Sullivan & Cromwell Sued by Kalyn Stephens for Judicial Misconduct

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Summary: The law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell has been sued by Kalyn Stephens for sexual discrimination and judicial misconduct. 

Kalyn Stephens, who was a contract attorney for Sullivan & Cromwell LLP from 2004-2010, has sued the law firm for sexual discrimination and judicial misconduct, according to the complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.

  

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According to the lawsuit, Stephens is looking to “obtain redress for the deprivation and conspiracy to deprive Ms. Stephens of her protected rights under
Federal, State and municipal laws as hereafter alleged, and for discrimination on the basis of Religion, Sex, and Race and for Retaliation, Breach of Contract, Fraud, Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, and Defamation of Character among other things.”

To read more about Sullivan & Cromwell, click here.

As a contract attorney, Stephens was working in the lowest level an attorney can work in at the law firm.

Stephens alleges the following in the lawsuit: “As a contract attorney at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, Ms. Stephens was compensated at least 75% less than Sullivan & Cromwell LLP associates whom among them include less experienced attorneys, recent law school graduates, and 25 year old first year associates who are paid a base salary of $160,000 a year and bonuses. In addition, the firm denied Ms. Stephens her own private office, medical benefits, a savings plan, sick leave, flexible work benefits, bar associates dues expenses, and other compensation, as Sullivan & Cromwell LLP advertise on its website.”

In the lawsuit, Stephens claims that she was retaliated against for claiming sexual discrimination. She said that she was illegally fired on July 26, 2010, just two weeks after she filed a complaint with the firm’s human resources department. The complaint alleged sexual harassment and discrimination.

To read more stories involving sexual discrimination, click here.

The lawsuit also lists other inappropriate actions committed by members of the firm against Stephens. They include the following: “frequent requests for dates; other frequent sexual comments; unwanted and unwelcomed advances; frequent staring; unwanted and unwelcomed comments regarding her 4 clothing and appearance; unwanted and unwelcomed leering at her body; unwanted and unwelcomed physical touching of her person and clothing; frequent probing and asking her personal questions; making threats; yelling at her; insulting her; making unwarranted phone calls to her place of residence; blocking her movement; using physical gestures to intimidate her; searching her personal property; securing personal information about her; pressuring her to waive her legal rights; pressuring her to use illegal dugs; offering her unwanted gifts and thwarting her ability to perform her job duties and responsibilities.”

Also named as defendants in the lawsuit are Paul Hastings LLP, Legal Options Inc., The New York State Supreme Court, The New York State Supreme Court’s Appellate Division, the New York City Commission on Human Rights, the New York City Office of Corporation Counsel and Caplan & Ross LLP.

To read more about Paul Hastings, click here.

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