Providence Police Excessive Force Case Settles for $300,000 Following Summary Judgment Ruling
Following a rare summary judgment ruling on liability, Sinapi Law’s client has settled his Section 1983 excessive force case against a Providence police officer for $300,000.
Sinapi Law Associates Wins $360,000 Federal Jury Verdict in Excessive Force Case Against Pawtucket Police Officer
A federal jury awarded our client $360,000 after finding a Pawtucket police officer liable for excessive force, assault, and battery in a 2019 on-duty incident.
Sinapi Law and ACLU of Rhode Island Secure $550,000 Settlement in Wrongful Arrest Case
Sinapi Law and the ACLU of Rhode Island have secured a $550,000 settlement in a civil rights lawsuit involving wrongful arrest, false imprisonment, and police misconduct against the City of Woonsocket.
Sinapi Law Associates, Ltd. Ranked Tier 1 in Employment Law (Individuals) and Civil Rights by Best Law Firms in 2025
Sinapi Law Associates, Ltd. has been recognized in the 2025 edition of Best Law Firms®, a testament to its unwavering commitment to legal excellence. Ranked by Best Law Firms Tier 1 regionally in 2 practice areas, Employment Law – Individuals and Civil Rights Law, Sinapi Law has distinguished itself in the legal industry, earning this prestigious accolade.
Landmark Legislation Introduced In The General Assembly To Provide Remedies For Violations Of State Constitutional Rights
On February 15, 2024, landmark legislation was introduced in the General Assembly to provide something most Rhode Island thought they already had: a remedy for violations of state constitutional rights.
Wage Theft to Become a Felony in Rhode Island Starting January 1, 2024
On June 22, 2023, Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee signed legislation increasing the possible criminal penalty for an employer committing wage theft to that of a felony beginning January 1, 2024.
Faith Gets a Fair Shake: Supreme Court Bolsters Protections for Religious Accommodations in the Workplace
In a unanimous decision on June 29, 2023, the Supreme Court in Groff v. DeJoy, Postmaster General, No. 22-174, overturned lower court decisions and reiterated what it means for an employer to experience “undue hardship” when asked to provide religious accommodations.
A Worker’s Right to Mobility: Unpacking the NLRB Memo on Non-Compete Agreements
On May 30, 2023, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), a government agency vested with safeguarding employees’ rights, issued a crucial memorandum targeting a long-standing thorn in the side of workers: non-compete agreements. In this article, Sinapi Law unpacks what this memo means and why it could potentially alter the landscape for workers’ rights in the United States.
Game Changer in the Qualified Immunity Debate: Courts Have Been Applying the Wrong Text of the Civil Rights Act of 1871
There has been a recent game-changer in the qualified immunity debate. Scholarly research has recently revealed that the codification (the process of entering an existing law into a jurisdiction’s legal code/statute) of the Civil Rights Act of 1871 as found in 42 USC Sec. 1983 excluded a crucial clause in the Civil Rights Act of 1871 actually passed by Congress, specifically, that no existing law, statute, regulation, or prior customs was to be used to get around the rights and remedies created under the Act. The obvious intent and purpose of this clause was to cancel all common law immunities as a defense to claims under Section 1983—including qualified immunity.
Religious Accommodations: What is a Sincerely Held Religious Belief and Common Issues
Religious accommodation and exemptions have been in the news a lot recently, with both very good and very inaccurate information being thrown around. While there is a great deal of litigation and new legislation on the topic, we thought it may be helpful to share some of what we know. While the issue of religion and the law is vast, this piece focuses on one of our firm’s primary practice areas: accommodation in the workplace.