Federal Court Sanctions Defense Counsel $172K in GardaWorld Wage Case

Judge Beryl A. Howell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued the memorandum opinion on June 9, 2026, in the consolidated matter of Chang v. United American Security, LLC. The sanctions target attorneys Adam Calandra, Teresa Jakubowski, and the Chicago-based firm Barnes & Thornburg. According to the court, the defense team’s attempt to disqualify DCWageLaw was not only baseless on all six grounds asserted but also represented a vexatious effort to multiply proceedings and impugn the reputation of plaintiffs' counsel.

In her ruling, Judge Howell noted that the defense’s strategy had backfired, emphasizing that ethics rules are meant to protect the integrity of the judicial process rather than serve as tactical leverage. The court highlighted that the disqualification motion was filed late at night, shortly before a major deadline, accompanied by a barrage of subpoenas and threats to replicate the strategy across seventeen other pending cases. By awarding the full amount of requested fees, the court signaled that such interference with the attorney-client relationship will not be tolerated, particularly when it threatens to impede the claims of workers seeking lawful wages and benefits.

With the disqualification issue settled, the underlying litigation regarding GardaWorld’s alleged failure to pay required minimum wages and fringe benefits will proceed. The court also denied a request to dismiss claims under the D.C. Wage Payment and Collection Law, allowing the class action to move forward on its merits. DCWageLaw continues to represent workers in over fifteen additional wage-and-hour cases currently pending in D.C. courts.