Standorf v. Christie’s Cabaret of Scottsdale

Case Background

On June 10, 2019, Kelly Standorf filed a labor and employment lawsuit against a strip club for failing to pay her wages. She claimed violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Arizona wage laws.

The case was filed in the United States District Court, Arizona (Phoenix Division). Judge John T. Tuchi presided over this case. [Case number: 2:19cv4700]

Cause

Plaintiff Kelly Standorf worked for several years at Defendant Christie’s Cabaret of Glendale, LLC (“Christie’s Cabaret”) in Glendale, Arizona, a strip club operated by Steve Cooper, a strip club entrepreneur from Memphis, Tennessee. The club was a business name under Out West Ventures.

Standorf’s primary role was that of a “House Mom,” where she ran a side business selling beauty products, costumes, and makeup to the entertainers. She earned approximately $8,000 per month from this venture, in addition to tips from the dancers.

However, Standorf’s responsibilities extended beyond her business. She claimed that she was also tasked with several duties for the club, including conducting auditions, orienting new entertainers, assigning lockers, calling dancers to work, terminating performers, monitoring the time clock, and collecting house fees. Despite these added responsibilities, she was not paid for any of them. Her income was solely derived from the sales of her beauty products and tips.

Damages

Standorf sought damages for both the failure to pay minimum wage and overtime. Specifically, she requested an award of unpaid wages based on the evidence presented at trial, for the entire duration of her employment.

Additionally, she sought liquidated damages, in an amount determined by the trial evidence. She also requested statutory penalties for willful violations of tax laws.

Furthermore, she pursued punitive damages, along with attorneys’ fees and costs. She also sought an award of treble damages and requested pre-and post-judgment interest on the total amount of unpaid wages.

Key Arguments and Proceedings

Legal Representation

  • Plaintiff(s): Kelly Standorf
    • Counsel for Plaintiff(s): Haley Richelle Carr | Milca C Altamirano | Troy Patrick Foster | Megan Nicole Weides
  • Defendant(s): Christie’s Cabaret an Arizona corporation | also known as | Christie’s Cabaret of Glendale | Steve Cooper
    • Counsel for Defendant(s): Amy Dody Sells | David M Barlow | James Holt | Stephen L Shields | William Morris Fischbach, III

Claims

Standorf filed a lawsuit against Christie’s Cabaret, claiming violations of the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) and Arizona wage laws. She alleged that the company failed to pay her wages as required by law. Additionally, she argued that the failure to pay these wages was willful.

Defense

Christie’s Cabaret denied that she was ever considered an employee. In fact, they explicitly instructed her not to perform certain tasks. Despite this, she chose to carry out those duties anyway.

Jury Verdict

The case was tried for five days in Phoenix. On October 1, 2024, the jury ruled in favor of Standorf on both the state and federal claims. She was awarded $29,000 for the FLSA claim. The jury also found that (1) the conduct was willful, and (2) Cooper was individually liable. Additionally, Standorf prevailed on the state law claim and received $38,550 in damages. The total award came up to $ 67,550.

Court Documents:

Available upon request