Prominent Combatant of Employment Discrimination Passes Away

Judith P. Vladeck, ardent advocate of worker's rights, passed away on January 8th at the age of 83.

Ms. Vladeck was known for her passion, thorough preparation and fierce tenacity. She is best remembered as a successful plaintiff's attorney who won against some of the biggest corporate employers in the world and expanded the rights of employees to be free from employment discrimination.

Ms. Vladeck's greatest successes included: a 1979 settlement with Chase Manhattan which led to a new recruitment and training program for women managers; a 1980 settlement with Western Electric, whereby the appliance giant agreed to pay women $7 million to settle an equal-pay class-action suit; and a 1983 age discrimination case against Union Carbide that she won and thereby established a benchmark for damages.

Ms. Vladeck graduated from Columbia University School of Law in 1947 with only a handful of women. She joined the first law firm that would hire her and then transitioned into her husband's firm, Vladeck, Waldman, Elias & Engelhard P.C., in 1957. She worked there full-time until 2003. She continued to work until her passing.

Judith Vladeck was a fierce opponent to some, a zealous friend to others and respected by all.

A very nice obituary, from which we garnered some facts, ran in today's Wall Street Journal. That tribute can be read here:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116865426193075930.html?mod=home_law_more_news