Francine Friedman Griesing, who joined Greenberg in 2007 but now has her own firm, filed the federal suit in New York in early December.
The lawsuit was dismissed on Friday, according to a one-page judge’s order. Dismissal came with prejudice, meaning it can’t be refiled, after the parties indicated they’d reached a settlement.
The firm released a brief emailed statement: “The matter was concluded amicably.”
Griesing had alleged she was damaged in the amount of $1 million, through a pattern of discrimination against female attorneys at the firm.
The lawsuit sought class action status on behalf of all female employees at Greenberg Traurig, but that was never formally approved. If it had been, Griesing and her attorneys estimated their claim would be more than $200 million.
In December, Greenberg Traurig said the suit was without merit and the firm would vigorously defend itself against it.
The firm said Griesing was not fired and resigned on her own. In her lawsuit, however, Griesing said she was terminated for complaining about discrimination, and that the firm stopped assigning her work altogether.
The suit alleged that Michael Lehr, regional operating shareholder in charge of Philadephia, told Griesing at one point that only "tall, male and Jewish’ GT lawyers generate business.”
Greenberg Traurig had also released a statement from one of its highest-ranking women, Hilarie Bass of Miami, who sits on the executive committee. She had called the lawsuit “an affront to the accomplished, talented women of Greenberg Traurig, who, like all of our lawyers, are compensated based on merit.”
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission concluded in June 2012 that there is (1) “reasonable cause” to support class-wide claims of gender discrimination in compensation; (2) reasonable cause to support claims that women are treated less favorably in the terms and conditions of their employment; and (3) reasonable cause to support an allegation of retaliation. However, the EEOC findings applied only to the Philadelphia office of the firm.
Source: South Florida Buisness Journal
This information is intended to be
educational and should not be considered legal advice on any specific matter.
