A prominent physician has filed a lawsuit against a major healthcare provider, alleging race discrimination, retaliation, and defamation. Dr. Judith Cothran submitted the complaint on August 14, 2024, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division against Advocate Healthcare, Dr. Richard Maultack, and Nurse Klarissa Brunson.
Dr. Cothran's complaint details a series of alleged discriminatory and retaliatory actions that she claims began after she joined Advocate Trinity Hospital's medical staff in 2010. Initially working as an independent contractor covering urgent obstetrics (OB), she transitioned to an employed position as Medical Director of the newly created Urgent OB Service Line in 2013 at the request of Diana Grant MD, Vice President of Medical Management at Advocate Trinity Hospital. During her tenure, Dr. Cothran developed operational protocols and billing mechanisms for the service line but soon faced animosity from some long-standing OB/Gyn physicians on staff.
The lawsuit recounts numerous instances where Dr. Cothran was allegedly subjected to unjustified disciplinary actions and harassment by members of the Medical Executive Committee (MEC) and other hospital officials. For example, she received multiple Quality Management (QM) inquiries despite having no adverse outcomes in her practice. She alleges that these inquiries were part of a pattern designed to manufacture grounds for heightened disciplinary penalties and ultimately recommend her termination.
One notable incident occurred in May 2019 when Dr. Cothran requested shifts on the OB Cares schedule but was denied by Dr. Dorothy Anoina, who instead assigned herself numerous shifts. When Dr. Cothran raised concerns about this with hospital leadership, including Rashard Johnson, President of Advocate South Suburban and Trinity Hospitals, she was instructed to file a MIDAS report—a formal complaint within the hospital system—against Drs. Multack and Anoina for their actions.
Further escalating tensions, Dr. Multack allegedly sent a defamatory email about Dr. Cothran to several MEC members in August 2019 but mistakenly included her in the email chain. The email contained false statements about her professional conduct and patient safety record, which he later attempted to retract multiple times unsuccessfully.
In addition to internal conflicts over scheduling and professional responsibilities, Dr. Cothran faced allegations from Nurse Klarissa Brunson in August 2023 accusing her of making inappropriate physical contact during a medical procedure—a claim she vehemently denies as false and retaliatory.
Throughout these events, Dr. Cothran sought intervention from various hospital officials without success and continued to face what she describes as a hostile work environment marked by racial discrimination and retaliation for her complaints about unfair treatment.
Dr. Cothran is seeking several forms of relief from the court: reinstatement into her contractual position with all benefits restored; compensatory damages for lost income; punitive damages; removal of false information from her personnel file; attorney’s fees; costs associated with litigation; back pay; front pay; and an injunction against further discriminatory practices by Advocate Healthcare.
The case is being handled by attorney Lee Pulliam & Associates representing Dr. Judith Cothran under Case ID: 1:24-cv-07251 before Judge [Name not provided].