Harrison-Stein, PC

09/18/2025

For most Americans, the law provides a straightforward path when things go wrong. If you are discriminated against, denied pay, or wrongfully fired, you can take your case to court. In one proceeding, a judge or jury can hear the facts, weigh the law, and grant remedies that restore what was lost. It is rarely easy, but it is coherent. One system exists to handle the full scope of harm, so even if you lose, you know that your case has been heard in its entirety.
Servicemembers do not enjoy that same clarity. Instead, they face a fragmented system made up of boards, tribunals, and courts that divide remedies into narrow silos. A constitutional claim must be brought in federal district court. A pay dispute must be filed in the Court of Federal Claims. Corrections to personnel records require a petition to a Board for Correction of Military Records. Promotions are left to Special Selection Boards.

08/28/2025

Serving on a nonprofit board is more than a résumé line or a chance to lend one’s name to a worthy cause. It is a legal and moral responsibility to safeguard the mission, protect the organization’s assets, and ensure the community it serves is not abandoned. Donors, clients, and the broader public place enormous faith in nonprofit boards. When they see respected professionals, community leaders, or government officials listed as directors, they assume accountability and oversight are real.
But when board members fail in that duty, the results can be devastating. The collapse of Casa Ruby, an LGBTQ nonprofit in Washington, D.C., is a powerful case study of what happens when governance fails and why board members must be held accountable—not just legally, but ethically.

What Went Wrong at Casa Ruby
When I served as counsel for the receiver appointed to take over Casa Ruby, we discovered what can only be described as the absence of governance.

  Serving on a nonprofit board is more than a résumé line or a chance to lend one’s name to a worthy cause. It is a legal and moral responsibility to

08/28/2025

Serving on a nonprofit board is more than a résumé line or a chance to lend one’s name to a worthy cause. It is a legal and moral responsibility to safeguard the mission, protect the organization’s assets, and ensure the community it serves is not abandoned. Donors, clients, and the broader public place enormous faith in nonprofit boards. When they see respected professionals, community leaders, or government officials listed as directors, they assume accountability and oversight are real.
But when board members fail in that duty, the results can be devastating. The collapse of Casa Ruby, an LGBTQ nonprofit in Washington, D.C., is a powerful case study of what happens when governance fails and why board members must be held accountable—not just legally, but ethically.

What Went Wrong at Casa Ruby
When I served as counsel for the receiver appointed to take over Casa Ruby, we discovered what can only be described as the absence of governance.

08/26/2025

The Wilkins v. Austin ruling was a landmark moment. For the first time, a federal court acknowledged that the military’s long-standing restrictions on HIV+ servicemembers were discriminatory and contrary to both science and law. The decision struck down the blanket policies that had kept talented servicemembers sidelined, unable to deploy, promote, or serve on equal terms with their peers. For many, it felt like the door to fairness had finally opened.
But as I have seen firsthand, the fight did not end with a court order. Policies on paper mean little if they are not implemented in practice, and culture within the military often shifts slower than the law. Today, servicemembers living with HIV still face systemic barriers, privacy violations, and administrative hurdles. Even my own case—where the Army Board for Correction of Military Records ruled in my favor on promotions—has been stalled by bureaucratic resistance.

08/21/2025

Washington, D.C. has some of the strongest tenant protection laws in the country. On paper, those laws make it difficult for a landlord to evict without cause, keep a security deposit without justification, or ignore serious maintenance problems. In practice, those protections can be a lifeline for renters, but only if you know they exist and how to use them.
The truth is that tenant protections in D.C. are a double-edged sword. They protect renters from unscrupulous landlords, but they also influence who landlords are willing to rent to in the first place. Good landlords, often nonprofit foundations or owners who hire reputable property management companies, follow the law, treat tenants fairly, and reinvest in the community. But bad actors exist, too. And when you’re unlucky enough to rent from one, those same strong laws can be turned into weapons against you.

Washington, D.C. has some of the strongest tenant protection laws in the country. On paper, those laws make it difficult for a landlord to evict without cause,

08/21/2025

Washington, D.C. has some of the strongest tenant protection laws in the country. On paper, those laws make it difficult for a landlord to evict without cause, keep a security deposit without justification, or ignore serious maintenance problems. In practice, those protections can be a lifeline for renters, but only if you know they exist and how to use them.
The truth is that tenant protections in D.C. are a double-edged sword. They protect renters from unscrupulous landlords, but they also influence who landlords are willing to rent to in the first place. Good landlords, often nonprofit foundations or owners who hire reputable property management companies, follow the law, treat tenants fairly, and reinvest in the community. But bad actors exist, too. And when you’re unlucky enough to rent from one, those same strong laws can be turned into weapons against you.

08/19/2025

For many small business owners, being served with a lawsuit feels like a gut punch. You’ve poured time, money, and energy into building something of your own, and now you’re staring at legal papers that seem to threaten all of it. The first reaction is often panic — and that’s normal. But lawsuits are not death sentences for your business. With the right steps, taken in the right order, you can protect yourself and your company’s future.

Step One: Take a Breath and Read the Papers
The first thing I tell any business owner in this situation is to take a deep breath. You don’t have to figure everything out in the next ten minutes. Sit down somewhere quiet, open the envelope, and read the documents carefully. Make note of the names of the parties, the court where the case is filed, and the date you received it.
Look for a deadline to respond — in many jurisdictions, it’s 21 days, but it can be shorter. That date is your first priority.

08/14/2025

When an enlisted Soldier in the Army is notified that they may be separated, the stakes couldn’t be higher — especially for those who have invested years of service in their careers. The Army only entitles Soldiers to a formal separation board after they have completed a certain period of service, and there is an important “safe harbor” once you’ve reached 18 years. If you’re facing possible separation, the time to start preparing your defense is immediately — not after a board date is set.
While I can only directly represent members of the D.C. National Guard as part of my duties as a JAG officer — and I never accept payment for that work — I have advised many other servicemembers informally over the years. Even if I can’t personally represent you, I can often help you connect with the right military defense counsel in your chain of command or with pro bono veterans’ networks.

When an enlisted Soldier in the Army is notified that they may be separated, the stakes couldn’t be higher — especially for those who have invested years of

08/14/2025

When an enlisted Soldier in the Army is notified that they may be separated, the stakes couldn’t be higher — especially for those who have invested years of service in their careers. The Army only entitles Soldiers to a formal separation board after they have completed a certain period of service, and there is an important “safe harbor” once you’ve reached 18 years. If you’re facing possible separation, the time to start preparing your defense is immediately — not after a board date is set.
While I can only directly represent members of the D.C. National Guard as part of my duties as a JAG officer — and I never accept payment for that work — I have advised many other servicemembers informally over the years. Even if I can’t personally represent you, I can often help you connect with the right military defense counsel in your chain of command or with pro bono veterans’ networks.

08/12/2025

One of the most common questions I hear from servicemembers living with HIV is: “Do I have to tell my new commander?” The short answer is no. You are under no obligation to walk into a new unit and disclose your status to your commander. That is the military’s job. If they want to know your status, they can get it through official medical channels — not by putting you in the uncomfortable position of volunteering it.
Your medical information is protected, and while the military has more latitude than civilian employers in certain areas, that doesn’t mean you lose your right to privacy. Your obligation is to be truthful with your medical providers in a private, one-on-one setting. From there, it’s on the system to notify your commander as required.

Why This Matters to Me
When I was first diagnosed with HIV, I went to the nearest base to see a provider. I never even made it past the front desk.

One of the most common questions I hear from servicemembers living with HIV is: “Do I have to tell my new commander?” The short answer is no. You are under

08/07/2025

You Have a Right to Expect Safety
If you’ve ever slipped on a wet floor in an apartment hallway, been injured by malfunctioning equipment in a public space, or found yourself attacked in a dimly lit parking garage, you already know how fast things can go wrong. What you might not know is that the law holds property owners accountable when they fail to keep those spaces safe — especially when the hazard was foreseeable and preventable.
In my work as a civil litigator, I’ve represented individuals who were seriously harmed due to unsafe conditions on someone else’s property. That includes not just falls, but equipment malfunctions, repeat thefts, security failures, and dangerous environmental conditions that building owners or businesses ignored — until someone got hurt.

What Makes a Premises Unsafe?

  You Have a Right to Expect Safety If you’ve ever slipped on a wet floor in an apartment hallway, been injured by malfunctioning equipment in a public

08/07/2025

You Have a Right to Expect Safety
If you’ve ever slipped on a wet floor in an apartment hallway, been injured by malfunctioning equipment in a public space, or found yourself attacked in a dimly lit parking garage, you already know how fast things can go wrong. What you might not know is that the law holds property owners accountable when they fail to keep those spaces safe — especially when the hazard was foreseeable and preventable.
In my work as a civil litigator, I’ve represented individuals who were seriously harmed due to unsafe conditions on someone else’s property. That includes not just falls, but equipment malfunctions, repeat thefts, security failures, and dangerous environmental conditions that building owners or businesses ignored — until someone got hurt.

What Makes a Premises Unsafe?