Proskauer Settles Gender Discrimination Lawsuit, But Details Remain Shrouded In Secrecy

The parties have refused to offer comment on the settlement.

onAugust 13, 2018 at 11:52 AM

Connie Bertram

Last year Proskauer Rose was hit with a $50 million lawsuit by a partner — initially only identified as Jane Doe, but later revealed to be Connie Bertram — that alleged “substantial gender disparities” at the firm. The complaint also claimed Bertram was objectified by two partners and that her compensation lagged behind that of similarly situated male partners.

But on Friday evening a stipulation of dismissal was filed in the case. As reported by Law.com, the filing indicated that both parties agreed the case would be dismissed in its entirety, but no details on the settlement were disclosed. A spokesperson for Proskauer would only comment that the matter had been resolved, while plaintiff’s attorney, David Sanford of Sanford Heisler Sharp, said in a statement, “unfortunately, we are unable to comment.”

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The settlement comes after a court mandated alternative dispute resolution proceeding, as per local rules. In March U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, the presiding judge in the case, denied Proskauer’s motion for summary judgement and limited discovery on the question of whether Bertram should properly be considered an employee was set.

Though the initial stages of the litigation were noted for being particularly contentious — in their answer the firm said the complaint “cherry-picked” data — Bertram remains a partner at the firm, and, according to her bio on the firm’s website, has a leadership role at the firm. She’s the the head of the DC Labor & Employment practice, co-head of the Whistleblowing & Retaliation Group, and head of the Government Contractor Compliance Group.

headshot Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, and host of The Jabot podcast. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).