Door Banner Size

A Five Decade Commitment to Justice

Nearly a half century ago, the beginnings of what is now Wiggins, Childs, Pantazis, Fisher & Goldfarb LLC formed a new law firm whose chief purpose is to specialize in civil rights litigation so that those who cannot afford a good lawyer can have equal access to the same high quality of legal representation as the corporations and governments who mistreat them—to “level the playing field” in access to quality lawyers in the historic hotbed of the civil rights movement in Birmingham, Alabama at a difficult time in the nation’s history. For nearly five decades, the firm’s lawyers have provided such representation to persons who cannot afford to pay for it on their own.

     The law firm began in 1975 when Bob Wiggins opened a one-lawyer practice that focused on challenging systemic racial and sexual discrimination in employment opportunities as well as other civil rights violations. Over the next ten years, the practice steadily grew larger with the addition of Bob Childs and Mike Quinn and the eventual merger in 1985 with the firm in which Dennis Pantazis was litigating similar issues of consumer rights.  This set the stage for what would become the firm’s nationally recognized practice in social justice litigation. By 1990, the firm arguably had the largest number of lawyers in the United States practicing in that field of law.

Far surpassing the size of typical firms handling such cases with a limited number of attorneys and resources, Wiggins Childs has had more than thirty attorneys working tirelessly for more than thirty years for clients who have been the consistent underdogs in their cases. Through hard work, Wiggins Childs has kept its main office in Birmingham and gradually added offices in Washington D.C. in 1998 and subsequently in Florida.

wiggins childs pantazis fisher goldfarb attorneys     As the firm has grown, so has the type of cases it litigates on behalf of persons who cannot afford to pay an attorney on their own. In addition to its longstanding commitment to challenging race and sex discrimination in employment settings, the firm has developed a similar focus challenging disability and age discrimination, the treatment of children with special needs in schools, hostile work and school environments, sexual harassment on the job, and international terrorist attacks. As Dennis Pantazis puts it: “The focus of the firm is, and has always been, to catch those who fall through the cracks without decent representation.” The firm’s early commitment to making a difference in how people are treated in their jobs, communities and the courts of this country grew out of the founding members’ experiences in having to live and work in the racially segregated South of the 1950’s and 1960’s.

The firm has been widely recognized for its success and skill in representing their clients. For more than twenty-five years, Bob Wiggins, Dennis Pantazis and other founding members of the law firm have been rated each year by other attorneys as among the best lawyers in the nation in Best Lawyers In America. Younger attorneys in the firm have also earned that distinction over the years.  The firm as a whole has been recognized nationally for its prominent work in civil rights and class action lawsuits, including being selected by The National Law Journal as one of the “25 Go To Firms” and being named one of the top law firms in the country by U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms”.

After the passing of co-founder Bob Childs earlier this year, Bob Wiggins and Dennis Pantazis remain the two founding members of the firm still in practice today. The longevity of their careers within the firm can be linked to not only a passion for their field of practice, but also working well with each other. Thinking back over the years, Bob Wiggins recounts that “everyone gets along, we’ve never had to vote on anything. We just discuss it and work towards a consensus on what should be done for the good of everyone”. Such a team commitment allows tremendous energy and talent to be brought to bear on the main mission of the firm—to provide access to high- quality representation so that clients who cannot afford such representation may prevail in their cases.

birmingham alabama theater

WEEK IN REVIEW

Here is a snapshot of the cases filed by Wiggins, Childs, Pantazis, Fisher and Goldfarb LLC in the past week:

Federal Filings:

September 20, 2018

Harper v. Mitternight Boiler Works, Inc.

·         Filed by Temple Trueblood in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama Southern Division.

·         Civil Action No.: 1: 18-cv-00404

·         Type of case: Employment, Americans with Disabilities (ADA), Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Equal     Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Discrimination

 

September 18, 2018

Lee v. Chilton County Board of Education et al.

·         Filed by Lacey K. Danley and Candis McGowan in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama Northern Division.

·         Civil Action No.: 2: 18-cv-806-WKW-GMB

·         Type of case: Americans with Disabilities (ADA), Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Discrimination, Retaliation

 

September 17, 2018

Vandergift v. Jade Nails

·         Filed by Rocco Calamusa, Jr. in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama Northeastern Division.

·         Civil Action No.: 5:18-cv-01515-HNJ

·         Type of case: Title VII, 42 U.S.C. § 1981, Employment Discrimination, Sex Discrimination, Retaliation, Outrage, Invasion of Privacy, Negligent/Wanton Training, Sexual Harassment 

exterior photo of the kress building in downtown birmingham alabama which also houses the law firm of wiggins childs pantazis fisher & goldfarb

WEEK IN REVIEW

Here is a snapshot of the cases filed by Wiggins, Childs, Pantazis, Fisher and Goldfarb LLC in the past week:

Federal Filings:

September 6, 2018

Ficarelli v. City of Mobile, Alabama

  • Filed by Temple D. Trueblood in the District Court for the Southern District of Alabama Southern Division
  • Civil Action No.: 18-cv-00389
  • Type of case: Discrimination, American with Disabilities Act, Rehabilitation Act, Title VII Retaliation, E.E.O.C.

 

September 13, 2018

Williams v. Highland Health Systems

  • Filed by Kevin W. Jent in the District Court for the Northern District of Alabama Eastern Division
  • Civil Action No.: 1:18-cv-01488
  • Type of case: Title VII/§ 1981 Race/National Origin Discrimination and Retaliation
noteworthy cases

WEEK IN REVIEW

Here is a snapshot of the cases filed by Wiggins, Childs, Pantazis, Fisher and Goldfarb LLC in the past week:

Federal Filings:

September 5, 2018

Arnold v. West Morgan East-Lawrence Water and Sewer Authority; 3M Company; Dyneon, LLC; and Daikin America, Inc.  

 

Lee v. SIGAlabama, LLC

  • Filed by Samuel Fisher and Sidney M. Jackson in the District Court for the Northern District of Alabama Southern Division
  • Civil Action No.: 18-cv-01442-AKK
  • Type of case: Title VII, Employment Discrimination, National Origin Discrimination, Harassment, Hostile Workplace Environment, 42 U.S.C. § 1981; Retaliatory Discharge, Conversion

 

September 4, 2018

Davis v. Mar-Jac Poulty AL, LLC

  • Filed by Robert J. Camp in the District Court for the Northern District of Alabama Jasper Division
  • Civil Action No.: 18-cv-01433-LSC
  • Type of case: Title VII, Employment Discrimination, Racial Discrimination

 

August 31, 2018

Goodwin v. Sherwin-Williams Company

  • Filed by Gregory O. Wiggins in the District Court for the Northern District of Alabama Eastern Division
  • Civil Action No.: 18-cv-01407-ACA
  • Type of case: Racial Discrimination, Employment Discrimination, Retaliation, Title VII, 42 U.S.C. § 1981(a)

 

Hatley v. Ike and Peggy Enterprises, Inc.

  • Filed by Robert J. Camp in the District Court for the Northern District of Alabama Middle Division
  • Civil Action No.: 18-cv-01421-VEH
  • Type of case: Sex Discrimination, EEOC, Employment Discrimination, Title VII

 

August 30, 2018

Dowdy v. Gaboco, Inc.

  • Filed by Robert J. Camp in the District Court for the Northern District of Alabama North Eastern Division
  • Civil Action No.: 18-cv-01404-HNJ
  • Type of case: Sex Discrimination, EEOC, Employment Discrimination, Title VII
9-11

Remembering 9/11

“We came in as individuals. And we’ll walk out together.”
-- Joe Bradley, Operating Engineer and Recovery Worker at Ground Zero, May 2002.

Wiggins Childs Pantazis Fisher & Goldfarb would like to take the time to remember all the lives lost on September 11th, 2001. While time continues to pass, the horrors of that day live on in our memories, but also in the work we do. Over the last 17 years, we have worked on behalf of families of 9/11 victims not for money damages, but for answers about that infamous day. Though we have obtained judgments on behalf of family members that exceed billions of dollars, the untold losses rise far beyond any dollar compensation.

 

While our courtroom successes for these judgments has been tremendously successful, it is our fight for truth that ignites our passion for these sensitive cases. The rewards we gain as a firm are strong relationships with incredible families. We have watched the babies of victims grow up into adults, marrying, now with babies of their own. We are proud to represent such amazing, resilient individuals who welcome us into their worlds and trust us year after year to fight for truth on their behalf.

 

The Wiggins Childs Pantazis Fisher & Goldfarb team continues to work for these causes in our 9/11 cases. While money damages are the only judgments we can seek within the confines of the courtroom, our true objective is to help bring closure to the families with whom we have worked so closely for so many years. We would like to acknowledge today on behalf of the many affected families and the lives lost 17 years ago. May we never forget and may we never stop fighting.

 

Wiggins Childs Announces Judgment in Fifth Avenue Tower Lawsuit

kress building exterior sign

Best Lawyers in America 2019

Wiggins Childs Pantazis Fisher & Goldfarb is proud to announce that the practice has been regionally ranked in the 2019 list of Best Law Firms.  We are proud our work continues to be recognized by our peers at Best Lawyers as some of the most prolific in the country.

 

In addition to the firm as a whole, we applaud six of our attorneys who have been included in the 2019 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Best Lawyers recognizes legal excellence across the globe, and we are thrilled the following attorneys are acknowledged in this year’s list:

 

Robert J. Camp – Labor & Employment Litigation

Samuel Fisher – Civil Rights Law

Jon C. Goldfarb – Civil Rights Law

Candis McGowan – Labor & Employment Litigation

Dennis G. Pantazis – Civil Rights Law

Temple D. Trueblood – Labor & Employment Litigation

 

The Best Lawyers in America catalogues high caliber legal talent across the nation each year. First published in 1983, names on this internationally recognized list are peer-reviewed and scrutinized for professional expertise in their own practice areas. To be included is a great honor, and we extend our congratulations to those chosen this year.

kress building exterior sign

WEEK IN REVIEW

Here is a snapshot of the cases filed by Wiggins, Childs, Pantazis, Fisher and Goldfarb LLC in the past week:

Federal Filings:

August 28, 2018

Tracey Townsend v. Jett Concrete

  • Filed by Josh Gale and Rocco Calamusa, Jr. in the District Court for the Middle District of Florida Jacksonville Division
  • Civil Action No.: 3:18-cv-01045
  • Type of case: Section 1981, Employment Discrimination, Race Discrimination
Call Now