Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith has reached a settlement with Robert Lofton, a former partner who sued the firm for discrimination. Lofton, a California labor and employment attorney, alleged that the firm engaged in a “campaign of harassment, discrimination and retaliation” following complications from a medical procedure in December 2022, which led to multiple emergency room visits. The terms of the settlement remain undisclosed.
In his complaint filed in March 2024, Lofton accused the firm of disability and race discrimination, citing emails from former supervisors John Barber and Jeff Ranen as evidence of the racially discriminatory environment. These emails had previously caused Barber and Ranen to be ousted from Lewis Brisbois after they had taken 140 lawyers with them to form a new boutique firm.
Lofton, who had joined Lewis Brisbois’ Los Angeles office in November 2022, is represented by Wilmer Harris and Emily Barbour of Schonbrun Seplow Harris Hoffman & Zeldes. Both Lofton and the law firm have not responded to requests for comment.
The case, Lofton v. Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, was filed in California Superior Court, Los Angeles County, under case number 24STCV06842 on July 29, 2024.
For further details, you can read the full article on Bloomberg Law.