For decades, Dardarian Ho Kan & Lee (DHKL) has been a leading plaintiffs’ class action law firm with a national reputation for protecting civil and workers’ rights. Our attorneys have earned recognition from numerous publications and organizations for our work representing employees, people with disabilities, tenants, consumers, and voters.
Some of our awards and recognitions include:
American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, 2014 Voting Rights Award
- DHKL and co-counsel received this honor at the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California 20th Annual Law Luncheon for successfully representing Latino voters in the City of Anaheim in Moreno v. City of Anaheim, requiring Anaheim to adopt district-based elections for city council races instead of at-large elections, which increased the ability of Latino voters to elect candidates of their choice.
American Council of the Blind, 2007 Special Achievement Award
- In recognition of DHKL’s outstanding contributions to the full integration of people who are blind and visually impaired into all aspects of society, the American Council of the Blind honored DHKL with its Special Achievement Award.
Asian Law Alliance, 2023 Legal Impact Honoree
- DHKL’s voting rights practice received this award for successfully representing Asian American voters in the City of Santa Clara who challenged the City’s use of at-large elections for City Council. DHKL also received certificates of recognition from the California Legislature Assembly, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, and United States Representative Anna G. Eshoo.
Best Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America: 2012-present
- DHKL’s attorneys have been recognized as Best Lawyers every year since 2012. The list highlights the top 5% of practicing lawyers nationwide based on peer evaluations.
Daily Journal, 2022 Top Boutique Law Firms
- Daily Journal named DHKL a Top Boutique Law Firm for focusing our class action practice on protecting the interests of workers and others who are subjected to discrimination and abuse. The Daily Journal profile highlights the firm’s robust voting rights practice.
Daily Journal, California Lawyers & Attorneys of the Year (CLAY) Award:
- 2026 Mungia-Brown v. Equity Residential — Tenants Win $43 Million Against Equity Residential Over Illegal Late Fees: DHKL and co-counsel received this award for securing a trial victory holding that Equity Residential’s percentage-based late rent fees are unlawful and a settlement that returned millions of dollars in unlawful late fees to nearly 200,000 Equity tenants in California.
- 2025 Terry v. Wasatch Group — Team Wipes Out Junk Fees for Thousands of Section 8 Renters: This award honored DHKL’s tenants’ rights practice group representing Section 8 renters charged excessive fees and threatened with eviction. Wasatch agreed to settle for $16.5 million after a summary judgment decision finding that the fees violated government contracts.
- 2014 Bank of America; Walmart; Weight Watchers; Safeway — Disability Rights: Linda Dardarian and co-counsel received this award for reaching 4 settlement agreements in one year on behalf of clients with visual impairments, including landmark agreements with Walmart to provide pharmacy customers with talking pill bottles, and with Safeway, Bank of America, and Weight Watchers to ensure their websites and printed materials are accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired.
- 2009 Chau v. Starbucks — Employment Law: Laura Ho and co-counsel received this award for their trial victory on behalf of Starbucks baristas in California.
- 2000 Bank of America & Wells Fargo — Disability Rights: Linda Dardarian received this award with co-counsel for using structured negotiations to reach settlements agreements with Bank of America, Citibank, and Wells Fargo to develop and install talking ATMs and provide alternative formats for printed banking materials on behalf of clients with visual impairments.
Disability Rights Legal Center, 2022 Pro Bono Award:
- DHKL received this award from the Disability Rights Legal Center for our successful representation of people with mobility disabilities who were denied access to the pedestrian rights of way in the cities of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
Lawdragon 500 X, Leading Civil Rights & Plaintiff Employment Lawyers: 2018-present
Lawdragon 500 X, 2026 Next Generation of Lawyers
Lawyer’s Committee of San Francisco, 2009 Living the Dream Award
Legal 500, 2009 Leading Lawyers in the United States
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, 2020 APA-Owned Firm of the Year
- DHKL received this honor in 2020 recognizing excellent and impactful APA-owned law firms committed to supporting the Asian Pacific American community. DHKL was recognized for successfully representing Asian American voters in their fight for fair representation against the City of Santa Clara and the City of Sunnyvale.
National Law Journal, Elite Trial Lawyers: 2026
- DHKL and co-counsel were 2026 finalists in the “Employment Discrimination” category of Elite Trial Lawyers awards for reaching a $43.25 million settlement in Rasmussen v. The Walt Disney Company, which challenged Disney’s alleged pattern and practice of paying women less than men for similar work. In addition to monetary relief, the settlement requires Disney to take appropriate steps to address any statistically significant pay differences found in the future.
OCCORD, We Are Orange County, 2014 Champion for Voting Rights Award
Public Justice, Trial Lawyer of the Year Award, 2017 Finalist & 2021 Nominee
- Each year, Public Justice honors attorneys with the “greatest contributions to the public interest” through precedential cases. DHKL’s disability rights group received recognition for our work representing people with mobility disabilities and improving access to sidewalks and curb ramps in Los Angeles in Willits v. City of Los Angeles, in 2017 and to Levi’s Stadium in Nevarez v. Forty Niners Football Co, in 2021.
The Recorder, 2012 Bay Area’s Top Plaintiffs Employment Law Firms
The Recorder, 2011 Leading Employment Practices
Super Lawyers Northern California, Rising Stars: 2014-present
- DHKL’s associate attorneys are consistently recognized as Northern California Rising Stars, a distinction given to only 2.5% of lawyers age 40 or younger or in practice 10 years or less, based on peer evaluation and independent research.
Super Lawyers Northern California, Super Lawyers: 2005-present
- Each year since 2005, DHKL’s partners have been recognized as Super Lawyers for their professional reputation and respect among colleagues in the legal community.
TopVerdict.com, Top 10 Civil Rights Settlements in California in 2024
- DHKL and co-counsel appeared on Top Verdict’s list of “Number 1 Settlements in California in 2024” in the civil rights category and Top Verdict’s “Top 10 Civil Rights Settlements in California in 2024” for the $43.25 settlement in Rasmussen v. The Walt Disney Company. Top Verdict creates lists of case results to document the largest financial recoveries obtained by attorneys across the country.
TopVerdict.com, Top 10 Labor & Employment Settlements in California in 2025
- DHKL and co-counsel appeared on Top Verdict’s list of “Number 1 Settlements in California in 2025” in the unpaid wages category and Top Verdict’s “Top 10 Labor & Employment Settlements in California in 2025” for the $15.5 million settlement in Abrishamcar v. Oracle America Inc. Top Verdict creates lists of case results to document the largest financial recoveries obtained by attorneys across the country.
