A former Kirkland & Ellis legal assistant accused the firm of age discrimination in a suit filed in California state court Friday, contending that a purported “reduction in force” was in fact an effort to expand its litigation support department by hiring younger, cheaper workers.

Nancy Lynn Perkins said in her complaint that after nearly 30 years in Kirkland’s Los Angeles office, she was dismissed from her job in August 2019 as part of a group of other employees, all over 55 years old. The termination came shortly after she returned to work after undergoing brain surgery.