Racial Discrimination Lawyer in Florida

25-Plus Years on Both Sides of Race Discrimination Cases in South Florida

Racial discrimination in the workplace is illegal under federal and Florida law, and it surfaces at every stage of employment, from hiring through termination. Executives, managers, and professionals who face race-based treatment watch their careers and reputations take damage while navigating a legal system that rewards preparation and insider knowledge. Cadogan Law represents employees and employers in racial discrimination matters across Florida, including Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, and the broader South Florida region. The firm’s dual-sided litigation background is what turns strategy into results.

Gina Cadogan has practiced employment law for more than 25 years, beginning at large national firms defending Fortune 500 companies, municipalities, and hospital systems before founding Cadogan Law in 2005. That background matters in discrimination cases: understanding how employers construct their defenses is precisely what allows the firm to dismantle them and to build them when the client is on the other side.

Filing deadlines in racial discrimination cases are strict and unforgiving. Call Cadogan Law at (954) 371-1607 to schedule a consultation. Virtual consultations are available, and hablamos español.

What Racial Discrimination Looks Like in Florida Workplaces

Race discrimination touches every phase of employment. Prohibited conduct includes biased decisions in hiring, training, job assignments, scheduling, compensation, promotions, discipline, and termination. Federal and Florida law protect more than skin color: physical traits associated with race, such as hair texture and facial features, are covered as well. Discriminatory treatment based on association with a person of a different race is also prohibited.

Two primary theories apply in these cases. Disparate treatment means an employee is singled out and treated differently because of race. Disparate impact means a neutral policy disproportionately harms a racial group. Both are recognized grounds for liability. Racial harassment, including slurs, offensive jokes, and hostile displays, can create an actionable hostile work environment when severe or pervasive enough that a reasonable person would find the workplace abusive. Employers who ignore complaints, whether from coworkers, supervisors, or even customers, may share responsibility for that environment.

Retaliation is a separate and equally serious claim. An employer may not take adverse action against an employee who reports race discrimination, files a charge, or participates in an investigation. That prohibition applies whether or not the underlying discrimination claim succeeds.

Three Laws Protecting Florida Workers from Race Discrimination

Most racial discrimination claims in Florida rest on one or more of three legal frameworks, each with different coverage rules and procedural requirements.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits race discrimination in all terms and conditions of employment. It applies to employers with 15 or more employees and requires an EEOC charge before a lawsuit may be filed. Because Florida is a deferral state, the charge deadline is 300 days from the adverse employment action.

The Florida Civil Rights Act (FCRA) mirrors Title VII’s protections at the state level. Employees may pursue remedies through the Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR) or in court; the FCHR charge deadline is 365 days from the discriminatory act.

42 U.S.C. Section 1981 prohibits intentional race discrimination in the making and enforcement of contracts, including employment agreements. It applies to employers of any size, doesn’t require an EEOC charge before filing suit, and carries a longer statute of limitations than Title VII or the FCRA, making it a meaningful alternative route, particularly when the employer is small or administrative deadlines have passed.

Racial discrimination cases from Broward County and the surrounding area are frequently litigated in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, which covers Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties. Cadogan Law’s attorneys are admitted to that court and to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

Why Florida Clients Choose Cadogan Law for Racial Discrimination Claims

Most employment firms operate on one side of these disputes. Cadogan Law doesn’t. With more than 25 years representing both employees and employers, Gina Cadogan understands how discrimination claims are constructed and how they’re defended, knowledge that directly sharpens advocacy for clients on either side of the courtroom.

Gina has been selected to Super Lawyers every year from 2019 through 2025, is named to The National Black Lawyers Top 100, and achieved one of the Top Florida Verdicts of 2014. Cadogan Law is woman-owned, operates from its Plantation location, and handles matters statewide. The firm serves clients in Fort Lauderdale, across Broward County, and throughout South Florida with the personalized attention that disappears at large-firm scale.