Breaking News: "Saviganc, et al. v Jones Day" Allowed to Go to Trial, Finally We Get a Peek or More into Defendant's Black Box

 The proposed gender discrimination class action "Tolton, et al. v Jones Day" was hailed as what could break open Jones Day's black box. The media coverage was heavy and continuous. Then that went poof, based on the agreement by both sides. 

Now, watchers of Jones Day have a real shot at looking at how Jones Day really operates. The high-profile father-rights in parental leave lawsuit - "Savignac, et al. v Jones Day" has been allowed to go to trial. It was filed in 2019. In breaking news - yes, it's that big - Bloomberg Law announces:

"Married lawyers [Marc Savignac and Julia Sheketoff] suing former employer Jones Day will get a trial on claims that the firm’s parental leave policy for newborns discriminates against biological fathers and that they faced retaliation for complaining about it."

What has triggered so much attention along the way to this victory is that the couple 

1) Are media savvy 

2) Are representing themselves 

3) Had been former US Supreme Court clerks before Jones Day, in its aggressive annual recruitment of SCOTUS clerks, had hired them and 

4) That clerkship was for progressive Justice Stephen Breyer so it is puzzling why they decided to join such a conservative law firm. 

The hope is that Jones Day won't attempt to settle pre-trial and/or that the couple won't cave to any generous terms and conditions.

A conservative law firm in a profession jam-packed with progressives Jones Day has long been a target in the media. 

The 2022 expose on large law firms "Servants of the Damned" by David Enrich primarily focused on Jones Day. For a while Donald Trump has been a Jones Day client. Some recall the gasps when The Washington Post broke the story that in 2016 Jones Day partner Don McGahn was representing MAGA on election legalities. He went on to head legal in the White House.

Since black boxes tend to create a negative cultural aura that aspect of Jones Day's way of doing things will be looked at closely pre-trial, during the trial and after the trial. Such scrutiny could affect the policies of other law firms such as Paul Weiss which have also embraced having a black box. For example, those law firms could be hounded by media about their reasons for going black-box.

In my coaching I warn clients about the stress and the possiblity of career suicide associated with filing a lawsuit about a workplace issue. So, I admire this couple for not only doing that but seeing it through, at least so far. How they handle themselves in court, since this is pro se, could be a media story in itself. America is addicted to courtroom action.

Life is hard. Business is even more difficult these days. Get answers – and relief. Jane Genova is a results-driven intuitive coach, tarot reader and content-creator related to careers. Complimentary consultation (please text/phone 203-468-8579 or email janegenova374@gmail.com)