Home / Crime and Justice / Ex-Lawyer Sues Firm for Discrimination and Retaliation
Ex-Lawyer Sues Firm for Discrimination and Retaliation
10 Feb
Summary
- Black and Mexican ex-lawyer alleges disparate treatment and lower pay.
- Claims attorney made discriminatory remarks about affirmative action.
- Alleges retaliatory actions after a botched licensing project.
A former associate has filed a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination and retaliation against music attorney Dina LaPolt and her firm. The lawsuit, filed on February 6, 2026, claims that LaPolt held Black employees, including the plaintiff, to different and higher standards while paying them less and offering fewer opportunities.
The former associate, who is Black and Mexican, asserts that LaPolt treated her as the firm's "diversity face" and allegedly made comments suggesting her admission to Cornell Law School was due to affirmative action. Tensions escalated following a botched licensing project in 2024, after which LaPolt allegedly assigned oversight and reduced commissions, which the plaintiff claims were racially motivated.
This lawsuit follows LaPolt's own defamation suit against the former associate, who left the firm in the fall of 2025 to start her own practice. The plaintiff is seeking past-due commissions and compensation for alleged emotional distress resulting from the discriminatory practices and retaliation.
