Biglaw

There's Now (Allegedly) Videotape In The Latest Biglaw Lawsuit Twist

Strange things are (allegedly) afoot at this Biglaw firm.

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Teenage girl (15-17) using video camera, smiling, close-upThe gender discrimination lawsuit filed against Chadbourne & Parke is getting crazy. We’ve documented the allegations in the case; partner Kerrie Campbell claims women partners are paid less than their male counterparts and there is a pattern of gender discrimination. Now Campbell has filed an amended complaint, which added a named plaintiff — and contains a weird allegation.

Part of the amended complaint adds a slew of individual named defendants, including Chadbourne’s litigation head, Abbe Lowell. The paragraph in the complaint detailing Lowell’s alleged involvement dips into the bizarre — it features Nelson Mandela, petty vandalism, and videotape. You’ve just got to read it yourself:

After Campbell filed the Complaint, upon information and belief, Defendant Abbe Lowell, head of Chadbourne’s Litigation Department, tore down a postcard on Campbell’s office wall containing the words of Nelson Mandela: “It will forever remain an accusation and a challenge to all men and women of conscience that it took as long as it has before all of us stood up to say: ‘enough is enough.’” In its place, upon information and belief, Lowell affixed a large smiley face graphic on Campbell’s office wall. Subsequent to this juvenile and harassing action, Lowell was video recorded engaging in further retaliatory acts against Campbell. Thumbing his nose at Mandela’s call for equality, Lowell placed an 8.5 by 11 inch cartoon figure of a fat man wearing a bowler hat next to the smiley face graphic in an attempt to make a mockery of Mandela’s words. The message Lowell and Chadbourne conveyed to women at the Firm was clear—at this law firm, men run the show. Women at Chadbourne who refuse to smile in the face of gender inequality will suffer the same fate as Campbell.

That’s some weird, petty-ish right there (if true, natch). What purpose could this impromptu redecoration of Campbell’s office possibly serve? This is a law firm; let your briefs do the talking.

Here’s my takeaway: The complaint has so divided the firm you have pro- and anti-Campbell camps. I mean, someone allegedly shot a video when they thought something jacked up was going on. That isn’t someone who thinks everything is hunky-dory at the firm.

Read the full complaint on the next page.

Earlier: Biglaw Firm Hit With $100 Million Class Action Gender Discrimination Lawsuit
These Biglaw Partners Are Super Pissed Someone Filed A Class Action Lawsuit On Their Behalf
Chadbourne Class Action Lawsuit Gets Juicy AF — Lawyer Fires Back Against Criticism
Biglaw Pay Discrimination Case Adds A New Plaintiff

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