Bloomberg Law
March 20, 2019, 3:53 PMUpdated: March 20, 2019, 7:57 PM

Morgan Stanley Wants Ex-Trader’s #MeToo Claims Arbitrated (1)

Porter Wells
Porter Wells
Reporter
Jaclyn Diaz
Jaclyn Diaz
Reporter

Morgan Stanley & Co. wants an arbitrator, not a judge, to decide if a former trader’s workplace sexual harassment claim should stay in court.

A new New York law makes it illegal for an arbitration clause to be enforced against sexual harassment claims. But that law was enacted after John Doe signed his arbitration agreement with Morgan Stanley and isn’t meant to be applied retroactively, the investment firm argued in its March 19 motion to compel arbitration.

The #MeToo movement brought legal changes to about a dozen states, including New York. Making arbitration clauses and nondisclosure agreements inapplicable to ...