The 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Civil Rights & Plaintiff Employment Lawyers

Sharon Iskra of Bailey Glasser, Saba Bireda of Sanford Heisler and Larry Golston of Beasley Allen are among this year's honorees.

We’re honored to introduce The 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Civil Rights & Plaintiff Employment Lawyers.

These lawyers are champions who stand tall and deliver justice to individuals who have lost their means to make a living, their freedom, their dignity. To have a job, a chance. To have one’s freedom and be able to speak one’s mind. To be able to proceed in life free of sexual abuse, harassment, discrimination and other boulders unfairly forced onto the paths of individuals trying to live their lives – that is the calling of these heroes.

Because while ‘life happens’ these are the lawyers who call out and hold to account those whose callous, greedy or vicious actions deprive others of their right to work, to exist, to peaceably abide. To go to court and win the respect that’s been stolen.

They’re a little busy just now.

This is our 8th edition of this guide to the champions you need when you’ve been fired, harassed or otherwise deprived of your rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These lawyers are the toughest lawyers around for victims of law enforcement and other authorities who’ve engaged in violence and other abuses of power, as well as those who’ve suffered the horror of sexual abuse, assault and other violence.

Sharon F. Iskra leads Bailey Glasser’s inspiring Institutional Abuse and Neglect team from Charleston, W.V. She litigates nationwide for the vulnerable, including children, those with special needs and others who have been abused, neglected or exploited in group homes, rehabilitation centers, universities, hotels and other settings. She won millions for two disabled and non-verbal minors abused by staff at a care facility, among many, many such successes. She more than talks the talk: She took nine years out of her career to direct children’s and urban ministries at a church and has served on missions to orphanages in Haiti and Africa.

Saba Bireda is a partner in the powerful D.C. plaintiff firm Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, where she co-chairs the Discrimination & Harassment Practice Group. Those she has represented include: a class of African American deputy and candidate U.S. Marshalls in claims regarding hiring, assignment and promotion in the service; three African American former employees of Kraft Heinz in their claims of race harassment; and countless other executives and workers in claims of unjust treatment. She started her career through Teach for America, as a middle school English teacher in Washington, D.C., before going on to amass remarkable credentials in education and the law, including serving in the Office for Civil Rights during The Obama Administration.

Larry Golston is a partner in the preeminent Southern plaintiff firm Beasley Allen, based in Montgomery, Ala. He has been a champion for individuals and small businesses since the day he began to practice law. He has helped whistleblowers, injured workers and others who have lost their jobs, suffered grievous injuries and other injustice. He won $14.7M in a whistleblower case exposing illegal kickbacks at the Alabama Organ Center, $1.7M in wage claims for a small business and actions for underpaid police officers, and $30M over rushed background checks by a government contractor. He has served as President of the Montgomery County Bar Association and the Alabama Lawyers Association and volunteers as head coach for YMCA football and basketball, while speaking to students about the importance of the law and education.

We selected these lawyers through our time-honed process combining independent journalistic research with a wealth of submissions. Our submission process is growing, and we are grateful for everyone who took the time to share their thoughts on lawyers deserving recognition here. We also vet candidates with peers and clients. Those denoted with an asterisk are members of our esteemed Hall of Fame.