A recent gender discrimination lawsuit filed by Rebecca Brazzano, a former non-equity partner at Thompson Hine, has cast the spotlight once again on allegations of entrenched gender bias in the legal profession. Brazzano has alleged that her former workplace, Thompson Hine’s New York office, had a ‘toxic boys club locker room’ environment, propagated primarily by Richard DePalma, the former vice chair of litigation.
As detailed in the lawsuit, Brazzano is seeking $15 million in damages, alleging that DePalma repeatedly acted inappropriately to her and other female colleagues in the office. Further, she claimed that preferential treatment was given to male attorneys by delegating more work to them.
The fraud allegations do not stop at discrimination. The complaint accuses Thompson Hine of permitting and shielding discriminatory conduct by its partners, dangerously hiding it under the veneer of the firm’s impressive reputation. Brazzano, in her complaint, paints a picture of a working environment where DePalma perpetuated a hostile and misogynistic culture, her allegations bolstered by accounts of DePalma’s inappropriate discussions in meetings.
As reported by Law.com, the lawsuit also outlines how this discriminatory work environment impacted Brazzano’s billables. She has accused DePalma of hoarding litigation work to artificially boost his own billable hours or diverting the work to male attorneys. Brazzano alleges that from 2010, when DePalma was positioned as vice chair until her exit in 2022, the latter never directed incoming work in her direction.
The complaint alleges that DePalma’s behavior extended beyond merely hoarding work and creating a toxic atmosphere. Brazzano claims that his actions were also ‘humiliating’, with DePalma regularly disparaging her in front of colleagues, and even recommending against her promotion to non-equity partner.
Brazzano’s departure from the firm in 2022 was reportedly due to performance-related issues. However, she asserts a different cause in the complaint, highlighting her refusal to approve expenses contrary to the firm’s pro bono policy for a project that DePalma was spearheading.
Nevertheless, Thompson Hine fully disputes the allegations. A spokesperson for the firm stated that the claims made by Brazzano lack merit and that the firm intends to mount a robust defense against her allegations.
It remains to be seen how this lawsuit will unfold, and the impact it may have, not only on Thompson Hine, but on the wider conversation around gender bias within the law profession.