Defendants in the long-running Goldman Sachs gender bias suit are asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to clarify conflicting rulings in the Southern District, which would effectively nullify the plaintiffs' claims.

In a brief filed Monday by Sullivan & Cromwell partner Robert Giuffra Jr. seeking a “paradigmatic” interlocutory appeal by the circuit, the defendants asked the court to clarify two issues raised before Southern District Judge Analisa Torres in Chen-Oster v. Goldman, Sachs,10-cv-06950.

In that case, several female employees are seeking class status against the global financial firm for alleged gender bias among the higher employee ranks. At issue is the most recent attempts by two defendants to seek injunctive and declaratory relief from the firm, despite no longer being employed there.