Winston & Strawn, a well established top tier law firm, has been sued by a former female income partner. They have joined the list of the latest biglaw firms, such as Proskauer Rose and Steptoe & Johnson LLP, to be hit with gender discrimination lawsuits. The complaint alleges that the highly qualified ex employee was continually denied the same opportunities as her male counterparts even when she was outperforming them.
The plaintiff, Constance Ramos, claims that she was denied bonuses even though she was qualified to receive them as the highest billing income partner at the firm’s San Francisco office. Additionally, the lawsuit alleges that male attorneys were allowed to participate in a lateral partner integration program while Ramos was turned away from the program once she showed interest. After a large victory at trial for one of her clients at the firm in January of 2016, Winston & Strawn asked her to leave the firm. When she refused to leave, the firm drastically cut her salary from $450,000 down to $300,000 and then again to $200,000 earlier this year. She alleges the firm began to retaliate against her during this time and was even stopped from working on matters she had expertise on.
Unfortunately even the most established and respected firms may not be promoting equal pay and opportunities for its employees. Gender discrimination claims may be difficult to prove so it may be a good idea to discuss your rights and options with an employment lawyer. If you feel you have been denied certain benefits and pay at your job due to your gender please give us a call for a free phone consultation. At Fitapelli & Schaffer, LLP, we take workplace discrimination very seriously. One of our attorneys will be able to discuss the situation with you and let you know if it’s a matter we would be able to assist you with. We can be reached at (212)-300-0375 or you can visit our website for additional information on discrimination in the workplace.