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Ayanna v. Dechert, LLP

914 F. Supp. 2d 51 (2012)

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Ayanna v. Dechert, LLP

United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
914 F. Supp. 2d 51 (2012)

  • Written by Sharon Feldman, JD

Facts

Ariel Ayanna (plaintiff) met his billable-hours objective his first year as an associate at law firm Dechert, LLP (defendant). Ayanna worked from Germany the second year. Ayanna’s wife’s mental health declined after she became pregnant. Ayanna took leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and then paternity leave. Ayanna returned to Boston and worked with a partner who closely monitored Ayanna’s presence. After Ayanna’s wife was briefly hospitalized, the partner told Ayanna he no longer considered Ayanna reliable and was assigning work to other associates. Ayanna’s billable-hours total fell below the target for Boston-based associates. Ayanna was terminated. Other associates, who had been warned about their hours, were terminated for low billable hours. Ayanna, who had not been warned, was told he was being terminated because of his performance rating and “personal issues.” Ayanna sued Dechert for retaliation under the FMLA, claiming Dechert retaliated by withholding work and then terminating him for low billable hours. Ayanna also alleged disparate-treatment sex discrimination in violation of Massachusetts General Laws (MGL) Chapter 151B, claiming he was fired because he was a male caregiver. Dechert moved for summary judgment.

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning (Gorton, J.)

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