The well-known law firm Ropes & Gray recently faced a trial over charges made by an African-American former associate, alleging that actions taken by the firm after his employment had ended were made in retaliation for his having previously filed race discrimination charges with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The firm successfully obtained summary judgment on all the other claims leveled against it by its former associate — including for defamation and breach of contract.
The original charge of race discrimination also was dismissed because, as the court found, the law firm had legitimate, nondiscriminatory reasons for its actions. But, as often happens in such cases, the defendant nonetheless faced a jury trial on the sole issue of retaliation even though it was found not to have committed the unlawful action that had been initially alleged.
