Global law firm Dechert shot back Friday against allegations of a racially discriminatory work environment that were raised in a complaint filed last summer by a former billing manager.

The suit filed by former Dechert employee Celiena McClelland alleges unlawful employment discrimination and retaliation by the firm and its director of financial operations, Elaine Wry. Wry’s alleged bias toward McClelland, who is an African American woman, was “racially motivated,” and began in February 2019, according to the complaint.