A federal judge in Washington D.C. has denied motions for sanctions by U.S. law firm Jones Day and two former associates who are suing the firm for sex discrimination and unlawful termination.
The former associates, married couple Julia Sheketoff and Mark Savignac, have been engaged in a legal battle with the firm for nearly four years over its family leave policy. They allege the policy violates civil rights law because it offers paid disability leave for birth mothers but not fathers like Savignac.
In December of last year, Jones Day asked U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss to issue sanctions against the couple for refusing to drop their “demonstrably false” claims against the firm. In response, Sheketoff and Savignac countered with their own sanctions request, arguing the firm was trying to end the lawsuit through “inappropriate economic intimidation.”
However, Judge Moss has now denied both requests for sanctions. He said it was too early in the case to decide on the merits due to motions for summary judgment that have not yet been decided. The judge also expressed concern that the time spent on the motions could have been better used.
Sheketoff left Jones Day’s Washington office in August 2018, and Savignac was fired after he emailed the firm demanding 18 weeks leave and threatening to fight them both legally and publicly. Since then, Savignac has maintained his termination was unlawful and argued that had he not been fired, he would have made a partner. The firm has defended its paternity leave practices and insists that the decision to fire Savignac was justified.
The case continues and remains unresolved for now, though both sides may seek sanctions again once the judge makes a ruling on the merits of the argument. Until then, all parties involved will continue to await the outcome.
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