An ex-partner at US law firm Greenberg Traurig has filed a federal complaint in New York for $200m, claiming that her former firm under-pays women and offers them fewer opportunities than their male colleagues.
Francine Griesing, who worked at the firm's Philadelphia office from 2007 to 2010, alleges that "
GT, in short, pays women less, promotes them at lower rates than men and virtually freezes them out from high-level managerial positions". She points out that all remuneration and promotion decisions are taken by a bunch of all-male partners.
Griesing claims that she was paid $50k less than a male colleague at a similar level, and makes the rather punchy allegation that women "
who have intimate relationships with firm leaders" get more cash and better treatment.
She mentions in her complaint that fewer than 10% of the top partners, those earning around $1m plus, are women.
Back in June the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission found "
reasonable cause to believe" that the firm violated law by paying women less and "
retaliating" against Griesing when she complained.
A spokeswoman for the firm said the case was "
a financially motivated publicity stunt", maintaining the firm has an "
exemplary record" of fairness.
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