News In Brief

A former associate yesterday filed a wide-ranging $50 million lawsuit against Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, accusing the firm of denying her a promotion to partner because she is a lesbian and of doing nothing to stop higher-ups from harassing her. The former associate, Julie Kamps, filed the suit in Manhattan federal court. Ms. Kamps, who previously filed a less detailed complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, in the suit said that a female partner at Fried Frank sexually harassed her. She also claimed the firm instructs lawyers to write exaggerated negative performance reviews about associates the firm wanted out. (Kamps v. Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, 09cv10392). A spokeswoman for Fried Frank, which is represented by Proskauer Rose, said the “lawsuit has no substance and will be dealt with by our lawyers.”

Ms. Kamps, a Harvard Law School graduate, worked at Fried Frank from 1998 until January 2009, when the firm terminated her. In her complaint, Ms. Kamps said she has never received a negative performance evaluation or a solid reason for her dismissal. She claimed the firm’s mistreatment of her got worse in late 2007, when she complained about the firm’s failure to promote her. The firm responded to the complaint by hiring an outside employment counsel to conduct an internal investigation. In her complaint, Ms. Kamps called the investigation “woefully inadequate.” She also said the firm began removing her from billable matters and assigning her nonbillable work.