GRSM Minneapolis Managing Partner Ellen Brinkman, Senior Counsel Erin Conlin, and Associate Rebecca Wiebke obtained back-to-back defense verdicts in two hard-fought employment cases in a little over a month.
In the first case, the team represented a national medical cannabis company against claims of sexual harassment, racial harassment, and retaliation by a former employee. The employee claimed that he made multiple complaints, which he alleged the company failed to address, and that he was retaliated against for making them. The trial team argued that the complaints were, in fact, addressed by the company, that there was no retaliation, and that the company never took any adverse action against the plaintiff. A Hennepin County jury deliberated for approximately a half-day before returning a defense verdict on all claims.
A little over a month later, the team went to trial representing a major hospital system against claims of disability discrimination and retaliation by a former manager at the hospital. The manager claimed that she was terminated while on FMLA leave and was disabled due to a temporary leg injury that occurred outside of work. She also claimed retaliation for requesting leave and accommodations. The trial team argued that the manager was terminated for legitimate, non-discriminatory performance concerns that came to light during the plaintiff’s leave of absence, which was the reason for the plaintiff’s termination. Despite $9 million in claimed damages, a Pope County jury deliberated less than two hours before returning a defense verdict on all claims.
Both victories required significant teamwork by GRSM’s growing Minneapolis bench, particularly given the tight turn-around between the two jury trials.