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Video Highlights Impact of the Largest Civil Rights Class Action Lawsuit in US History

U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Imminent SAN FRANCISCO, CA — A new, brief video by the Rosenberg Foundation highlights the positive impact of a historic lawsuit currently pending before the U.S. Supreme Court – Dukes v. Wal-Mart, the largest civil rights class action in U.S. history.

U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Imminent

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — A new, brief video by the Rosenberg Foundation highlights the positive impact of a historic lawsuit currently pending before the U.S. Supreme Court – Dukes v. Wal-Mart, the largest civil rights class action in U.S. history.

Viewing litigation as an essential advocacy tool in the work to change the odds for Californians, the Foundation historically has invested in cutting edge impact litigation efforts. In 2001, the Foundation made a first in a series of grants and program-related investments in support of Dukes, when six current and former female retail store employees of Wal-Mart filed the class action lawsuit. With a class comprised of nearly two million women, the lawsuit alleges gender discrimination in pay and promotions by the largest private employer in the country.

Led by Foundation grant partners Equal Rights Advocates and the Impact Fund, along with three private law firms, Dukes v. Wal-Mart has progressed successfully through lower courts. The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case in March 2011, and its decision on whether to uphold class certification is due this month.

The video explores the use of impact litigation as a tool for effecting change, and features interviews with the attorneys and women at the center of the case.

Watch the video:

About the Rosenberg Foundation:

The Rosenberg Foundation is an independent, grantmaking foundation committed to ensuring that every person in California has an equal opportunity to participate fully in the state’s economic, social, and political life. Created in 1935 through the bequest of California business leader Max L. Rosenberg, the Foundation has provided 2,800 grants totaling nearly $80 million to regional, statewide, and national organizations advocating for social and economic justice throughout California. Rosenbergfound.org.

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