Gay lawyer's retaliation suit over a rescinded job offer is dismissed
A gay lawyer’s retaliation lawsuit against his former law firm and a potential employer has been dismissed in a one-page order that doesn’t indicate whether the case settled.
U.S. District Judge L. Felipe Restrepo of Philadelphia dismissed the case Tuesday after ruling last month that the plaintiff, lawyer Jeffrey Downs, could proceed based on only on the retaliation claim, the Legal Intelligencer (sub. req.) reports.
Downs had alleged that Philadelphia law firm Raynes McCarty rescinded a job offer after it was falsely informed that Downs had threatened to sue his former law firm, Anapol Schwartz, for discrimination. Downs said that, rather than threatening to sue Anapol Schwartz, he had asked the firm for a severance package.
The lawyer who made the allegation about a threatened suit had jumped from Anapol Schwartz to Raynes McCarty, Downs had said.
Downs originally sued Raynes McCarty for alleged discrimination, defamation and retaliation, while he originally claimed defamation, retaliation and false-light invasion of privacy by Anapol Schwartz.
Downs had also filed a state court lawsuit alleging defamation and tortious interference by Anapol Schwartz and others, including the lawyer who leaped to Raynes McCarty. Jurors found no liability in a May trial.
