Jan 22, 2026
On January 22, 2026, Justly Prudent filed a civil rights lawsuit against the Office of the Attorney General of Maryland on behalf of Kandi Morris, a former Mediation Supervisor who says she was denied equal employment opportunities because of her race.
Ms. Morris, who holds a master's degree from Johns Hopkins University and had 10 years of mediation experience, worked at the Consumer Protection Division's Largo office from April 2020 until she was terminated in June 2024. According to the lawsuit, the Largo office—staffed entirely by Black women—employed only contractual workers, while the Baltimore office hired White women into permanent positions with better pay, benefits, and job security.
For four years, Ms. Morris did the same work as permanent supervisors in other offices but was denied the same employment status. She made repeated requests to be converted to permanent employment, citing Maryland laws that require conversion when contractual employees perform permanent functions full-time. The Attorney General's office refused.
The problems went beyond job classification. Ms. Morris was told she could not earn overtime because she was a contractor—information that was wrong. She worked extra hours without pay based on that false guidance. When she applied for a promotion, she was rated "Best Qualified" but never got an interview. When a White colleague had too much work, her assignments were redistributed; Ms. Morris's requests for help were denied.
After Ms. Morris complained about these practices to Human Resources in early 2024, she was terminated. The Attorney General's office refused to give her a reason. Then, while she was still employed, they posted her job online—proving they still needed someone in her role.
For more information, see the firm's official press release at https://www.justlyprudent.com/press-releases/mediation-supervisor-sues-maryland-attorney-general-race-discrimination