Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, an Am Law 100 firm, is again under scrutiny as a second employment discrimination suit emerges against them in the last month. The latest allegation comes from former partner Julie O’Dell, who recently founded Armstrong Teasdale’s Orange County office after departing from Lewis Brisbois in January 2023.
Filed in a California state court, the suit alleges that not only was O’Dell paid less than her male counterparts, but the law firm also attempted to claw back her compensation in retaliation for her complaints against what she describes as the firm’s “unethical billing practices”.
O’Dell’s claims suggest that Lewis Brisbois has a systemic issue with retaliation against those within their firm who blow the whistle on such practices, coupled with potentially discriminatory pay scales for its female staff. This underscored by the fact that this lawsuit is not the first of its kind filed against the firm.
For more detailed information about O’Dell’s allegations, check out the original article.