Morrison & Foerster Women Move to Drop Classwide Sex Bias Claims

Two women accusing Morrison & Foerster LLP of systemic bias against pregnant women and new mothers are looking to drop their claims for classwide relief, federal court records show.

MoFo’s Sherry William and Linklaters’ Joshua Ashley Klayman on Friday asked the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California for permission to file a fourth amended complaint in the case. The proposed new pleading only includes individual claims for pregnancy, pay, and other sex discrimination, alleged violations of federal, state, and local family leave and caregiver laws, and job retaliation.

Morrison & Foerster joins William and Klayman’s request, the filing says.

William and Klayman were among a group of seven current and former MoFo attorneys who brought a proposed class action against the firm on behalf of themselves and other female lawyers affected by the alleged bias. The group filed the suit using pseudonyms rather than their real names, and each woman also asserted claims on her own behalf.

Five of the women advised the court on Dec. 6 that they had settled their individual claims. Four days later, William and Klayman dropped their request to pursue the case anonymously and revealed their true identities. They indicated at the time that they still planned to pursue the lawsuit as a class action.

Morrison & Foerster will have 14 days to file a responsive pleading if the court grants William and Klayman leave to file the proposed amended complaint, according to the filing.

Sanford Heisler Sharp LLP represents William and Klayman. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP represents Morrison & Foerster.

The case is Doe v. Morrison & Foerster LLP, N.D. Cal., No. 3:18-cv-02542, joint request for leave to amend complaint 2/14/20.