Kelley Drye & Warren drops mandatory retirement policy

Kelley Drye & Warren has dropped its mandatory retirement policy following pressure from the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Under the former policy, the firm required partners to give up their equity interest at age 70. After that time they became ‘life partners’ receiving annual payments, and thise that continued to practice received a bonus. The policy did not sit well with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission because it unfairly discriminated on the basis of age. The commission bought a law suit against the firm, prompted by a complaint from Eugene T. D'Ablemont, a 79-year-old lawyer who had been a Kelley Drye equity partner. The firm has now changed its policy to allow equity partners to continue working past age 70.

Kelley Drye & Warren drops mandatory retirement policy law.com Fri, Apr 9, 2010