Last week Above the Law broke the news that noted Democratic boutique law firm, the Elias Law Group, was requiring all employees to sign mandatory arbitration agreements. Elite law firms have been getting shit for years when they try to condition employment on arbitration agreements, and that pressure has led to a number of big firms doing away with the practice.
But I guess the Elias firm just didn’t get that memo, and in the waning days of 2024 they informed employees they had to sign away their rights to stay gainfully employed. And what makes the move especially galling is the Elias Law Group’s supposed commitment to “progressive” causes. In fact, a number of Democratic — several of them firm clients — have introduced legislation to ban mandatory arbitration. Associates and counsel banded together to rail against the policy — calling the firm “out of step with Democratic Party values,” but, in the end, all they were able to secure was a small delay in the implementation.
January 10th was the date employees had until to sign the mandatory arbitration agreement. Now that the date has come and gone, Bloomberg Law is reporting four associates are out of the firm — three leaving voluntarily and one forced out after they refused to sign the mandatory arbitration agreement.
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“People involved directly and indirectly in politics often make career transitions at the end of a hard-fought election cycle,” a firm spokesperson told Bloomberg Law. “We wish all departing attorneys the best of luck in their future endeavors.”
It’s not terribly surprising that folks who want to work at a firm dedicated to liberal ideals will make career choices based on their own progressive values. Best of luck to the departing attorneys.
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. 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