Updated

Updated · Bloomberg Law · Jul 22

DLA Piper Seeks Dismissal of Palestinian Lawyer's Bias Suit Over Rescinded 1 Job Offer

Updated

Updated · Bloomberg Law · Jul 22

DLA Piper Seeks Dismissal of Palestinian Lawyer's Bias Suit Over Rescinded 1 Job Offer

Q: Beyond activism, what specific ‘unacceptable conduct’ led DLA Piper to rescind Yasmeen Elagha’s job offer?

DLA Piper has not publicly detailed misconduct beyond saying it rescinded Yasmeen Elagha’s offer because of her “own unacceptable conduct.” In the reporting tied to the lawsuit, the specific issue appears to have been the firm’s claim that she failed to disclose a supposed “criminal matter” connected to an allegation that she assaulted another student during campus protests. Elagha disputes that characterization. Her complaint says Northwestern University investigated the alleged assault and found no assault occurred and no university policy was violated. She also says the law school dean confirmed to DLA Piper that no crime had taken place, and that Illinois bar authorities later admitted her after reviewing the matter. So, based on the available record, the only concrete conduct identified beyond her activism was the alleged nondisclosure of that protest-related incident. Whether that amounted to legitimate misconduct or was a pretext for discrimination is a central dispute in the case.

2 articles · Updated · Bloomberg Law · Jul 22

DLA Piper asked a federal court in Illinois to throw out Yasmeen Elagha’s employment-bias lawsuit, arguing in a Tuesday filing that her complaint fails to state a legally valid claim.
Elagha sued in May after the firm withdrew a job offer, saying DLA Piper acted after seeing press reports about her role in pro-Palestinian protests.
Her suit alleges discrimination based on race, religion and national origin, and also claims the firm created a hostile work environment while she worked there as a law clerk.
The motion marks DLA Piper’s first formal bid to end the case early, shifting the dispute to whether Elagha’s allegations are sufficient to proceed.