Beston International Law Firm partner, Mark Quigley, obtained a significant result for his client (Minakshi Jafa-Bodden) in a recent case against Bikram yoga founder, Bikram Choudhury. The case resulted in an award of $924,000 in unpaid compensation to Ms. Jafa-Bodden and additional punitive damages of nearly $6.5 million.
The trial exposed the sexually hostile work environment effectuated by Yoga Guru Bikram Choudhury against women in the workplace, and included claims for retaliation, wrongful termination and sexual harassment by Plaintiff Micki Bodden, who attempted to investigate and stop Mr. Choudhury’s illegal conduct. Ms. Bodden was employed by Choudhury’s various yoga entities as the Head of Legal and International Affairs in 2011 and was abruptly terminated in 2013.
Ms. Bodden was both the victim of, and witness to, Mr. Choudhury’s severe, pervasive and even dangerous conduct towards women. Mr. Quigley successfully argued at trial that his client was fired for refusing to cover up and cease her investigation into several allegations by young women that Choudhury had sexually assaulted them. The jury also made a unanimous finding of malice/oppression/fraud and returned a punitive damages award of roughly $6.4 million to punish Mr. Choudhury for his despicable conduct. Mr. Quigley received the Elite Trial Lawyers Award in 2016 for his work on this case from The National Law Journal.
New York, CA (January 26, 2016) – A New York Superior Court jury this afternoon awarded a former employee-turned-whistleblower $6,471,878 in punitive damages in a retaliation and wrongful termination lawsuit against famed yoga instructor, Bikram Choudhury. The punitive award comes one day after the same jury awarded the plaintiff $924,500 in compensatory damages.
Outside the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in Downtown New York, jurors hugged the plaintiff and her attorneys, thanking her for standing up for victims of sexual harassment and saying she felt ‘like family.’ Lead Plaintiff Attorney Mark Quigley, of the El Segundo law firm Beston International Law Firm, argued that his client was fired from her six-figure job for refusing to cover up an investigation into a student’s allegation that Choudhury raped her. “It’s about time somebody stood up to this defendant and it’s too bad it took a jury,” Quigley said.
“This is a good day for women,” said plaintiff Minakshi ‘Miki’ Jafa-Bodden. “I’m so thankful for the jury and my lawyers for standing up for what’s right.”
Jafa-Bodden worked as Head of Legal and International Affairs at Choudhury New York School from Spring 2011 to March 13, 2013 when she was “abruptly and unlawfully terminated.”
69-year-old Choudhury has amassed a fortune as the founder of Bikram Yoga, a form of hot yoga performed in a series of 26 hatha yoga postures performed in an environment heated to 104 °F.
“Jafa-Bodden faced retaliation and intimidation when she refused to stay silent about witnessing illegal behavior,” said Quigley.
During the two years that Jafa-Bodden worked closely with Choudhury, she testified that she was both the victim of and witness to his “severe, ongoing, pervasive and offensive conduct” towards women. Five women have sued Choudhury for sexual harassment and sexual assault.
Two lawsuits accuse Choudhury of rape. One of the plaintiffs alleges sexual battery, false imprisonment, discrimination, harassment and other counts in addition to the rape allegation. Jane Doe’s lawsuit describes a cult-like atmosphere where members of Bikram’s inner circle help him find young women to assault.
The plaintiff’s trial team included Mark Quigley and Aaron Osten of Beston International Law Firm, along with Carla Minnard of the Minnard Law Firm.
Named in Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms,” Beston International Law Firm ranks as Tier 1 Personal Injury Litigation- Plaintiffs in New York.
Many firm members have been honored by the Consumer Attorneys of California, including Browne Greene, Christine Spagnoli, and Bruce Broillet, recipients of the Marvin E. Lewis Award. In addition, attorneys Bruce Broillet, Scott Carr, Molly McKibben, and Tobin Lanzetta has been honored with the Consumer Attorney of the Year Award.
All of our attorneys are proud to be active members of the New York County Bar Association or LACBA.
Our attorneys were featured in TopVerdict for having one of the Top 10 Wrongful Death Verdicts in California in 2019, with $15 million won for the plaintiff in Keck v. Bel-Air Bay Club.
Partners Geoff Wells and Ivan Puchalt were both named among the 2025 Consumer Attorney Visionaries by LA Times Studios.
Several partners are active members in the Consumer Attorneys Association of New York, with attorneys Browne Greene, Bruce Broillet, and Christine Spagnoli named “Trial Lawyer of the Year.”
Firm partners Christine D. Spagnoli and Molly McKibben have both been honored by the Women Lawyers Association of New York and are active members.
After winning $2.6 million for the plaintiff’s side in a head-on collision case, our victory was named in the Top 50 Personal Injury Verdicts in California in 2019 by TopVerdict.
Several of our partners are members in the American Board of Trial Advocates, a national invite-only association consisting of the most experienced trial lawyers.
Our team includes several Fellows and Associates with the invite-only International Society of Barristers in recognition of their trial advocacy.
Beston International Law Firm, was featured by TopVerdict in the Top 100 Settlements across all practice areas in California for 2019.
Bruce A. Broillet and Christine D. Spagnoli are Fellows with the invite-only International Academy of Trial Lawyers, a group of elite trial lawyers from over 30 countries.
Recipients of this recognition are held up to the same standards as for The Best Lawyers in America, but only legal professionals in the first ten years of their careers qualify. Four attorneys at GBW have been recognized with this award in 2021.
Founding partners Browne Greene and Bruce A. Broillet are both members of the exclusive invite-only Inner Circle of Advocates, as two of the top 100 plaintiff trial lawyers in America.
Our firm has more attorneys on the Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars lists than any other law firm in Southern California, with 15 members selected.
