Civil Rights

Arnold Spencer graduated from the University of Texas School of Law in 1994, and was then admitted to the Texas State Bar as well as the Northern and Eastern Districts, and 5th Circuit courts. He has gained experience as a trial lawyer which earned him the reputation as a strong litigator. For this, he has been awarded the John Marshall Award from the Department of Justice, as well as being named a Super Lawyer from 2020 through 2022. He currently manages Spencer & Associates, where he handles civil asset forfeiture defense, which means he helps his clients recover cash, vehicles, land, drugs & paraphernalia, electronics and more. If you believe your assets have been wrongly seized, contact Arnold Spencer for a FREE consultation online or call 469-283-6126.

Attorney J. Kevin Clark has been practicing law in Texas since 1982, has been Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1987. He graduated from the Baylor University School of Law, and is a member of the Texas Bar Foundation, Tarrant County Bar Association, and Tarrant County Family Law Bar. His current law practice focuses on divorce and family law, including child support, adoption and more. To schedule your free consultation with the Fort Worth Divorce & Family Law Attorney, please visit online or call 817-348-6723.

The Baker Law Firm and our founding attorney, Lance K. Baker, can help you resolve even the most complex and challenging legal problems. Our firm's founding attorney has garnered recognition both nationally and locally. In the past several years he has received the following designations: Listed in The National Trial Lawyers 2017 Top 40 Under 40 in the Criminal Defense category Listed in The National Trial Lawyers 2018 Top 40 Under 40 in the Civil Plaintiff Lawyers category Named Top Male Rising Star of Knoxville by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Honored in 2019 as one of Knoxville's top DUI defense attorneys by Cityview magazine Honored in 2021 as one of Knoxville's top Civil Rights attorneys by Cityview magazine Honored in 2022 as one of Knoxville's top attorneys by CityView magazine in DUI Defense, Constitutional Law/Civil Rights, Personal Injury- Auto Accidents, Consumer Protection, Class Action, and Antitrust Selected as one of 2022 Mid-South's Rising Stars by Super Lawyers Selected as one of 2023 Mid-South's Rising Stars by Super Lawyers Lance is actively involved in the community. For instance, he is a panelist on Fox 43's “Heavy Hitters” show and frequently offers guest political commentary on WBIR-TV. He is also a member of the Knoxville Bar Association and the Tennessee Bar Association.

Garret S. DeReus is an experienced civil rights and personal injury attorney with over a decade of litigation experience. As a partner at Bizer & DeReus, Mr. DeReus has dedicated his career to litigation and advocating for individuals whose rights have been violated. Mr. DeReus handles civil rights cases, personal injury claims, nursing home abuse, and medical malpractice. He has successfully handled more than 500 civil rights cases and has extensive experience in all aspects of litigation, from pre-litigation development through appellate work. His civil rights practice encompasses prisoner rights, disability rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act, excessive force, education access, and government accountability cases. Mr. DeReus serves as lead counsel in high-stakes federal litigation and has secured significant victories at both the trial and appellate levels. Notable achievements include successful appeals to the Fifth, Ninth, and Tenth Circuits, with the Tenth Circuit establishing favorable precedent regarding the repeated violations doctrine in a Title II ADA case. In January 2024, Mr. DeReus first-chaired a federal jury trial in a First Amendment case that resulted in a plaintiff verdict, securing $205,000 in damages. Mr. DeReus has successfully opposed challenges from major corporations, including a groundbreaking ADA case against Uber Technologies for wheelchair accessibility. He has negotiated over 200 settlements, consent decrees, and judgments, including systemic changes to New Orleans' public transportation system that made the historic St. Charles Avenue Streetcar accessible to wheelchair users. Mr. DeReus earned his J.D. from Tulane Law School in 2013 as a Dean's Scholarship Recipient and his B.B.A. from The George Washington University in 2010, graduating summa cum laude.

A veteran attorney with years of “big firm” experience, he has opened his own law practice to fight for the justice that every man and woman deserves. He has experience in all types of litigation including complex civil litigation, civil trial practice, criminal defense, domestic matters, and a wide range of other legal issues. A former law clerk for a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, he has handled cases across the state of Mississippi and in Washington D.C. With extensive experience in both trial and appellate courts, including and up to the United States Supreme Court, he has the experience, strength, and tenacity to fight for you. After graduating at the top of his class from Mississippi College School of Law in Jackson, Mississippi, Mr. Clanton served as a law clerk to the late Honorable David A. Nelson of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati, Ohio. Mr. Clanton’s prior professional experience includes tenure as a shareholder in a large, national AmLaw 200 law firm. He has also previously served as Chief Counsel to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution, where he acted as Chief Counsel advising both the Chairman and the Members of the Judiciary Committee on legislation and Congressional oversight, regulatory authority, civil and constitutional rights, Congressional authority, separation of powers, proposed constitutional amendments and oversight of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice and the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. While practicing with the law firm of Baker Donelson, he handled civil litigation in both Mississippi and Washington, D.C.

Carmel J. Decker is a Partner with Harwood Lloyd, practicing in its Insurance Defense Litigation and Commercial Litigation Departments. Ms. Decker concentrates her practice in employment law, civil rights violations, construction law, corporate and contract law and insurance law. Ms. Decker’s employment law practice includes complex litigation in state and federal courts involving wrongful termination, sexual harassment/hostile work environment, discrimination, retaliation, breach of contract, corporate and business law, common-law claims, ERISA, CEPA, the New Jersey Law against Discrimination, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, hiring practices, restrictive covenants, employee handbooks and workplace torts. Ms. Decker represents companies, public entities and public employees in matters involving civil rights violations, negligence and police conduct. Ms. Decker also handles matters involving directors’ and officers’ liability, particularly employment and civil rights disputes. Ms. Decker lectures on employment matters including sexual harassment/hostile work environment discrimination, hiring practices and litigation of employment issues. Ms. Decker drafts employee handbooks, counsels clients on risk management and regulatory compliance and provides preventive counseling to employers on employment issues. Ms. Decker also appears in matters before the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Ms. Decker’s construction law practice includes complex multi-party litigation involving claims of construction defect, professional liability of architects and engineers and construction site accidents. As part of her construction defect practice, Ms. Decker handles matters involving claims of deficiencies in construction and design, latent construction defects, building code violations, breach of contract and insurance. Ms. Decker’s construction law practice encompasses matters arising on public, private, commercial and residential projects. Ms. Decker received her B.S., cum laude, in Business Administration from Montclair State College in 1978 and her J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1981. Ms. Decker is admitted to practice before the courts of the State of New Jersey (1982), the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey (1982) and the courts of the State of New York (1989). Ms. Decker is a member of the Federal Bar Association, the Bergen County Bar Association and the Professional Liability Underwriting Society.

Susan Hutchison is a Fort Worth employment law and personal injury attorney who has been practicing law for over 25 years. Susan's practice areas include employment law for employees, personal injury, wrongful termination, discrimination, sexual harassment and more. She is a member of several professional associations, including the American Bar Association, Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association, Tarrant County Civil Trial Lawyers Association, and Tarrant County Women's Bar Association. Susan has also been honored with numerous awards, including being named a Texas Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters, AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, Top Car Accident Attorney by Avvo Rating 10.0 Superb, Fort Worth Top Attorney by Fort Worth Texas Magazine, and Recipient of the Disability Rights of Texas Award. To schedule your free case evaluation with a Fort Worth Employment Law Attorney, visit online or call 817-336-5533.

Mr. Melehy began his legal career in 1987 as a judicial law clerk to Maryland Court of Appeals Judge William H. Adkins II, followed by eight years as an Assistant Attorney General with the Maryland Attorney General’s Office. During that time, he developed significant courtroom experience and became a seasoned trial lawyer. Since 1997, Mr. Melehy has focused on advocating for employees in disputes involving wage violations, discrimination, and other workplace injustices, representing clients across both the private sector and federal government. He has secured numerous favorable verdicts, judgments, and settlements, many of which have resulted in lasting changes to employment law. Mr. Melehy holds an AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell — the highest available — reflecting his legal ability and ethical standards. He is admitted to practice in Maryland and the District of Columbia and has served in leadership roles with several employment rights and civil justice organizations, including MWELA and the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs. If you're facing an issue with your employer and need strong legal representation, contact Melehy & Associates LLC today at 301-587-6364 or complete our contact form to schedule your free consultation.

Mr. Perez has represented and delivered results for clients in matters involving: landlord tenant, breach of warranties, insurance coverage claims, property damage matters, intentional torts, mediation, negligence claims, dog and animal bites, business litigation, construction, libel slander defamation, civil fraud, the Ohio Consumer Protection Act, personal injury, premises liability (slip and fall), contract and agreement disputes, trespass and boundary disputes, Fair Credit Reporting Act and other civil matters.

Ephraim Roy Hess has practicing law for more than 30 years. He has successfully represented both individuals and small to medium sized businesses in matters ranging from sexual harassment and age discrimination to the negotiation of severance issues and the enforcement and defense of non-compete agreements. Some areas of representation include: Employment and Labor Law • Discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, age, race, national origin, religion, disability, or pregnancy • Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) • Drug Testing • Sexual Harassment • Contract review/negotiations • Whistleblowers and Retaliation • Long Term Disability • EEOC/FCHR Charges • Unemployment • Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) Business Law and Litigation • Non-Compete Agreements • Severance Agreements • Confidentiality Agreements • Defense and claims of breaches of contract • Response to Administrative Charges • Defense against discrimination charges • Employee vs. Independent Contractor Classification Issues Civil Trials and Appeals • Contract disputes • Malicious Prosecution • Fraud • Breach of Contract • Public Records Actions • Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices • Breach of Fiduciary Duty Please contact the Hess Law Firm at (954) 585.8599 to discuss your individual matter.