Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith is seeking to compel arbitration with its ex-partner Julie O’Dell, following her lawsuit against the firm over allegations of bias, retaliation, and compensation clawback. The motion was filed on June 5 and pertains to a significant six-figure amount that the firm claims O’Dell owes. As detailed by Lewis Brisbois’ general counsel, Jana Lubert, the firm has a policy allowing new equity partners to earn monthly draws significantly exceeding their partner shares during their initial transition period, which led to over-distributions amidst challenging market conditions in 2022.
O’Dell, who is now part of Armstrong Teasdale’s labor and employment practice, is among two former partners who sued Lewis Brisbois for alleged bias, with each lawsuit referencing racist and sexist emails by the former leaders of the labor and employment practice group. O’Dell left the firm in 2023, citing repeated issues with the firm’s accounting and billing practices as primary reasons for her departure.
While Lewis Brisbois had reported $703 million in gross revenue and a slight decline in profits per equity partner in 2022, they noted that they had reached amicable resolutions with most affected partners, and are continuing efforts to resolve the dispute with O’Dell. You can read more about the disputes involving Lewis Brisbois on Bloomberg Law.
O’Dell’s complaint also claims that she was significantly underpaid compared to her male peers, despite her higher revenue generation and billable hours. Lewis Brisbois countered by emphasizing that O’Dell was informed of her compensation structure and obligations as an equity partner. Lubert underscored their continued commitment to reaching an amicable resolution through mediation, in line with the partnership agreement O’Dell signed.
The firm has experienced a turbulent period, with several high-profile exits and leadership changes, yet reported $720 million in revenue in 2023. The full details of the legal proceedings are encapsulated in O’Dell v. Lewis Brisbois, filed in the California Superior Court.