Tonkon Torp partner Haley Morrison and associate Carlie Bacon recently secured a complete victory through arbitration for a New York-based, global financial services firm in the Fortune 100. The client hired Haley several years ago to defend it against claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, medical leave interference, equal pay violations, and various torts by a former financial advisor. After significant pre-litigation dealings, a motion to compel the matter from federal court to arbitration, and a related FINRA enforcement proceeding, the Tonkon team moved for partial summary judgment and earned dismissal of several claims.
The remaining ten claims were tried before the Hon. William Downing (Ret.) in Seattle, Washington. Following the hearing, Judge Downing ruled in Tonkon’s client’s favor on every claim, dismissing the lawsuit in its entirety.
In his written findings, the arbitrator remarked that Tonkon’s defense strategies were “refreshing, in a case of this nature,” and ultimately concluded: “What can be said – and said with certainty – is that none of [client’s] actions at issue (and as discussed in our expanded scope at the hearing) was motivated by any discriminatory intent.”
Haley and Carlie were assisted by paralegal Amanda Ulrich, legal assistants Amanda Drenner and Heather Bales, and by contributions from Chris Morehead among others.
Filed under Feature, Financial Services, Mediation & Arbitration Services, Labor & Employment