Gay Lawyer: Firm Mistreated Me

Jan. 18, 2007 — -- It's a scenario reminiscent of the Oscar-winning Tom Hanks movie "Philadelphia."

A gay lawyer at a prestigious white-shoe law firm claims that he experienced discrimination and homophobic comments from his co-workers.

Aaron Brett Charney, a 28-year-old associate at New York-based Sullivan & Cromwell, one of the biggest law firms in the country, sued the firm for sexual orientation discrimination, alleging a pattern of anti-gay behavior.

Charney claims that one of the firm's partners, Eric Krautheimer, threw a document at his feet and told him to "bend over and pick it up -- I'm sure you like that" and that partner Alexandra Korry falsely accused him of "carrying on an 'unnatural' homosexual relationship with another male S&C associate," according to court documents.

When Charney filed an internal complaint, partners at the firm suggested that he relocate to a foreign office and fabricated negative reviews accusing him of overbilling clients, Charney claims in the suit filed in New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan. A few hours after filing the suit Tuesday, Charney says the firm told him not to come into the office while they conducted their own internal investigation, and his Blackberry was turned off.

The lawsuit is notable in that associates, who work around the clock for years to become partners, rarely sue their firms for fear of losing their jobs and committing career suicide.

But that didn't stop the young lawyer.

"My career was pretty well sabotaged. They already ruined whatever prospects I had," says Charney. He says that sexual discrimination against gay lawyers is endemic at some firms, and he hopes "that those who were suffering in silence at other firms know that someone was standing up and fighting for their rights."

Sullivan & Cromwell, where Charney has worked since 2005, said in a statement that it had previously investigated the claims and that it "categorically denies Mr. Charney's allegations of discrimination and retaliation."

In general, the firm has a good reputation among gay lawyers. Among the 25 top law firms in New York surveyed in 2003, Sullivan & Cromwell had the highest percentage of gay, lesbian and transgender partners -- almost 7 percent, although it ranked much lower -- at 17th -- for associates, which constitutes 1.48 percent of the total.

"Sullivan Cromwell is far from prejudiced in any way," says John Scheich, the first vice president of the Lesbian and Gay Law Association of New York, adding that the firm often buys a table at his group's annual fundraising dinner dance. "I don't know Aaron Charney or the details of his case, but if I had to line up on one side or the other, I would have to line up with David H. Braff [an openly gay partner at the firm] and Sullivan Cromwell."