Judge reluctantly agrees partner's equal-pay suit against Sedgwick is likely subject to arbitration
U.S. District Judge William Alsup of San Francisco indicated on Thursday that a partner’s pay bias suit against Sedgwick will likely be subject to arbitration, though he’s not happy about it.
Alsup said he’s inclined to agree with Sedgwick’s assertion that partnership agreements signed by plaintiff Traci Ribeiro require arbitration, Law.com (sub. req.) reports.
Alsup said it’s a “shame” that the issues would be decided in a forum with limited discovery and appellate review, according to the Law.com report. But he said he has to abide by legal precedent. “What am I supposed to do?” he asked.
Ribeiro, a nonequity partner in the firm’s Chicago office, alleges a “male-dominated culture” at Sedgwick excludes women from positions of power and keeps their compensation lower than that of males.
Her suit said she generates the third-highest amount of revenue among the firm’s lawyers, yet she has not been promoted to equity partner.
