Chadbourne Swings Back Over Gender Bias Suit

We're waiting here with popcorn for the next development in As The Law Firm Turns.

little girl eat sweet popcornYou didn’t actually think that Chadbourne & Parke would take a $100 million purported class action for gender discrimination lying down, did you? Kerrie Campbell (and in the amended complaint, Jaroslawa Zelinsky Johnson) sued the Biglaw firm for discrimination, and now we have the Answer.

Chadbourne takes some mighty swings at Campbell, as the American Lawyer reports:

Chadbourne claims that partner Abbe Lowell, the head of the firm’s litigation department who was named in an amended complaint filed by Campbell on Oct. 27, was responsible for handling a “defamation matter for a high net-worth individual” that Campbell brought to the firm as a client. Chadbourne alleges that the individual, who it does not name, was dissatisfied with Campbell’s previous work and requested that she not work on the matter. Lowell instead took the lead on the engagement, which Chadbourne claims is responsible for $1.522 million of the $2.155 million in billings that Campbell took credit for in 2014.

Chadbourne also alleges that Campbell was difficult for associates in the firm’s litigation department to work with and that she “exhibited questionable legal judgment.” Chadbourne states that Campbell’s “wasteful use of associate time led to a number of write-offs.” The firm also claims that on at least one occasion, a Chabourne lawyer approached management with concerns that “he would be subject to sanctions had he advocated for Campbell’s position” in a client matter.

Then the allegations turn personal. The firm alleges that Campbell’s behavior on multiple occasions was inappropriate, and often fueled by alcohol:

Campbell also arrived at a firm event “already inebriated,” acted in a “shocking and inappropriate manner toward the male fiancé of a male Chadbourne attorney,” and made “graphic comments” to a male attorney at the same event, according to the firm’s response. During an out-of-town trial—Campbell is based in Washington, D.C.—the firm alleges that she again “displayed poor judgment with respect to the use of alcohol in the presence of a client between trial days.”

As for the other named plaintiff, Johnson, the firm said that the economic and political conditions in Ukraine, where Johnson was a partner, led to the treatment she complains about.

The Answer also took a shot at plaintiffs’ attorney, David Sanford:

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The true goals of Sanford and Sanford Heisler are to make an example of how they are able to inflict injury upon Chadbourne reputationally, and thereby to serve notice to other law firms or companies that, should a future complaint arise against them, they would be well served to settle with [Sanford] ‘at the front end’ or they, too, would be subject to a baseless nationwide smear campaign of falsehoods like the one now being conducted against Chadbourne.

In a statement to American Lawyer, Sanford expressed little surprise over the salacious claims:

“Nothing in Chadbourne’s response surprises us, as the firm has communicated identical claims to us during the past few months,” Sanford said.

He may not be surprised, but we’re waiting here with popcorn for the next development in As The Law Firm Turns.

Chadbourne Delivers Robust Response to Gender Bias Suit [American Lawyer]

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(Read the full answer 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
There’s Now (Allegedly) Videotape In The Latest Biglaw Lawsuit Twist