Ex-Foley & Lardner Secretary Wants to Use 823 Disputed Documents in Bias Suit

A secretary who was fired from Foley & Lardner at the age of 63 took 823 documents with her that are now at a center of a discovery battle.

Hideko Shiroyama sued the law firm last June for age discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination and intentional infliction of emotional distress, the Recorder reports. Her lawyer, Charles Wisch, contends Shiroyama needs the files to prove the law firm is withholding other relevant documents in discovery.

Foley attorney Douglas Melton has asked a San Francisco superior court commissioner to order return of documents taken without the law firm’s permission, the story says. Melton contends they are the property of the law firm and some of them contain information that is privileged or protected by court order. Other documents contain sensitive information, he says, including employee evaluations.

A court commissioner will decide Thursday whether Shiroyama has to return the originals and any copies in her possession. She has already provided a set of copies to the law firm.