Season 3 of Cases 4 Causes kicks off with a powerful episode featuring Jessica Pride of The Pride Law Firm, and your host, Landon Harlan.

Jessica played a leading role in the litigation that exposed rampant staff-on-inmate sexual abuse at the now-shuttered Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Dublin, a federal women’s prison. Once known by inmates as the “rape club,” FCI Dublin was permanently closed by the Bureau of Prisons following years of abuse, mismanagement, and a scathing internal investigation. The federal government ultimately agreed to a nearly $116 million settlement for more than 100 survivors.

In this episode, we discuss: 1. The landmark settlement 2. The PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003) audit process 3. What to do if someone you know is incarcerated and experiencing abuse 4. How similar patterns of institutional abuse appear in massage parlors, schools, and psychiatric hospitals This conversation sheds light on systems that fail to protect the vulnerable—and the legal pathways being carved to change that.

Sam Harton, a civil rights attorney, discusses the importance of recognizing the humanity of incarcerated individuals and the need for a shift in society's perception of them. She emphasizes that incarcerated individuals have their own life stories and constitutional rights, and should not be reduced to labels such as criminals or drug addicts.

Harton also discusses the types of misconduct that can occur in police and jail settings, including the use of excessive force and failure to provide medical care. She explains the legal basis for pursuing claims of misconduct, such as violations of the Fourth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments.

Harton also shares her personal journey into civil rights work and highlights the significance of building relationships with incarcerated individuals. She discusses a specific case involving the death of a 16-year-old girl in a juvenile detention facility, which highlights both the systemic failures of the correctional system and the importance of recognizing the humanity of those impacted by it. The case is ongoing, and Harton encourages listeners to follow its progress.

Find Sam Harton on Instagram @funclesam_

On this episode of Cases 4 Causes, Jessica Wieczorkiewicz, an attorney from the Wallace Miller Law Firm in Chicago, discusses the dangers surrounding Suboxone film, an oral medication for opioid addiction.

The film, which is inserted into the mouth and left to dissolve for 10 to 20 minutes, exposes the mouth to acidic substances that cause erosion and decay. The manufacturers of Suboxone film updated the prescribing information in June 2022 to include the association between the film and dental damage.

Jessica’s legal career began in professional liability, specifically medical negligence where she represented healthcare networks, physicians and nurses throughout the litigation process. Today, she stands as a fierce ally for plaintiffs fighting against corporate giants, working to hold medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers accountable. Her caseload spans critical battles and her primary focus these days is on Suboxone, Paraquat and Camp Lejeune, while also wrapping up settlement administration and 3M earplugs and Juul.

On this episode of Cases 4 Causes, the VA Guy – Michael Hoffman, a VA disability advocate and attorney from Werner, Hoffman, and Greig, discusses the importance of veterans filing for disability claims related to mental health conditions and physical ailments.

Hoffman emphasizes that veterans often overlook claiming conditions such as headaches and gastrointestinal distress because they assume these are common issues experienced by everyone. However, he explains that these conditions can be worsened or caused by military service, especially in relation to mental health.

Hoffman also highlights the significance of working with a VA-accredited attorney who can navigate the complex VA system and help veterans appeal denied claims or receive appropriate ratings. He also talks about the statute of limitations for filing VA claims and the role of lobbying in advocating for veterans' rights and benefits.

In this episode of Cases 4 Causes, Chris Zachar, managing partner at the Zachar Law Firm in Phoenix, Arizona, joins Obu Interactive's Jeremy Lynch and Michael Turner to discuss the importance of hiring a specialized attorney rather than a general practitioner for personal injury cases. He takes issue with large advertising law firms that claim to handle personal injury cases but do not have the expertise or willingness to file lawsuits if necessary.

Zachar also discusses the impact of alternative business structures (ABS) in Arizona, where non-lawyers can be part of the ownership group of law firms, and how this may contribute to the rise of advertising firms that do not take cases to trial. He emphasizes the importance of certified specialists in different areas of law and how this designation can help clients find the right attorney for their case. Zachar also shares insight into a significant case he handled involving a family who lost their loved ones in a car accident due to the lack of a median barrier on the highway. The case took several years to reach a verdict, but ultimately resulted in a favorable outcome for the family.

In this episode, Obu Interactive's Jeremy Lynch and Landon Harlan are joined by David Holt, a partner at Smith Law Center and Brain Injury Law Center in Hampton, Virginia to discuss traumatic brain injury litigation. David's main areas of expertise include wrongful death, traumatic brain injury, trucking accidents, and medical malpractice. Before entering law school, David served as a police officer in Hampton, working closely with the training division where he developed protocols and training materials for police recruits.

David is a graduate of the esteemed Career Prosecutor School in Charleston, South Carolina. There he taught, collaborated, learned, and practiced all areas of trial and courtroom advocacy. He has also served as an instructor at the National District Attorney's Association and taught trial practice skills at the National Advocacy Center in Columbia, South Carolina.

In this episode, Obu Interactive's Jeremy Lynch and Landon Harlan are joined by Ava Cavaco, a personal injury attorney at Nigh, Goldenberg, Raso & Vaughn to discuss Philips CPAP litigation. She specializes in medical and pharmaceutical multi-district litigation, class actions and medical malpractice. Ava is admitted to practice in the state of Minnesota, and the United States District Court of Minnesota, Michigan, North Carolina, and Georgia. In February 2022, she was appointed by Judge Conti to the leadership steering MDL 3014, the Philips Recalled CPAP, BiPap and Ventilator litigation. On CPAP, Ava serves as Co-chair of the Leadership Development Committee and on the Discovery Committee.

In this episode, Obu Interactive's Jeremy Lynch and Landon Harlan are joined by Dan Hodes, managing partner of Hodes Milman, LLP to discuss complex medical malpractice. Dan’s extensive successful plaintiffs personal injury trial experience may make him one of the most sought after lawyers in California amongst victims and families seeking justice. Hodes Milman recently secured a $17.25 million Kaiser arbitration award on behalf of a 39-year-old male client due to a misdiagnosis prior to surgery. Dan and his longtime legal partner, Jeff Milman, were both inducted into the Orange County Trial Lawyers Hall of Fame in 2022.

In this episode, Obu Interactive's Jeremy Lynch, Landon Harlan, and Angela Ramos are joined by Danielle Ward Mason of Bullock Ward Mason, LLC to discuss the connections between hair straighteners and uterine cancer. Danielle has spent the last 13 years developing her expertise in complex civil litigation and mass torts with trial verdicts and settlements of over $1 billion. Nationally, Danielle is known for representing thousands of women in the Johnson and Johnson to powder ovarian cancer litigation. She lists consumer and client advocacy as her passion and aims to make products safer for consumers across the country.