David Raizman

Disability Access

David’s disability practice involves his providing ongoing advice to clients in multiple industries on how to construct, alter and operate a facility that provides equal access to the blind, deaf, wheelchair users and those with other disabilities. David also defends such clients in class action and complex litigation in courts throughout the country challenging the accessibility of their facilities. Some representative experience follows:

Class Actions

• Defend putative class action challenging accessibility of parking lots in auto parts retailers stores nationwide
• Defend multiple class actions challenging the accessibility of the sidewalks and curbs throughout a large city
• Defend putative class action challenging practices and procedures and accessibility of 161 dental clinics located in more than 25 states
• Defend class action involving accessibility to the blind and visually-impaired of clients’ amusement parks and the websites associated with the amusement parks
• Defend putative class action challenging accessibility of all of clothing retailer’s stores throughout California
• Defend putative class action challenging absence of pool lifts in hotel chain’s swimming pools in more than 25 states
• Defend putative class actions challenging absence of accessible POS devices for the blind at two different retailers’ stores throughout the United States
• Defend putative class action challenging accessibility of client’s 16 retail locations in Southern California
• Defend putative class action challenging policies and practices of client’s amusement parks in allowing guests with autism and other disabilities to avoid waiting in line
• Defend putative class action against real estate investment trust’s hospitality holdings alleging the inaccessibility of the hotels’ shuttle bus services to wheelchair users

Complex, High-Stakes Litigation

• Defend major sports franchise in sweeping challenge to accessibility of its stadium, ticketing policies and website
• Won summary judgment on challenge to ride restrictions that prevented certain amusement park guests without arms or legs (or both) from riding certain attractions.  Also negotiated resolution of settlement involving alleged architectural barriers to access throughout theme park and adjacent retail/entertainment center
• Defended several website owners or operators in litigation that their websites were not accessible to blind or visually-impaired users
• Representation of several banks against allegations that ATMs in multiple branches are not accessible to the blind
• Representation of national retailer regarding the accessibility of the audio output of its kiosks and television monitors to deaf customers
• Representation of major sports franchise on redesign of arena
• Defend major racetrack on remediation of pre-ADA and post-ADA portions of massive facility
• Department of Justice and Governmental Investigations
• Lead response to investigation of charges that national association is giving member clubs unlawful direction (or advice) on accommodating children with disabilities in their local clubs
• Lead response to investigation of charges that major Northeastern hotel has numerous architectural barriers
• Lead response to investigation of charges that major municipal airport’s shuttle bus service was not accessible to persons who use wheelchairs

Advice and Compliance

• Advise clients owning or operating hotels, theaters, amusement parks, entertainment venues, websites, hospitals and medical facilities, stadiums, arenas on issues of both architectural and operational compliance
• Advise stadium, arena and theatre clients on ticketing policies to comply with 2010 Department of Justice regulations
• Develop and implement strategies for conducting audits of clients’ compliance with applicable laws and the design of remedial plans
• Advise clients on development of service animal and Segway policies
• Advise clients on customer, client and guest requests for auxiliary aids and services and reasonable modifications of policies, practices and procedures
• Provide training for encountering and assisting guests with disabilities

Employment

David’s employment practice involves both advice and litigation defense in the full range of employment-related matters, including all manner of discrimination, contract and tort claims and in trade secret and restrictive covenant litigation. Some representative experience follows:

• Defend employment discrimination and other employment litigation against movie studio
• Defend brokerage against claims of sexual harassment in the workplace
• Advise clients on enforceability of restrictive covenants and the drafting of enforceable covenants
• Act as outside, national employment counsel to public company in health care industry
• Advise international owner and operator of stadiums and arenas in employment compliance and employment litigation defense
• Act as outside employment counsel to national retailer
• Trade secret advice and litigation

Education

• J.D., Columbia Law School, 1987
• M.S.J., Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, 1986
• B.A., Vassar College, 1983

Admission to Practice

• California
• U.S. District Court, Central, Eastern, Northern and Southern Districts of California
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

• Los Angeles County Bar Association, Section on Labor & Employment

• Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “The DOJ’s New ADA Website Accessibility Regulations: Implications for All Businesses” – May 13, 2024
• Corporate Labor and Employment Counsel Exclusive – “Websites, Kiosks, and Touchscreens: ADA Title III Litigation Risks in a Digital World” – Colorado Springs – September 23, 2022
• Workplace Strategies Seminar – “Far Too Little, and Also Late—The DOJ Finally Issues Website Accessibility Guidance for Private Businesses” – Phoenix – May 5, 2022
• Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “DOJ Issues Long-Awaited Website Accessibility Guidance, But Will Anything Change on the Litigation Front?” – March 25, 2022
• Navigating California Employment Law – “Reasonable Accommodations From the Litigators’ Perspective” – March 4, 2021
• Virtual COVID-19 Employment Litigation: Prevention and Defense Strategies Seminar – “Face Masks and Front-of-the-Line Requests: Customer Concerns and ADA Title III Litigation” – September 10, 2020
• Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “COVID-19 Litigation and Mitigation Strategies Series: Customer Challenges to Face Covering Mandates and Other Pandemic-Related ADA Title III Litigation” – August 11, 2020
• Ogletree Deakins Podcast – “California COVID-19 Series: Complying with California’s Guidance for Mandated Face Coverings” – July 13, 2020
• Ogletree Deakins Podcast – “California COVID-19 Series: Considerations for Businesses Requiring Customer Face Coverings” – June 16, 2020
• Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “Navigating Customer Refusals to Wear Face Coverings and Masks” – June 2, 2020
• Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Virtual Conference – “Customer COVID Accommodation Requests” – May 15, 2020
• California Employment Law & Cabernet – ““Headline News”: The Latest Developments in California Employment Law” – Napa – March 5, 2020
• Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “Do Gift Cards Without Braille Violate the ADA? An Update on Breaking Developments” – November 12, 2019
• Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “A Whole Different Animal: Reasonable Accommodation Requests for Service Dogs and Emotional Support Animals in the Workplace ” – April 9, 2019
• Ogletree Deakins Navigating California Employment Law Seminar – “Be Reasonable! Analyzing California’s Religious, Disability, and Pregnancy Accommodation Requirements” – Napa – March 1, 2019
• Ogletree Deakins Podcast – “Animals as Accommodations in the Workplace and in Businesses” – February 12, 2019
• Ogletree Deakins Navigating California Employment Law Seminar – “What’s New in California Employment Law? Plenty!” – Napa – March 2, 2017
• Ogletree Deakins Seminar – “ADA Accommodations and Title III Trends” – Indianapolis – October 10, 2013
• Association of Corporate Counsel – “Being Prepared for Litigation: Ten Things To Be Ready To Do When the Summons Arrives” – Westlake Village – March 1, 2012
• California Continuing Education of the Bar – “Trade Secret Litigation in California: Current Issues and Cutting Edge Strategies” – Los Angeles – March 1, 2011
• Resch Polster Berger LLP – “What Every Lawyer Should Know About the ADA” – Beverly Hills – January 2011
• American Society of Amusement Parks Safety & Security, Annual Conference – “Update on Pending ADA Standards” – Universal City – August 2010
• California Department of Fair Employment & Housing Symposium – “How To Make Your Law Firm Accessible To People With Disabilities” – Los Angeles – April 16, 2010

• April 11, 2016 – Daily Report – “Website Accessibility: The New Legal Domain”
• November 2014 – The Rutter Group Civil Litigation Series – Collaborator – “California Fair Housing and Public Accommodations”
• September 2011 – Lodging and Hospitality – “Is Your Hotel Ready for the Latest ADA Regulations? (co-author)”
• August 2011 – California Real Property Journal – “How To Make Your Law Firm Accessible To People With Disabilities (co-author)”
• March 4, 2005 – Los Angeles Daily Journal – “In ‘Readylink,’ Panel Reaffirms Vitality of Trade Secrets Exception (co-author)”
• 2005 – 2007 – BNA (Author, Contributing Editor, California Chapter) – “Tortious Interference in the Employment Context, A 50-State Survey”
• 2004 – 2007 – BNA (Contributing Editor, California Chapter) – “Covenants Not To Compete, A 50-State Survey”
• 2004 – 2007 – BNA (Contributing Editor, California Chapter) – “Employee Duty of Loyalty, A 50-State Survey”
• 2004 – 2007 – BNA (Contributing Editor, California Chapter) – “Trade Secrets, A 50 State Survey”

• October 13, 2023 – Law360 – ” What To Know As EEOC Targets Hearing Impairment Bias”
• May 3, 2023 – Business Insurance – “‘Tester’ bias case could trigger litigation trend”
• May 10, 2022 – SHRM Online – “DOJ Web Access Guidance Provides High-Level Overview”
• October 22, 2018 – SHRM Online – “Potential Job Applicants Sue Companies with Difficult Online Forms”
• August 13, 2018 – Human Resource Executive – “Lawsuits Soar over Inaccessible Websites”
• June 20, 2018 – Aquatics International – “House Passes Bill Meant to Curb ADA-Related Lawsuits”
• February 27, 2018 – Business Insurance – “Congress addresses ADA nuisance suits in bill, but prospects dim”
• December 8, 2017 – American Banker – “Advice to banks on ADA website compliance: Don’t procrastinate”
• September 25, 2017 – SHRM Online – “DOJ Halts Plan to Create Website Accessibility Regulations”
• June 26, 2013 – Aquatics International – “Three Hotel Chains Face Pool Suits”
• April 10, 2013 – Pool & Spa News – “ADA Lawsuits Filed”
• December 20, 2012 – Los Angeles Daily Journal – “Losing Plaintiff in Disability Suit Must Pay Defendant's Attorney's Fees, State Supreme Court Rules”
• November 23, 2012 – Los Angeles Daily Journal – “Increasing Disability Discrimination Claims Bring Up Fraught Workplace Issues”
• December 27, 1996 – Los Angeles Times – “Crackdown on Disabled Parking Permits Raises Privacy Issues”

• Chambers USA Leading Lawyer (2022, 2023, 2024)
• 2012 Daily Journal Top 75 California Labor and Employment Lawyers
• Southern California Super Lawyers Selection (2004 – present)