Dechert LLP Defeats Black Ex-Employee’s Bias, Retaliation Claims

A Black former Dechert LLP employee lacked evidence she was given an excessive workload, received lower than deserved performance ratings, or was otherwise mistreated because of her race, a Philadelphia federal judge ruled, granting summary judgment for the law firm.

It was undisputed Celiena McClelland, who worked in the firm’s billing department, was never subjected to “any racial commentary while employed at Dechert,” the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania said in its June 10 ruling. And her proof didn’t establish a prima facie case of race discrimination under federal, state, or Philadelphia law, it added.

McClelland ...