30 Sep Court grants new trial in French Laundry discrimination suit
The Khadder Law Firm is pleased to announce that the Honorable Judge Victoria Wood of Napa County Superior Court has granted a Khadder Law Firm client a new trial in her pregnancy discrimination lawsuit against renowned Chef Thomas Keller, The French Laundry, and the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group.
For several years, our client worked at Per Se, a Keller restaurant in New York. During a 2016 visit to California, she became interested in transferring to The French Laundry in Yountville. After speaking with management at The French Laundry, our client believed she had secured a position there.
Before starting at The French laundry, she discovered she was pregnant. After The French Laundry learned of the pregnancy, it told our client it had no position for her. The French Laundry then denied that it ever offered our client a transfer. She retained the Khadder Law Firm and filed suit in Napa County Superior Court in September 2016.
After a month-long trial during May and June of 2019, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the defendants on each of our client’s four claims. The Khadder Law Firm, along with our co-counsel, moved the court for a new trial.
On September 5, 2019, Judge Wood ordered a new trial as to each of our client’s four claims. Judge Wood’s order acknowledges significant irregularities in the jury deliberation process. Additionally, Judge Wood found multiple instances of attorney misconduct by the defense.
Based on the strength of our client’s evidence and the jury verdict, Judge Wood concluded that these irregularities were prejudicial and that “a new trial is most certainly warranted.”
As of now, the court has not set a date for the new trial.
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If you believe you have been the victim of pregnancy discrimination, contact the Khadder Law Firm today for a free consultation.