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(New York City) One of the nation's most prestigious and well know law firms is being sued by one of its own lawyers who claims there is widespread homophobia at the practice.
Aaron B. Charney, 28, filed suit Tuesday in state court in Manhattan against Sullivan & Cromwell. Charney, a fourth year associate at the firm, claims there was a systematic campaign of discrimination and retaliation against him because of his sexuality. The lawsuit names several partners in Sullivan & Cromwell’s mergers and acquisitions division. The suit claims that they subjected him to “lewd and illegal conduct,” beginning in the fall of 2005. In his court filing Charney claims that the partners named in the suit demanded he be fired for having an “unnatural” same-sex relationship with another associate at the firm. Charney, in his lawsuit denies any relationship occurred. He also claims that when he filed an official complaint about the discrimination it was suggested that he move to one of the firms offices outside the country. The lawsuit also says that those partners who sought to force him out fabricated accusations that he had overbilled clients and was told that while he was not being terminated he should not to come to the office until an internal investigation is complete. Charney is seeking a jury trial and $15 million compensatory and punitive damages. Sullivan & Cromwell chair H. Rodgin Cohen denies the allegations. Another attorney with the film, David H. Braff who is openly gay, tells The New York Times he has not experienced homophobia at the firm. "I’ve been openly gay since I arrived at this firm in 1984," Braff told The Times. "There’s absolutely no atmosphere of hostility toward gay people here." Braff also said the firm had handled several landmark LGBT cases over the years. Source: 365gay.com |
