Legal claims for breach of contract, discrimination, and professional harm after being removed from a conference in Maryland.

Question

I was humiliatingly removed from my professional society’s conference in Maryland despite having paid registration. The reasons were inconsistent, baseless, and discriminatory. The society violated its ethics code and failed to perform the investigation as promised. They endangered me by trying to force me into 10°F outside without my coat. First reason was mistaken identity, so they shifted to a complaint over my legitimate comments seeking data on if granting of too many H1B visas results in fewer hires of US citizen astronomers. A witness told me I was the one harassed.

This was retaliation for making relevant, legitimate comments. The society has muzzled my discussing cases of discrimination in employment and participation in research groups. Leaving early disrupted my networking for employment, harming my career prospects by denying me paid for services.

What legal claims can I pursue for breach of contract, discrimination, & professional harm? How can I best find an attorney?

James L. Arrasmith · Answer

Your situation involves several potential legal claims stemming from your removal from a professional conference in Maryland. Based on the facts presented, you may have actionable claims for breach of contract since you paid for registration and were denied the services and benefits of attendance without proper justification, which prevented you from networking and harmed your career prospects.  
 
The inconsistent explanations for your removal, particularly the shift from mistaken identity to objections about your H1B visa comments, suggest potential discrimination claims if your comments were protected speech or if the treatment was based on a protected characteristic under federal or Maryland state law. Additional claims might include defamation if false statements were made about you to others at the conference, intentional infliction of emotional distress for the humiliating manner of removal and endangerment by attempting to force you outside without proper attire, and negligence for failure to follow the society's own procedures for investigation of complaints. 
 
To find effective legal representation, we recommend you contact the Maryland State Bar Association for referrals to attorneys with experience in employment discrimination and contract disputes in professional settings. Because this incident involves multiple jurisdictions (your home state and Maryland where the incident occurred), you should seek initial consultations with attorneys who can advise on where to file your claims and what specific laws might apply in this complex situation involving professional societies and their governance structures.

Q: Legal claims for breach of contract, discrimination, and professional harm after being removed from a conference in Maryland.