Covington Returns Yolanda Young Fire, Says Ex-Staff Lawyer Had Lackluster GPA
Sued last month by a former staff attorney who claimed Covington & Burling maintained its staff attorney ranks as a ghetto for minority attorneys, the law firm didn’t hesitate to fire back earlier when Yolanda Young apparently made similar charges in an administrative complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
In an Aug. 14, 2008 letter (PDF) to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that is attached to a post today by the Blog of Legal Times, Covington hammers Young’s academic credentials and says she sought the media spotlight.
While the letter of course predates Young’s current complaint, the firm may well take a similar approach in defending the case she filed in Washington, D.C., Superior Court on Feb. 24.
Writes the law firm: “Ms. Young graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in 1995. Her average grade was only slightly better than a ‘C,’ well below the threshold level for a Covington associate.”
Counters Young: “Covington can say what they like now, but they hired me,” the BLT reports.
Earlier coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “High-Profile Ex-Staff Lawyer Sues Covington & Burling, Alleges Discrimination”
ABAJournal.com: “‘On Being a Black Lawyer’ Blogger Reaches Out to Minorities”
ABAJournal.com: “BigLaw ‘Ghetto’? Former Staff Attorney Raps Covington’s D.C. Office”
