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Article

7 Mar 2012

Author:
Joe Palazzolo, Wall Street Journal [USA]

Law Firm Nears Deal in Age Suit [USA]

A New York law firm appears close to reaching an age discrimination settlement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission [EEOC] in a closely watched case that targets a common practice among U.S. law firms: stripping elderly partners of their ownership stakes. Many law firms have policies designed to encourage older partners to retire, in part to make room for younger partners...But the lawsuit filed against Kelley Drye & Warren LLP by the EEOC on behalf of one of the firm's partners, comes amid heated debate in the legal community about how law firms handle the growing group of aging lawyers who want to keep working...EEOC brought the age-bias case...on behalf of Eugene D'Ablemont...who claimed the firm's policy of "de-equitizing" partners at age 70 violates the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act...The firm abandoned its mandatory retirement policy in 2010…Federal antidiscrimination law protects employees—not owners...[also refers to Sidley Austin LLP, Holland & Knight LLP, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP]