MATTHEW UMHOFER
Partner
Umhofer, Mitchell & King LLP
Mathhew Umhofer currently represents a case involving Efrat (“Efty”) Sharony, the former ombudsperson for California’s Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR), who alleges she was fired in retaliation for exposing severe conditions in Los Angeles County juvenile halls.
Shortly after she raised concerns, an 18-year-old detained at the facility died from a drug overdose, and state regulators ordered the hall closed. Sharony claims state officials then instructed her to stop investigating juvenile halls and terminated her employment three months later. Umhofer and Sharony contend that California officials were more interested in protecting the state’s public narrative about juvenile justice reform than addressing documented problems.
