Wayne County Employment Retirement System paid over a half a million dollars today after previously losing a trial on first amendment retaliation in front of Judge Sean Cox in October 2023 in federal court in Detroit. In late February 2025, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals denied the Retirement System’s appeal, and the system has today paid the judgment including interest and attorney’s fees.
The jury found after a trial that the system cut off Mr. Seals’ pension after he appeared at a public meeting to express concern the system was shortchanging pensioners.
David Nacht, counsel for Mr. Seals, said, “We live in a time when Government officials should know that if they try to punish people for disagreeing with them, the court system will make them pay. Mr. Seals bravely stood up to power and won.”
“America was founded on the idea that government officials need to be more afraid of citizens than citizens do of their government.”
David Nacht is a Harvard‑ and University of Michigan‑educated trial lawyer and the founder and principal of his firm, known for representing individuals at every stage of their careers—from students and employees to executives—when their reputation, rights, and livelihood are on the line. Licensed in Michigan, Ohio, and Massachusetts, he is among the rare attorneys who regularly practices both civil and criminal law in federal and state courts, using insights from each arena to gain strategic advantages for his clients. Nacht has achieved landmark victories in employment law, university and Title IX proceedings, civil rights litigation, criminal defense, and high‑stakes business disputes, including precedent‑setting appellate wins and multimillion‑dollar settlements and negotiations. Widely recognized as a leader in defending the accused and advocating for due process, he combines meticulous preparation, forward‑thinking strategy, and a client‑first philosophy focused on dignity, clarity, and results.
