Regulation Corporations
Polsinelli defendant ‘vehemently denies’ intercourse harassment after one other ‘strongly denies’ such conduct
Plaintiff Julia I. Rix labored in Polsinelli’s Washington, D.C., workplace. She alleged that she was denied enterprise alternatives as a result of Dov H. Scherzer, a expertise and privateness associate with a world observe, and one other associate sought to situation “working offers collectively” with calls for for a sexual relationship. Picture from Shutterstock.
A second Polsinelli defendant is denying sexual harassment claims in a lawsuit filed by a former worldwide company legal professional on the legislation agency who claimed that she was “repeatedly hounded” for after-hours drinks and resort conferences.
The defendant, Dov H. Scherzer, stated in a Nov. 1 motion to dismiss that he “vehemently denies” harassment or illegal conduct, Law360 studies.
The plaintiff, Julia I. Rix, had recognized Scherzer as a expertise and privateness associate with a world observe in her $20 million suit filed Sept. 15. However Scherzer’s profile is now not accessible on the Polsinelli web site, Law360 factors out.
Rix labored in Polsinelli’s Washington, D.C., workplace. She alleged that she was denied enterprise alternatives as a result of Scherzer and one other associate sought to situation “working offers collectively” with calls for for a sexual relationship. In a single 12 months alone, Rix’s go well with says, Scherzer made at the least 9 separate requests for Rix to go to dinner and have drinks with him.
Rix stated she lastly agreed to satisfy Scherzer at a restaurant in New York Metropolis, and he adopted her again to her resort room for a single drink. Within the room, Scherzer kissed Rix with out her consent, the go well with alleged. She “cajoled Scherzer from her room,” which led to his incessant texts asking to return, she stated.
Scherzer stated in his movement to dismiss he didn’t supervise Rix, didn’t work in the identical workplace and even the identical metropolis, and didn’t have enter relating to her work efficiency. And his alleged conduct wasn’t sufficiently “extreme or pervasive” to represent harassment or a hostile work setting, the movement stated.
A second Polsinelli associate, Gabriel Yomi Dabiri, additionally “strongly denies” inappropriate conduct, sexual harassment or retaliation, in line with an Oct. 26 dismissal movement filed by Dabiri and Polsinelli. Dabiri is Polsinelli’s New York managing associate and didn’t have supervisory authority over Rix.
Scherzer’s movement included arguments submitted by Polsinelli and Dabiri of their dismissal movement. The prior movement had argued that Rix didn’t make allegations of sexual harassment till Polsinelli determined to fireplace her for “lackluster efficiency.”
Rix’s go well with alleged violations of Washington, D.C., legislation, however her employment settlement says Missouri legislation ought to apply, in line with the sooner dismissal movement. And the Missouri legislation claims “fail for varied causes.” The movement sought to dismiss a number of claims and to ship others to arbitration.
Rix’s lawyer, William A. Brewer III of Brewer Attorneys & Counselors, instructed Law360 that each motions to dismiss mirror “the type of procedural posturing which frustrates so many with our occupation—evade the substance of the claims in favor of a cloud of misdirection.”
Brewer stated Rix “seems to be ahead to litigating her claims and laying naked the conduct of the agency and particular person defendants.”
