Articles Posted in Public Service Announcements

By
(The Washington Post)

(The Washington Post)

RightRides: A Safe Alternative to Limousines and Taxi Cabs?

Local News

Following several high profile taxi cab and limousine assaults, Collective Action for Safe Spaces (CASS) launched RightRides DC, a service providing “free and safe rides home to women and LGBTQ-identifiying individuals late at night.”

According to The Washington Post, “for those most often harassed, the simple act of getting a ride from a stranger can be a horrible experience….The horror stories are well known: An altercation with a ride-share driver that ends with a rape accusation. A rider getting slapped in the face after dealing with a barrage of homophobia and general hatred.  An assault by a driver who doesn’t approve of your relationships. And those are just the cases that are reported.”

How It Works

“When RightRides DC gets a call, two people are dispatched in one car. One is always a woman. The task of navigating and driving are kept separate to make things go more smoothly. because there’s no arguing over routes. With more people, and the driver distracted, problems arise. With two people, the driver just drives. All volunteers, they undergo a criminal background check,” The Washington Post explains.

The program is modeled after a similar award winning program in New York City and first launched with holiday services on Halloween and New Years Eve.

RightRides DC states, “We plan to expand the service area and run the service more frequently, with the goal of operating every Saturday by next year.”

Our Legal Take

By law, all patrons of taxi, limo and ride-sharing services have a right to feel safe and secure while in the vehicle. Sadly, late-night assaults and rapes at the hands of transportation service drivers have become all too frequent and raise grave questions about employee screenings and criminal background checks.

We applaud RightRides DC for initiating a safe transportation program for women and LGBTQ patrons in DC and hope other cities will work to improve safe late-night transportation options.

We’ve Recovered Millions for Victims of Safety Negligence…Contact us Now for a Free Consultation.

Headline Frame Fox News FireThe Murray Law Firm has an extensive and successful record representing victims of safety negligence. We have recovered millions of dollars for our Clients, and we recently obtained a $29.25 million dollar verdict for a victim of an unsafe property. We offer our legal assistance, if desired.

We represent our Clients on a contingency agreement, which generally means that no fees or payments are owed until and unless we recover.  Anyone seeking further information or legal representation is encouraged to contact us via e-mail (click here) or by telephone at 888.842.1616. Consultations are free and confidential.

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Choosing the Right Attorney

Selecting the right attorney for you or your family is highly important. You must feel confident that the attorney you hire has a complete understanding of the law applicable to your particular case, and has successful experience in handling such cases.

Important: Do not hire a lawyer who has violated the Rules of Professional Conduct!!!

You should not hire an attorney who calls you or visits you unsolicited, or anyone that contacts you directly to offer legal services. This activity is strictly prohibited by Rule 7.3 of the American Bar Association (ABA) Model Rules of Professional Conduct, which states as follows:

ABA Center for Professional ResponsibilityA LAWYER “SHALL NOT” CONTACT A PROSPECTIVE CLIENT THROUGH A “LIVE TELEPHONE” OR AN “IN-PERSON” VISIT.

– RULE 7.3, ABA MODEL RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT.

If an attorney, or someone acting on behalf of an attorney, contacts you in this manner, that attorney is in violation of this Rule. This unethical and unprofessional activity on the part of the lawyer is good sign that you should stay away. It is imperative that you are represented by an attorney who is capable of advocating for you within the confines of the law, and an attorney who fails to abide by the Rules of Professional Conduct is probably not the best fit. In fact, any such attorney should be immediately reported to the local State Bar Association. If you have been contacted in such an unsolicited manner, contact us and we’ll assist you in filing a report.

Contingency Fees Disclaimer: “Contingent attorneys’ fees refers only to those fees charged by attorneys for their legal services. Such fees are not permitted in all types of cases. Court costs and other additional expenses of legal action usually must be paid by the client.”

By

EscalatorsShopping mall patrons have a right to feel safe and secure while on premises, whether shopping or walking to their car.

According to Quartz, several cities, including Bangkok, Mumbai, Nairobi, and Jakarta, have begun implementing security checkpoints, scanning devices and car sweeps at select shopping malls and hotels. Security measures range from guards sweeping customers with hand-held metal detectors, to checkpoints with airport-style x-ray machines.

Inconvenienced patrons have apparently coined the increased measures “Security Theater.” However, the efforts may have reduced the impact of the deadly January 14th attack in Jakarta.

Quartz reports, “The attackers were apparently targeting the mall, according to a security expert in The Guardian, but were stopped by security guards and taken to the checkpoint, where they set off their bombs. That suggests a potentially much deadlier attack was foiled not by special intelligence or security measures, but by the routine checks that are in place at many major public buildings around the world.”

By comparison, U.S. shopping malls are vast, open venues with multiple entry points. Mike Rozin, a security consultant for large U.S. malls, states, “In the United States, there is no appetite for making malls closed environments, where there’s one entry point with a metal detector and X-Ray. We’re far from that here, and that’s not necessarily bad. But [the more] effort we can put on the pre-incident stages — before you have a guy with a gun or explosives — the more effective it will be.”

Time Magazine points out that shopping mall owners can reduce crime by making security proactive, rather than reactive, without inconveniencing shoppers with invasive security checkpoints. Implementing mall parking lots and garages with choke points, license plate readers, surveillance cameras, bright lighting, and security guards will help to reduce crime outside the mall. Inside, overt security guards help to deter crime, while plain-clothes security teams and surveillance cameras monitor suspicious patron behavior.

Shopping Mall Patron Rights

Shopping mall and parking lot owners have a responsibility to protect patrons legally on the premises from any foreseeable harm. Should they fail in this duty, victims may elect to seek justice and pursue a legal claim for any injuries or wrongful deaths, which occur as a consequence.

We’ve Recovered Millions for Victims of Security and Safety Negligence…Contact us Now for a Free Consultation.

Headline Frame Fox News FireThe Murray Law Firm has an extensive and successful record representing victims of property security and safety negligence. We have recovered millions of dollars for our Clients, and we recently obtained a $29.25 million dollar verdict for a victim of an unsafe property. We offer our legal assistance, if desired.

We represent our Clients on a contingency agreement, which generally means that no fees or payments are owed until and unless we recover.  Anyone seeking further information or legal representation is encouraged to contact us via e-mail (click here) or by telephone at 888.842.1616. Consultations are free and confidential.

728x90 Justice

Choosing the Right Attorney

Selecting the right attorney for you or your family is highly important. You must feel confident that the attorney you hire has a complete understanding of the law applicable to your particular case, and has successful experience in handling such cases.

Important: Do not hire a lawyer who has violated the Rules of Professional Conduct!!!

You should not hire an attorney who calls you or visits you unsolicited, or anyone that contacts you directly to offer legal services. This activity is strictly prohibited by Rule 7.3 of the American Bar Association (ABA) Model Rules of Professional Conduct, which states as follows:

ABA Center for Professional ResponsibilityA LAWYER “SHALL NOT” CONTACT A PROSPECTIVE CLIENT THROUGH A “LIVE TELEPHONE” OR AN “IN-PERSON” VISIT.

– RULE 7.3, ABA MODEL RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT.

If an attorney, or someone acting on behalf of an attorney, contacts you in this manner, that attorney is in violation of this Rule. This unethical and unprofessional activity on the part of the lawyer is good sign that you should stay away. It is imperative that you are represented by an attorney who is capable of advocating for you within the confines of the law, and an attorney who fails to abide by the Rules of Professional Conduct is probably not the best fit. In fact, any such attorney should be immediately reported to the local State Bar Association. If you have been contacted in such an unsolicited manner, contact us and we’ll assist you in filing a report.

Contingency Fees Disclaimer: “Contingent attorneys’ fees refers only to those fees charged by attorneys for their legal services. Such fees are not permitted in all types of cases. Court costs and other additional expenses of legal action usually must be paid by the client.”

By

NightClub

Safe Bars is a Washington D.C.-based movement dedicated to preventing sexual harassment and assault in nightclubs and bars. Organizers urge nightclub owners and staff to protect their patrons from sexual aggression through training and intervention.

The Safe Bars campaign, designed by Collective Action for Safe Spaces (CASS) and Defend Yourself, “trains and empowers staff at alcohol-serving establishments to recognize and respond to incidents of sexual harassment and assault among staff and patrons.”

Safe Bars Works To:

  • Increase bar staff understanding of the scope and causes of unwanted sexual aggression;
  • Increase bar staff recognition of inappropriate behavior along the continuum of sexual and relationship violence;
  • Provide bar staff with the skills needed to respond to such behavior safely and appropriately, whether by stepping in as a bystander or when asked for help;
  • Share with bar patrons safety messages that encourage respect and lets customers know that bar staff are available for help;
  • Actively promote bars that adopt safety standards;
  • Award “Safe Bar” certification to bars that complete the training.

Why Bars?

Bars are a great place to address sexual assault prevention for a variety of reasons. They are social gathering places where alcohol is readily available, and though many people are able to safely enjoy themselves, sexual aggressors may use these types of environments as a “staging ground” for selecting, isolating, and even incapacitating their target. Nearly 1 in 5 women will be raped in their lifetime. Approximately half of all sexual assault perpetrators are under the influence of alcohol at the time of the assault. CASS regularly receives submissions from the DC community on unwanted sexual attention, including harassment and groping, that takes place in local bars and clubs.

Why Bystanders?

Bystander intervention is a key approach to preventing sexual violence. Bar owners, managers, security personnel, and other staff are in a unique position to observe and intervene to prevent sexual assault by creating a safe space for patrons. Evaluations of bystander intervention programs such as Green Dot have shown significant decreases in participants’ acceptance of rape myths and increases in both reactive and proactive bystander behaviors.

Safe Bars empowers bystanders with skills to:

  1. Identify high-risk behaviors of potential perpetrators;
  2. Intervene either proactively or reactively;
  3. Overcome barriers to taking action.

Does It Work?

Safe Bars builds on the success of similar programs in Arizona and Boston. Research has shown that bartenders, bar staff and young adults who patronize bars are key populations to address in preventing sexual violence.

Read More at Safe Bars

Our Legal Take

By law, bar and nightclub owners are required to protect all patrons legally on the premises from any foreseeable harm.  We applaud Safe Bars and those nightclub owners and security managers who take a proactive approach to venue security and safety, training their staff to recognize and respond to incidents of sexual harassment and aggression before they escalate.

We’ve Recovered Millions for Victims of Nightclub Security and Safety Negligence…Contact us Now for a Free Consultation.

Headline Frame Fox News FireThe Murray Law Firm has an extensive and successful record representing victims of nightclub security and safety negligence. We have recovered millions of dollars for our Clients, and we recently obtained a $29.25 million dollar verdict for a victim of an unsafe property. We offer our legal assistance, if desired.

We represent our Clients on a contingency agreement, which generally means that no fees or payments are owed until and unless we recover.  Anyone seeking further information or legal representation is encouraged to contact us via e-mail (click here) or by telephone at 888.842.1616. Consultations are free and confidential.

728x90 Justice

Choosing the Right Attorney

Selecting the right attorney for you or your family is highly important. You must feel confident that the attorney you hire has a complete understanding of the law applicable to your particular case, and has successful experience in handling such cases.

Important: Do not hire a lawyer who has violated the Rules of Professional Conduct!!!

You should not hire an attorney who calls you or visits you unsolicited, or anyone that contacts you directly to offer legal services. This activity is strictly prohibited by Rule 7.3 of the American Bar Association (ABA) Model Rules of Professional Conduct, which states as follows:

ABA Center for Professional ResponsibilityA LAWYER “SHALL NOT” CONTACT A PROSPECTIVE CLIENT THROUGH A “LIVE TELEPHONE” OR AN “IN-PERSON” VISIT.

– RULE 7.3, ABA MODEL RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT.

If an attorney, or someone acting on behalf of an attorney, contacts you in this manner, that attorney is in violation of this Rule. This unethical and unprofessional activity on the part of the lawyer is good sign that you should stay away. It is imperative that you are represented by an attorney who is capable of advocating for you within the confines of the law, and an attorney who fails to abide by the Rules of Professional Conduct is probably not the best fit. In fact, any such attorney should be immediately reported to the local State Bar Association. If you have been contacted in such an unsolicited manner, contact us and we’ll assist you in filing a report.

Contingency Fees Disclaimer: “Contingent attorneys’ fees refers only to those fees charged by attorneys for their legal services. Such fees are not permitted in all types of cases. Court costs and other additional expenses of legal action usually must be paid by the client.”