Beyond Suspension: Shawn Shaffie on LA's Fight to Uphold District Attorney Workplace Ethics
Parker Shaffie LLP partner Shawn Shaffie was quoted in a Daily Journal article May 15, 2025 by Skyler Romero regarding the City of Los Angeles's challenge to the reversal of a Deputy City Attorney's suspension.
The article, titled "LA challenges deputy city attorneys suspension reversal," details the City's efforts to contest the overturning of Craig J. Miller's 21-day suspension for incidents of sexual harrassment. Miller, a Deputy City Attorney, was initially suspended, however, disciplinary hearing officer Guy Z. Prihar reversed the suspension, opting for "oral counseling" instead.
The City of Los Angeles is challenging this reversal, arguing that Prihar's decision exceeded his authority and violated the City Charter. They contend that the ruling undermines their efforts to enforce workplace accountability for misconduct.
Shawn Shaffie's quote highlights the City's stance: "the city's actions reflect an ethical stand: that this suit is necessary to uphold consistent internal policies and enforcement in sensitive matters like sexual harassment." The City believes that Prihar's ruling is not in line with established procedures and the City Charter, and that vacating the suspension for a less severe penalty weakens the message that such behavior will not be tolerated.
In essence, the City is resisting the reversal of the suspension, asserting that it establishes an unfavorable precedent for disciplinary actions and accountability within the workplace.
Shawn Shaffie can be reached at shaffie@parkershaffiellp.com or (213) 622-4441 Ext. 333.
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