Former A&O associate given green light to pursue the firm for unfair dismissal in NY courts

Former Allen & Overy associate Deidre Clark has overcome the firm’s attempt to have her wrongful termination and sexual discrimination claim dismissed from the New York Supreme Court. Clark was dismissed from A&O’s Moscow office when it was discovered that she was publishing some lurid material and dubious poetry on her website under the name Diedre Dare, and after refusing to desist for the sake of propriety. Clark sued A&O in London for £3.5m, claiming unfair dismissal and sexual discrimination, but the case was dismissed on jurisdictional grounds. Then she sued in the New York courts, adding further claims of "intentional infliction of emotional distress", "defamation" and "conspiracy", and increasing the amount claimed to $35m. This time, the jurisdiction argument did not fall in A&O’s favor, with the Supreme Court giving Clark the green light to pursue A&O through the NY courts.

Former A&O associate given green light to pursue the firm for unfair dismissal in NY courts rollonfriday.com Mon, Apr 16, 2012