San Francisco Employment Group Partner Mike Laurenson and Associate Christin Lawler received a unanimous defense verdict on behalf of their client Lawrence Berkeley National Lab in Alameda Superior Court. The plaintiff was a female scientist who alleged she was laid off in retaliation for complaining of discrimination and because of her gender. Prior to the plaintiff’s layoff, her immediate supervisor had written an email complaining to his boss that he had reached the “terminal point” in managing the plaintiff and his boss had promised the supervisor that he would not let the “incessant and underserved torment” caused by the plaintiff to continue. Nevertheless, Laurenson and Lawler convinced the jury that the plaintiff was not laid off in retaliation for her complaints, but rather due to a lack of adequate funding. The jury deliberated for just over one hour before returning a verdict of 12-0 in favor of the Lab on both counts.
This was Mike Laurenson’s fourth jury trial to verdict in 2015.