney’s fees.
- 42 U.S.C. § 1983: The primary federal statute for suing government actors (including police) who violate constitutional rights.
- California Bane Act (Civil Code § 52.1): Allows individuals to sue when someone interferes with their civil rights through threats, intimidation, or coercion (commonly used in police misconduct and excessive force cases).
California’s two-year statute of limitations applies to most civil rights claims, though government entity claims typically require a tort claim to be filed within six months of the violation. Negligence principles apply to civil rights claims involving physical harm, and California law allows recovery of both economic and non-economic damages when rights are violated. Punitive damages may be available where the defendant’s conduct was malicious or oppressive.
Reach Out to The Bloom Firm to Schedule a Consultation
If your civil rights were violated in San Francisco by law enforcement, an employer, or someone in a position of authority, we want to hear from you. We’ll review the facts of your situation and tell you what we can do for you. Contact us at The Bloom Firm to schedule your free consultation.