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Congratulations to our client Zahara Green for her award honoring her as a Black LGBTQ Icon presented by GLAD, GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders. Zahara Green has a civil rights case currently on appeal before the Eleventh Circuit concerning a terrible assault she suffered while incarcerated at an all male facility in Georgia. Oral argument is scheduled before the Eleventh Circuit this April.

Zahara Green is the Founder and Executive Director of TRANScending Barriers Atlanta, a trans-led, trans-issue focused non-profit organization whose mission is to empower the transgender and gender non-conforming community in Georgia through community organizing with leadership building, advocacy, and direct services so that lives can be changed and a community uplifted. She is also a board director and board treasurer of Black & Pink Inc, a prison abolitionist organization supporting LGBTQ and HIV-positive prisoners.

Her story can be read here. Both Michael Stipe and Elton John have released a joint statement in support of her which can be read here.

Our client Zahara Green, co-founder of TRANScending Barriers discusses the problem of disproportionate violence and murder against Transwomen of color. Zahara Green has a civil rights case before the Eleventh Circuit concerning a terrible assault she suffered while incarcerated at an all male facility in Georgia. She tells the story of the terrible rape she suffered here. More information on her case can be read here and here as well as here. Both Elton John and Michael Stipe gave a statement in Rolling Stone condemning her treatment which can be read here. In it, they both stated “We must do more to end the culture of violence and discrimination surrounding gender identity and expression,” the duo wrote. “We urge the state of Georgia to embrace desperately needed changes to their correctional system.”

Georgia Whistleblower Lawyer files suit against DeKalb County Schools on behalf of Corporal Frederick Joiner, a courageous whistleblower who reported sexual misconduct by administrators against students and other violations of Georgia law. In response the District retaliated against him.

The District is alleged to have failed to comply with the Georgia Open Records Act and also to have blocked emails that Corporal Joiner sent to the Board of Education alerting them as to the corruption and coverup that was going on within the Public Safety Department placing young students at risk.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Education Reporter Marlon Walker writes about the whistleblower lawsuit here. The 6 p.m. breaking news WSBTV investigative report on Channel 2 can be viewed here.

Williams Oinonen LLC Partner Mario Williams spoke on Saturday at the Emory University School of Law EPIC (Emory Public Interest Committee) 2017 conference this past Saturday. The keynote speaker was Professor Fred Smith, Associate Professor at Emory University School of Law.

Attorney Mario Williams discussed his civil rights cases concerning prisons as a panelist at the conference organized by EPIC. EPIC was formed in 1989 by students committed to making public interest jobs accessible to Emory students. For more information, on Emory University School of Law’s promotion of Public Interest work, see here.

Mario Williams discusses a lawsuit against Charlottesville Police for ‘standing down’ and failing to intervene in the hate crimes committed in front of them during the white supremacist rally. Mario Williams is a founding law partner of Williams Oinonen LLC and chief of the civil rights division at Nexus Caridades Inc. In this recent television broadcast, Mr. Williams and Mr. Mike Donovan, President of Nexus Services Inc. discuss the lawsuit which was filed this past week on behalf of Robert Turner who was attacked by white supremacists who doused his eyes with mace and then beat him with a cane stick during the rally in front of the police.

Williams Oinonen LLC was a proud supporter of the Girl’s Inc. Annual Awards Luncheon held this past Friday at the Westin in Buckhead. This annual event featured WSB-TV’s Jovita Moore as the keynote speaker. Scholarships to young ladies were awarded and a fantastic auction took place which succeeded in raising and surpassing its fundraising goal.

Since 1976, Girls Inc. Atlanta has provided educational programs to thousands of metro Atlanta girls through innovative programs that help girls confront subtle societal messages about their value and potential, and prepare them to lead successful, independent and complete lives. The programs include math and science education, pregnancy prevention, media literacy, adolescent health, child abuse prevention, substance abuse prevention, along with sports and cultural activities. To make a donation to this worthy non-profit organization, please click here.

Williams Oinonen LLC partner Julie Oinonen is grateful for the opportunity to serve as a member of the Board of Directors.

Julie Oinonen was elected to the Board of NELA-GA this January, 2017. NELA-GA, is the Georgia regional association of the National Employment Lawyers Association(NELA), which is a civil rights association made up of lawyers whose employment litigation practice areas advocate for the rights of employees. NELA-GA promotes the growth of its members through professional development, education CLE’s and workshops, papers and technical support. NELA-GA promotes the workplace rights of individual employees through a referral program, with a focus on the special obstacles faced by employees as a result of Georgia’s employment laws. NELA-GA members are the attorneys who bring actions to ensure equal employment opportunity for all, and to vindicate the civil rights of individuals to fairness and justice in the workplace.

Membership in NELA-GA is open to attorneys who are devoted to the representing and advancing the rights of workers and who devote more than 50% of their employment related representation to employees.

Ms. Oinonen is also on the Board for Girls Inc; a national program which helps young girls navigate gender, economic, and social barriers and grow up healthy, educated, and independent. She is a member of the Lamar Inn, Georgia Trial Laywers Association, and an adjunct faculty member at Trial Techniques Program at Emory University School of Law.

Good Georgia Lawyer Mario Williams successfully represented prominent metro Atlanta attorney Mr. Kevin Ross in a lawsuit to clear his good name. A jury recently vindicated Mr. Ross and awarded him $11.3 million in a lawsuit that argued he was falsely accused of corruption. Mr. Kevin Ross sued two businessmen provided a Prosecutor information alleging he was involved in bid-rigging.  The investigation resulted in no charges against Ross, but harmed him significantly by damaging his reputation.

A member of the Georgia Bar since 1980, Mr. Ross has advised numerous private and public sector clients on matters of public affairs, government relations and media relations over the course of his professional career. He practiced law with three major commercial law firms in Atlanta and served for four years as the Managing Partner of the Atlanta office of an international law firm. Additionally, Mr. Ross has managed over a dozen successful political campaigns, including three winning mayoral, and two winning congressional campaigns and a host of other state, county, municipal and judicial races.

William Oinonen LLC considers it a privilege to have represented Mr. Kevin Ross and our many other clients who have been injured by injustices.