A federal judge in Washington, D.C., ruled Thursday that four former Jones Day associates can continue to keep their identities hidden from the public—for now—in a $200 million gender bias case against the firm.

But the judge also issued a limited order allowing Jones Day to disclose the women's names to the extent needed to investigate their claims and respond to their complaint.

Amid the arguments over anonymity, U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss also implored lawyers for both sides to tread carefully when speaking to press about the two-month-old proposed class action, and he urged them to tone down the bitter rhetoric exchanged in the case so far.