Connie Bertram’s $50 million lawsuit against Proskauer alleging specific acts of harassment from male partners and a systematic gender disparity in compensation shook Biglaw, much as Kerrie Campbell’s suit against Chadbourne did. While Proskauer contested the suit, arguing that Bertram had cherry-picked numbers to make her claim for being undercompensated, the firm ultimately settled the claims in a confidential agreement.
Throughout all of this, Bertram remained on at Proskauer, but now that the suit is in the past, she’s moving on and joining Polsinelli. From American Lawyer:
In a statement explaining her decision to change firms, Bertram cited the “tremendous teaming opportunities” presented by Polsinelli’s government contracts, government investigations, and corporate practices. ”Polsinelli offers a terrific combination of substantive expertise and talented attorneys with a great collaborative culture,” she said.
Nancy Rafuse, chair of Polsinelli’s labor and employment department, said she was eager to welcome Bertram to the firm, adding that she has known her for many years and worked for some of the same clients.
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It’s hard not to see this as a consequence of the settlement — a “we’ll clear this up, but then you have to go” sort of deal. Certainly no one would blame Bertram for wanting a change of scenery after dueling with the firm for a year. But Bertram’s also the sort of big gun in this field that other firms are doubtless always courting. It shouldn’t surprise anyone if this had little to do with the settlement and everything to do with Polsinelli swooping in on a key lateral move.
The one thing we can say for sure: Polsinelli’s deal with Bertram is probably exceedingly transparent and fair.
Earlier: Proskauer Settles Gender Discrimination Lawsuit, But Details Remain Shrouded In Secrecy
Proskauer Hits Back At Gender Discrimination Lawsuit
Inside The $50 Million Gender Discrimination Case A Partner Filed Against Proskauer Rose
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Joe Patrice is a senior editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. Feel free to email any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on Twitter if you’re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news.