A front-page article by the San Francisco Chronicle features Lieff Cabraser partner Tiseme Zegeye, who is a leader in litigation holding hair relaxer companies accountable for cancer-causing products sold to Black women. The case centers on the alleged link between chemical hair relaxers and cancer, impacting thousands if not hundreds of thousands of injured women nationwide.
As the article notes, for Tiseme, this work is deeply personal. In her youth, she used hair relaxers, a common practice among Black women aiming to conform to prevailing beauty standards. Zegeye recounts the discomfort and risks associated with these products, such as scalp irritation and burns. Her experiences, combined with findings from a 2022 federal study, underscore the severe health risks associated with these products, particularly as they relate to reproductive health. Representing over 8,500 injured clients, the multidistrict lawsuit seeks accountability from major beauty companies like L’Oréal and Revlon, highlighting the widespread impact of hair relaxer products and the critical need for regulatory improvements.
Zegeye’s dedication to this cause is fueled by her personal connection and professional focus on reproductive health and environmental justice. In partnership with the Equal Justice Society, Lieff Cabraser seeks to hold major beauty corporations accountable for the harm caused by their products. As the legal proceedings move forward in Chicago, this case continues to shed light on the broader cultural pressures Black women face regarding beauty standards and the significant health risks posed by products like chemical hair relaxers.
For more details, read the full article on the San Francisco Chronicle website here.
Learn more about the Hair Relaxer-Cancer Injury Litigation.
About Tiseme Zegeye
A partner in Lieff Cabraser’s San Francisco office, Tiseme Zegeye specializes in individual and class actions focusing on women’s health issues, and in employment discrimination cases. Prior to joining Lieff Cabraser, Tiseme was a Staff Attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights in New York, where she litigated to protect women’s reproductive rights. Previously, she was a Legal Fellow at the American Civil Liberties Union Women’s Rights Project in New York, where she worked to fight gender discrimination in employment, education, and housing.
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