McDermott Sued Over Black Associate’s Discrimination Claims

An anonymous 38-year old Black female associate is accusing McDermott Will & Schulte of discrimination after allegedly being repeatedly passed over for partner promotion.

“Doe remains the only known senior associate with her years and level of experience who has been refused a partner position at McDermott,” the April 17 complaint filed in Superior Court in Los Angeles read.

The senior associate with 14 years of experience was harassed and retaliated against for voicing concerns over her promotion prospects, according to the complaint. She alleges that labor and employment partner Maria Rodriguez, who at one point implied Doe would be up for promotion, punished her by taking Doe off of matters and prevented her from accepting assignments from other partners, which “affected her ability to obtain billable hours needed to qualify for a bonus.”

The plaintiff worked in McDermott’s labor & employment group in Los Angeles starting February 2021, according to the complaint. She was ultimately terminated, according to the complaint. It is unclear when Doe left the firm.

“Doe felt oppressed, that as a female who became pregnant and required medical leaves, and survived a near death hospitalization after chasing partnership promises during a difficult pregnancy, she was now falsely being accused of performing poorly as a pretext not to promote her,” the complaint said.

Jane Doe is represented by litigator Carney Shegerian, founder of Shegerian & Associates. The case is before Judge Maurice Leitner.

McDermott nor Rodriguez did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The case is Jane Doe v. McDermott Will & Schulte et al, Cal. Super. Ct., 26STCV 12606, 4/17/26