Age Discrimination at Law Firms
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed an age-discrimination lawsuit against Sidley Austin in 2005. The suit alleges that the firm violated the Age Discrimination in Employment Act when it demoted 31 partners in 1999 on account of their age.
Discovery has begun and it is becoming obvious that the firm is facing an extensive and invasive battle. The EEOC just filed a motion to compel the firm to produce “all client complaints received by Sidley about any partner of Sidley” from 1995-1999. Sidley claims that it demoted some of the partners in 1999, because of clients’ complaints. This motion is intended to expose that reason as “pretextual.” Sidley responded by calling the EEOC’s request “overbroad and unduly burdensome.”
This motion comes on the heels of the New York State Bar Association’s Position that firms should not force partners to retire based on age.
This case, coming on the heels of the Bar’s position paper, could shake up firm organization and employment procedures statewide. This is one to watch.
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