SLG Secures Complete Second Circuit Victory, Affirms Jury Verdict In TVPA Case.
New York, NY — November 24, 2025 — Shah Law Group, LLC announced today that the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has affirmed in full the judgment of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in favor of its client, Dr. Thejaswi Bandikatla, the defendant-counterclaimant in Hemant Patel, M.D., P.C. v. Bandikatla.
Background
Plaintiff-Counterdefendant HPMDPC sued its former employee, Dr. Bandikatla, for prematurely resigning after approximately 18 months. HPMDPC claimed that the parties’ employment contract required Dr. Bandikatla to remain its employee for three years. HPMDPC sought $5 million in damages, including lost profits.
For five years, Dr. Bandikatla defended herself and countersued for unpaid wages and violation of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA).
At trial, Judge Rakoff dismissed HPMDPC’s breach of contract claim, finding that Dr. Bandikatla permissibly utilized the extenuating circumstances exception under the Immigration & Nationality Act, which allowed her to terminate her employment with HPMDPC. The following week, the jury returned a verdict in favor of Dr. Bandikatla on her counterclaims and awarded her compensatory damages.
In its decision, the Second Circuit rejected each of the plaintiff’s appellate arguments and upheld the jury’s verdict and the district court’s rulings across the board. The panel concluded:
“Having reviewed the record and the parties’ submissions, we find no merit in Plaintiff’s arguments. The district court committed no reversible error, and the jury’s verdict was fully supported by the evidence. We therefore affirm.”
Key Holdings
- No Breach by Dr. Bandikatla: The Court agreed the employment agreement incorporated the INA’s extenuating-circumstances exception, meaning Dr. Bandikatla acted within her contractual rights when she resigned her employment.
- TVPA Verdict Affirmed: The appellate court preserved the jury’s finding that HPMDPC violated the TVPA by abusing the legal process and demanding millions in damages without any basis in fact or law. This was just the sixth civil verdict in the United States on a TVPA claim.
- Fee Award Affirmed: The Court also affirmed the award of $259,701 in attorneys’ fees and $10,206 in costs.
- Federal Jurisdiction Proper: The Second Circuit affirmed the district court’s finding that Dr. Bandikatla was domiciled in Florida at the time the suit was filed, making the exercise of diversity jurisdiction proper.
- Dismissal of HPMDPC’s Claims: The Court upheld dismissal of the plaintiff’s fraud, fiduciary duty, prima facie tort, and good-faith-and-fair-dealing claims.
Statement from Lead Trial Attorney Roshan D. Shah, SLG’s Managing Partner
“We are gratified that the Second Circuit has fully vindicated our client. This case demonstrates that immigrant physicians—who already navigate complex visa requirements—must not be subjected to coercive or abusive litigation tactics to keep them bound by their initial employer. We didn’t start this fight, but we never wavered in our determination to finish it. Today, the Second Circuit rang the final bell.”
About Shah Law Group, LLC
Shah Law Group, LLC is a New Jersey–based litigation firm representing clients in complex civil litigation matters. The Firm has offices in Shrewsbury, NJ, Cherry Hill, NJ, and New York City.
