Caitlyn T. Fulghum

Attorney at Law


100 E. Parrish St., Suite 300 · Durham, NC · 919-680-6100

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Caitlyn T. Fulghum Ms. Fulghum practices primarily in the areas of employment discrimination, civil rights, and personal injury. She has handled cases involving discrimination on the basis of sex, race, national origin, religion, pregnancy, age and disability, as well as cases of retaliation, pay disparity, and other employment-related claims. She also has experience with other civil rights matters, education law, workers compensation, and personal injury litigation.



Education

  • Duke University School of Law, J.D. with High Honors, 1998

    • Order of the Coif
    • Moot Court Board
    • Founder and President of the ACLU’s Duke Law Chapter

  • University of Arizona, B.A. with Honors in Creative Writing, 1995

    • Summa Cum Laude
    • Phi Beta Kappa

Experience

  • The Fulghum Law Firm, P.L.L.C.
    • Senior Partner, 2001-present

  • Glenn, Mills & Fisher, P.A.
    • Associate, 1998-2001


Professional Associations


Representative Cases

Hartley v. MV Transportation, Inc.

Thomas Hartley was the manager of the Durham Area Transit Authority. Hartley, who is white, was fired after a City Councilwoman pressured the contractor running DATA to hire a black manager. He sued, alleging wrongful termination. An arbitrator awarded Hartley $172,844 in back pay and benefits.

Read a News and Observer article regarding the case at this link.

Theodore v. University of North Carolina

Dr. Theodore was a pediatrician at UNC Hospitals whose pay was reduced by 40% after she returned from maternity leave. Dr. Theodore sued alleging discrimination based on sex, race, and pregnancy. UNC Hospitals agreed to pay $200,000 to Dr. Theodore in a negotiated settlement.

Read a News and Observer article regarding the case at this link.

Trochum v. North Carolina State University

Ann Trochum was a Sergeant with the NCSU Campus Police Department. She filed a complaint alleging that she was paid less than all of the male Sergeants. After she complained, NCSU removed her from her position as a Detective and assigned to permanent night-shift patrol. The Office of Administrative Hearings determined that NCSU had discriminated against Trochum on the basis of sex by paying her less than her male counterparts, and retaliated against her because of her complaint of sex discrimination. The State Personnel Commission adopted that decision and ordered NCSU to reinstate Trochum to her Detective position, and awarded back pay, plus benefits and attorney's fees. The Wake County Superior Court upheld the Commission's decision. While NCSU's appeal and Ms. Trochum's related federal lawsuit were pending, the parties reached a resolution of the matter. NCSU agreed to pay Trochum $150,000, which included her back wages and benefits, attorney's fees, and compensation for mental and emotional suffering.

Ms. Trochum established a fund to pay for an initial consultation for any female law enforcement officer who feels that she might have been a victim of discrimination or harassment, or retaliation. For details please click this link.

To download a Word file of the decision of the Office of Administrative Hearings, click here.

Johnson v. Trustees of Durham Technical Community College

As an associate at Glenn, Mills & Fisher, P.A., Ms. Fulghum and Stewart Fisher successfully represented plaintiff Susan F. Johnson in a case against Durham Technical Community College in which the college unlawfully terminated Ms. Johnson because of her disability. To read the North Carolina Court of Appeals decision in this case, click here.

Muhammad v. City of Reidsville

In June 1997, the City of Reidsville, North Carolina denied a permit application from the Nation of Islam Reidsville Study Group to close a public street for Black Family Day. Ms. Fulghum successfully argued that the city’s decision was based on an ordinance that violated the First Amendment rights of the people of Reidsville. Ms. Fulghum handled this case as a cooperating attorney for the A.C.L.U. of North Carolina.

Durham Public Schools Cases

In the fall of 2000, Ms. Fulghum brought suit against the Durham Public Schools Board of Education and one of its substitute teachers in response to the use of corporal punishment by the teacher in violation of state law prohibiting such punishment and the federal constitutional rights of the students involved. After successfully countering the arguments of the school board’s lawyers that the school board could not be held liable for the substitute’s actions, Ms. Fulghum secured a substantial favorable settlement for the students.


How to schedule an initial consultation with Ms. Fulghum

In order to schedule an initial consultation with Ms. Fulghum please call the office at 919-680-6100. Our legal assistant will take some information over the telephone about your case and explain the consultation process.