Brandon is a native Houstonian with a long history of fighting for the common good and speaking for those who can’t speak for themselves. As the son of a pastor and a social worker, serving others has been one of his core values since childhood. As a new parent, Brandon is committed to ensuring that Houston is well positioned and equipped to embrace future generations.
Brandon earned his law degree from Texas A&M, where he fought against injustices along the Texas border and assisted entrepreneurs in securing intellectual property protection.
As an Attorney, Brandon helps his clients resolve complicated disputes by navigating the judicial system. When not working and parenting, Brandon has served his community as a member of the Houston Rotary Club; Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, American Heart Association Leader for Life; Big Brothers Big Sisters mentor; and as a volunteer at his Church.
Attorney Ben Hall (far left) filed a $100 Million Dollar Racial Discrimination Class Action Suit against Houston Community College back on Friday, June 19, 2020. The lawsuit detailed a long list of damning allegations about what he believes has been going on at Houston Community College under the leadership of Houston Community College Chancellor Cesar Maldonado (far right) and Janet May (middle), the Human Resources Director for Houston Community College."
Houston Community College Was Hit With a $100 Million Dollar Racial Discrimination Class Action Suit Last Year on Juneteenth
A $100 million dollar racial discrimination lawsuit was filed in a Houston, Texas state district court on behalf of hundreds of Black former and present employees of Houston Community College (“HCC”). The suit was filed back on Friday, June 19, 2020 – “Juneteenth — the anniversary date that Black slaves in Texas learned they had been freed from slavery two years earlier by President Abraham Lincoln. The lawsuit detailed a damning list of allegations about what was going on at Houston Community College under the leadership of Chancellor Cesar Maldonado and the Human Resources Director, Ms. Janet May. According to the lawsuit, Maldonado accepted his position in 2014 with a Hispanic “preferential treatment” agenda. The suit contains an actual email chain created shortly after Maldonado’s appointment stating “Now we [Hispanics] are going to receive preferential treatment.” The suit alleges that since Maldonado’s arrival 90% of the long-time Black professionals at HCC have either been terminated or demoted, while there has been a 50% increase in Hispanic hires and promotions. Shockingly, the suit claims, while 90% of tenured and experienced Black employees have been displaced only 10% of similarly tenured Whites have been displaced.
The lawsuit continues with a disturbing list of tactics used by Maldonado and May to get rid of Blacks, such as telling a Black male that a white woman’s word was more truthful than his word; that if a White person complains believe them, but if a Black person complains doubt them unless corroborated; “padding” Black employee personnel files with false complaints to be used later as pretexts for firing them; if a Black person is accused of sexual harassment, believe the complainant—but if the complaint is made by a Black person corroborate; using the term “transformation” as a cover for getting rid of Black employees, and forcing Black employees to take leaves of absence without cause to later use as grounds to terminate the Black employee. If these allegations are proven in court, HCC is in for a bad day at the courthouse.
The named plaintiff in the lawsuit is a 55-year old Black female, Zelia Brown, who was forced to take a leave of absence when she complained about missing grant money at the College. She reported to the federal government, the suit alleges, that the grant funds had been misused or taken. After the federal investigators notified HCC officials they were going to investigate Ms. Brown’s allegations, she was immediately told not to return to work and to stay on leave of absence. Her locked grant office is said to have been rummaged through while she was on a leave of absence. Although HCC is said to have later asked her back the return was conditioned on her accepting a false complaint that she had created a hostile work environment and presumably remain silent about the missing grant dollars. She refused to remain silent and brought the suit.
Ms. Brown is asking the court to approve a class action against HCC on behalf of all Black employees who have been terminated or demoted since Maldonado became chancellor in 2014. It is estimated the number of class members will be in the hundreds with each member seeking individual damages in the case. Ms. Brown is represented in the lawsuit by Benjamin L. Hall, III, the former Houston City Attorney under Mayor Bob Lanier and former mayoral candidate. Hall stated, “Ms. Brown is one of the more recent casualties of what appears to be a modern-day Jim Crow environment at Houston Community College for Black executives. She is a brave lady to stand up to power and speak the truth. We feel confident there are more victims of HCC’s discriminatory policies that will come forward to tell their stories as well.”
AUBREY R. TAYLOR: "Attorney Ben Hall isn't playing around with (HCC) Houston Community College. What was Board Trustee Robert Glaser thinking? Get this -- there's a portion of the lawsuit that details an event where HCC Trustee Robert Glaser took the employee to a bar and after a few drinks the female became incapacitated and ended up in bed without any clothes on and with sore thighs. Man-oh-Man. The lawsuit goes on to claim that HCC Board Trustee Robert Glaser is said to have told the female afterward that he had taken her home the night before from the bar and “made out” with her. Man -- you have to read this story -- my God."
HCC, Chancellor, and Chair Hit with $15 Million Sexual Assault Suit
- PRESS RELEASE -
HOUSTON, TX. HCC’s legal troubles are growing. Already facing two federal racial discrimination suits filed by 100+ Black employees, the beleaguered community college and its top executives have now been hit with a graphic sexual assault suit filed by a 50-year old white female employee. The new lawsuit alleges HCC’s Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Robert Glaser, initiated a sexual relationship with the female employee who was experiencing difficulties with her job at the college. Glaser is alleged to have promised the female he would address issues with her supervisors and help her keep her job in exchange for sexual favors. The suit details an event where Glaser took the employee to a bar and after a few drinks, the female became incapacitated and ended up in bed without any clothes on and with sore thighs. Glaser is said to have told the female afterward that he had taken her home the night before from the bar and “made out” with her. The suit recounts even more graphic accounts of Glaser’s sexual misconduct, including his sending a video to the employee of him masturbating, calling the female employee on another occasion while he was masturbating at his house and asking her to stay on the phone until he “got off,” and yet another incident of his transporting her across state lines to travel with him to Washington, DC to an HCC-event for a sex-filled weekend at the St. Regis Hotel.
The suit alleges Glaser told the female he felt emboldened to ask her for sex because the Chancellor of the college, Cesar Maldonado was his personal friend and was himself having a similar sexual relationship with a married female employee at the college who was working under him. The Chancellor’s affair with the married employee is said to have been investigated by HCC police officers whom Chancellor Maldonado threatened to fire if the investigation proceeded without him being present during the interrogation. When the officers asked Maldonado to leave the interrogation room while they interviewed the female he refused and began coaching the female on what to say in response to the officer’s questions. The suit alleges a police report of the incident is still in the possession of the HCC police department, but it presently has an administrative block on it to try to keep it hidden.
After Plaintiff filed an EEOC complaint against HCC, Maldonado, and Glaser, she received notice from the college that her employment contract would not be renewed. She alleges school officials are now retaliating against her because she is revealing and trying to stop the sexual harassment and sexual exploitation of females at HCC.
The suit also identifies several instances of other male managers at the college sexually exploiting subordinate female employees and alleges HCC administrators under Maldonado have turned a blind eye to the abuse. The suit contends HCC has adopted a de facto custom, practice, and policy of allowing sexual exploitation of female employees by male employees who occupy powerful positions at the college and/or are perceived to be friends of Maldonado.
When asked about the lawsuit, the Plaintiff stated, “I am ashamed of what I had to go through at HCC just to try to keep my job. No woman should be asked to bargain with her dignity and self-respect to make a living. Maldonado’s and Glaser’s actions need to be seriously examined, if not by the Board of Trustees then by a jury at the courthouse.”
Plaintiff is suing Maldonado, HCC, and Glaser for $15 million. A copy of the lawsuit can be found
HERE!
The Hall Law Firm is located at 530 Lovett Blvd, Houston, TX 77006. For more information on attorney Ben Hall, please call: (713) 942-9600 today!
Dr. Benjamin L. Hall, III is a Harvard-trained lawyer who founded The Hall Law Firm in 2000. The Hall Law Firm concentrates on litigation matters, including complex construction litigation, complex commercial and contract cases, as well as consumer/personal injury claims.
Over the years, Hall and his Firm have generated more than $300,000,000 in recoveries for clients.
Of all things, Hall prides himself in being a Christian minister. He has been an ordained minister since 1975 and has served the congregation of the Progressive Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ since 1974.
Hall was the City Attorney for the City of Houston during the administration of Mayor Bob Lanier. For approximately three years, he managed and supervised a 200+ member legal department, as well as an annual budget of $12+ million dollars. Hall has received many scholastic honors, including but not limited to: Rockefellar Scholar to Africa; Duke Merit Scholar; Duke Black Graduate Fellow; DAAD Scholar to Germany, and German Research Fellow.
Hall is a recognized legal expert in construction law and personal injury litigation. He has received numerous honors and accolades for his services in the legal field, including but not limited to the following: The highest rating for professional competence and ethical standards awarded by Martindale-Hubbell, the leading legal reference manual in the United States (AV Rating); dual board-certified which is achieved by less than 1% of all Texas lawyers; four times recognized as a “Texas Super Lawyer” by Texas Monthly Magazine; recognized as a Houston Top Lawyer for the People by “H Magazine;” obtained the highest reported verdicts/awards ever obtained as recognized by the legal website “Verdict Search.”
Hall is also a popular lecturer on a wide variety of topics ranging from insurance and legal issues to minority rights and ethics. Hall is a lifetime member of the NAACP and is a recipient of the NAACP’s highest local “ALEX” Award.
He has been married to Saundra Turner Hall and they both are the proud parents of two sons: Benjamin, IV, and Zachary.
Hall is fluent in German and can read French.
AUBREY R. TAYLOR REPORTS©
When is the last time that you've seen a photo like this? Well? When? Have you ever? I'm going to venture to say that more than likely you've never seen a photo of two strong African American men who are not a part of the establishment, being featured with two white women who are not a part of the establishment. And NOPE, I'm not trying to play identity politics right now. All I'm trying to do is open your eyes to facts. What are the facts? Well, nobody has a key in the back of
Gerry Wayne Monroe -- that's a fact jack! Nobody has a key in the back of
Bridget Wade -- that's a fact. Nobody has a key in the back of
Caroline Walter -- that's a fact. And being his own man, has oftentimes made
Dr. Kendall Baker, who also happens to be a local pastor the enemy of some evil folks who are dead-set on destroying the life of this man of GOD!
However, one of the things I've admired most about Dr. Baker is that he's always stood strong, in the face of his adversaries, haters, and naysayers. Now, all of that being said, this time next week, on Monday, October 18, 2021, early voting will begin, and continue on through Friday, October 29, 2021. Now, if you can't vote early during the early voting period, you will still be able to cast your vote on Tuesday, November 2, 2021.