A Democrat in an Important House Contest Leans on His Legal Background, but It May Be Risky.
Derek Tran represents a diverse clientele, including an individual who lost his job after hanging a noose in his office and another who faces accusations of sexual assault.
TroibNews 
**LOS ANGELES** — Derek Tran, a Democrat vying for one of the most fiercely competitive House seats in the nation, is leveraging his experience as a trial lawyer to present himself as a defender of underprivileged individuals. However, some of his previous clients may pose a potential political risk, including one individual who was dismissed from his job after exhibiting a noose in his workspace.
As Tran, a first-time candidate, takes on Republican Rep. Michelle Steel of California, his history representing plaintiffs in cases related to wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, and personal injury has attracted scrutiny. This race is significant as it could influence the overall balance of power in the House.
In the escalating contest, Steel has made efforts to undermine the image of the newcomer still familiarizing himself with voters. Her campaign has launched a series of attacks questioning Tran’s credibility, even challenging his proficiency in Vietnamese, which is significant in the Orange County district.
Steel is now focusing specifically on several cases that involve Tran representing clients who may not fit the underdog narrative he promotes. One such case involves a former client who claimed wrongful termination following sexual assault allegations, raising doubts about her opponent's message to voters.
“It’s despicable that the guy who says he’s involved ‘in every aspect of every case’ pro-actively represented not only an alleged sexual predator but also a racist who admittedly hung a noose in his office,” stated Lance Trover, the spokesperson for her campaign. “Voters deserve answers.”
As Tran gains momentum, evidenced by strong fundraising results and changes in race ratings from two nonpartisan campaign analysts, the criticisms have intensified.
While Tran's campaign opted not to address the particular cases, his spokesperson shifted focus to attacking Steel’s stance on women's reproductive rights, which has emerged as a crucial component of the Democrats' strategy to unseat the two-term congresswoman.
"From twice co-sponsoring a national abortion ban without exceptions that would outlaw IVF and contraception to voting against the Violence Against Women Act, Michelle Steel’s record of disregard for women’s safety and rights speaks for itself,” remarked Tran spokesperson Orrin Evans. “Derek Tran would be happy to contrast his record of standing up for women and survivors of sexual harassment with Michelle Steel's entire tenure in Congress — but she refuses to step onto a debate stage."
Having practiced law since 2014 and establishing his own firm in Huntington Beach in 2020, Tran has aimed to highlight his background in personal injury and employment law. His campaign bio emphasizes his choice to forgo “high paying jobs in corporate law” to open his own business in Orange County, defending immigrants, workers, survivors of sexual harassment, and consumers.
One notable achievement was a 2018 wrongful termination case where he represented a paralegal who claimed she was fired after reporting sexual harassment, resulting in a jury awarding her over $2 million in punitive damages.
However, the Steel campaign is emphasizing three specific cases they believe undermine Tran’s portrayal of his work history.
In 2019, Tran advocated for a former Safeway store manager who alleged unlawful termination after being accused of displaying a noose on his office wall for a month. The lawsuit claimed his client was falsely labeled a racist and that he was used as a scapegoat during the Black Lives Matter movement. The manager, who is white, admitted that he understood the noose could symbolize the hanging of Black individuals, but insisted there was no racist intent. The case ended in a settlement after a year and a half of litigation.
That same year, Tran represented another Safeway manager who claimed he was unfairly fired in retaliation for his involvement in prior lawsuits against the company. Safeway contended that the employee had a history of complaints, including sexually inappropriate remarks towards female workers and disputes with customers from minority backgrounds. A judge ruled that the store had “more than good cause” to terminate him, a decision upheld by an appeals court.
Tran also represented a Costco employee in San Bernardino who was let go in 2021 after accusations of sexual assault from three female colleagues. The client alleged wrongful termination, claiming that Costco’s investigation was a “sham” and that he faced discrimination due to his gender amid the political climate surrounding the 'me too' movement. This case, which another firm took over after acquiring the Tran Firm in 2023, is scheduled for trial next May.
Steel’s campaign has consistently targeted Tran regarding his representation of the Costco employee since the case was reported. Trover has incorporated references to this litigation into a variety of press releases, including one announcing Steel’s television ad that discusses her and her husband’s use of IVF for having children.
The tone of the messaging reflects a broader battle for female voters, paralleling contests across the nation. Tran has highlighted Steel’s past support for a bill asserting that life begins at conception, viewed by many as a comprehensive national abortion ban with no exceptions for rape or incest.
Steel retracted her support for the bill earlier this year, citing concerns over the lack of protections for IVF, which can involve discarding fertilized embryos. Her advertisements, deemed misleading by Democrats, directly target female voters while subtly critiquing Tran.
“For some, protecting women is a campaign issue,” Steel states in one advertisement. “For me, there’s nothing more important.”
There is a notable irony in the Steel campaign’s critiques of Tran’s legal career, given that her husband, Shawn Steel, is also a personal injury lawyer, and she previously served as the chief financial officer for his firm. Unlike Tran, however, Steel has not emphasized her legal experience in her political campaigns.
While a legal background typically serves as a valuable stepping stone to public office, the particulars of legal practice—especially the duty of an attorney to advocate forcefully for clients—can also become a political vulnerability, providing ample material for opposition research and targeted attack ads.
It remains uncertain whether the focus on Tran’s former clients will resonate with voters.
“People understand that being a lawyer means being part of an adversarial system where you represent clients whose beliefs you don't always hold,” explains Jessica A. Levinson, a law professor specializing in elections at Loyola Marymount University. “Having said that, there is a certain amount of discretion that most lawyers have in terms of which clients they’re going to represent.”
Levinson noted that Tran’s framing of his professional history aligns with the common practice of candidates presenting an idealized version of their backgrounds as they enter politics.
“I don’t think a selective sampling of clients rises to the level of a campaign lie,” she said. “It rises to the level of a campaign airbrush.”
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
As Tran, a first-time candidate, takes on Republican Rep. Michelle Steel of California, his history representing plaintiffs in cases related to wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, and personal injury has attracted scrutiny. This race is significant as it could influence the overall balance of power in the House.
In the escalating contest, Steel has made efforts to undermine the image of the newcomer still familiarizing himself with voters. Her campaign has launched a series of attacks questioning Tran’s credibility, even challenging his proficiency in Vietnamese, which is significant in the Orange County district.
Steel is now focusing specifically on several cases that involve Tran representing clients who may not fit the underdog narrative he promotes. One such case involves a former client who claimed wrongful termination following sexual assault allegations, raising doubts about her opponent's message to voters.
“It’s despicable that the guy who says he’s involved ‘in every aspect of every case’ pro-actively represented not only an alleged sexual predator but also a racist who admittedly hung a noose in his office,” stated Lance Trover, the spokesperson for her campaign. “Voters deserve answers.”
As Tran gains momentum, evidenced by strong fundraising results and changes in race ratings from two nonpartisan campaign analysts, the criticisms have intensified.
While Tran's campaign opted not to address the particular cases, his spokesperson shifted focus to attacking Steel’s stance on women's reproductive rights, which has emerged as a crucial component of the Democrats' strategy to unseat the two-term congresswoman.
"From twice co-sponsoring a national abortion ban without exceptions that would outlaw IVF and contraception to voting against the Violence Against Women Act, Michelle Steel’s record of disregard for women’s safety and rights speaks for itself,” remarked Tran spokesperson Orrin Evans. “Derek Tran would be happy to contrast his record of standing up for women and survivors of sexual harassment with Michelle Steel's entire tenure in Congress — but she refuses to step onto a debate stage."
Having practiced law since 2014 and establishing his own firm in Huntington Beach in 2020, Tran has aimed to highlight his background in personal injury and employment law. His campaign bio emphasizes his choice to forgo “high paying jobs in corporate law” to open his own business in Orange County, defending immigrants, workers, survivors of sexual harassment, and consumers.
One notable achievement was a 2018 wrongful termination case where he represented a paralegal who claimed she was fired after reporting sexual harassment, resulting in a jury awarding her over $2 million in punitive damages.
However, the Steel campaign is emphasizing three specific cases they believe undermine Tran’s portrayal of his work history.
In 2019, Tran advocated for a former Safeway store manager who alleged unlawful termination after being accused of displaying a noose on his office wall for a month. The lawsuit claimed his client was falsely labeled a racist and that he was used as a scapegoat during the Black Lives Matter movement. The manager, who is white, admitted that he understood the noose could symbolize the hanging of Black individuals, but insisted there was no racist intent. The case ended in a settlement after a year and a half of litigation.
That same year, Tran represented another Safeway manager who claimed he was unfairly fired in retaliation for his involvement in prior lawsuits against the company. Safeway contended that the employee had a history of complaints, including sexually inappropriate remarks towards female workers and disputes with customers from minority backgrounds. A judge ruled that the store had “more than good cause” to terminate him, a decision upheld by an appeals court.
Tran also represented a Costco employee in San Bernardino who was let go in 2021 after accusations of sexual assault from three female colleagues. The client alleged wrongful termination, claiming that Costco’s investigation was a “sham” and that he faced discrimination due to his gender amid the political climate surrounding the 'me too' movement. This case, which another firm took over after acquiring the Tran Firm in 2023, is scheduled for trial next May.
Steel’s campaign has consistently targeted Tran regarding his representation of the Costco employee since the case was reported. Trover has incorporated references to this litigation into a variety of press releases, including one announcing Steel’s television ad that discusses her and her husband’s use of IVF for having children.
The tone of the messaging reflects a broader battle for female voters, paralleling contests across the nation. Tran has highlighted Steel’s past support for a bill asserting that life begins at conception, viewed by many as a comprehensive national abortion ban with no exceptions for rape or incest.
Steel retracted her support for the bill earlier this year, citing concerns over the lack of protections for IVF, which can involve discarding fertilized embryos. Her advertisements, deemed misleading by Democrats, directly target female voters while subtly critiquing Tran.
“For some, protecting women is a campaign issue,” Steel states in one advertisement. “For me, there’s nothing more important.”
There is a notable irony in the Steel campaign’s critiques of Tran’s legal career, given that her husband, Shawn Steel, is also a personal injury lawyer, and she previously served as the chief financial officer for his firm. Unlike Tran, however, Steel has not emphasized her legal experience in her political campaigns.
While a legal background typically serves as a valuable stepping stone to public office, the particulars of legal practice—especially the duty of an attorney to advocate forcefully for clients—can also become a political vulnerability, providing ample material for opposition research and targeted attack ads.
It remains uncertain whether the focus on Tran’s former clients will resonate with voters.
“People understand that being a lawyer means being part of an adversarial system where you represent clients whose beliefs you don't always hold,” explains Jessica A. Levinson, a law professor specializing in elections at Loyola Marymount University. “Having said that, there is a certain amount of discretion that most lawyers have in terms of which clients they’re going to represent.”
Levinson noted that Tran’s framing of his professional history aligns with the common practice of candidates presenting an idealized version of their backgrounds as they enter politics.
“I don’t think a selective sampling of clients rises to the level of a campaign lie,” she said. “It rises to the level of a campaign airbrush.”
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
