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Sexual harassment go well with towards Polsinelli continues, with out arbitration, after decide’s ruling
By Debra Cassens Weiss
September 24, 2025, 9:22 am CDT
A federal decide in Washington, D.C., has refused to toss claims or to compel arbitration in a $20 million lawsuit alleging that Polsinelli retaliated towards a world company legal professional after she reported sexual harassment by two influential companions. (Picture from Shutterstock)
A federal decide in Washington, D.C., has refused to toss claims or to compel arbitration in a $20 million lawsuit alleging that Polsinelli retaliated towards a world company legal professional after she reported sexual harassment by two influential companions.
U.S. District Choose Amir H. Ali of the District of Columbia dominated for the plaintiff, Julia I. Rix, in a Sept. 18 opinion.
Law360 and Legislation.com are among the many publications with protection.
Ali stated Rix doesn’t must arbitrate her intercourse harassment claims due to the Ending Pressured Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act, which bans enforcement of agreements to arbitrate future claims involving sexual assault and harassment. He additionally stated Rix plausibly alleged sexual harassment beneath the D.C. Human Rights Act and infliction of emotional misery beneath D.C. frequent legislation.
Rix’s go well with had recognized the harassing companions as Dov Scherzer and Gabriel Dabiri. They’re now not with Polsinelli, in response to Legislation.com.
Rix had alleged in her go well with that she was “repeatedly hounded” by the 2 companions who needed her to hitch them for after-hours drinks and resort conferences. She was additionally compelled “to endure salacious feedback about her look” and subjected to an undesirable kiss in “one sordid episode” involving Scherzer, the go well with alleged.
Rix stated she was fired two days after reporting misconduct. The legislation agency stated Rix was fired for “lackluster efficiency.”
Scherzer had sought to dismiss the sexual harassment declare beneath the D.C. human rights legislation. Scherzer’s movement to dismiss stated many of the incidents alleged by Rix “weren’t even in particular person,” and “none had been profane or threatening,” Legislation.com experiences.
“The allegations towards Mr. Scherzer are the epitome of ‘episodic’ and are nowhere close to ‘sufficiently steady and concerted,’” the movement stated.
However Ali stated Rix had plausibly acknowledged a sexual harassment declare towards Scherzer beneath the D.C. human rights legislation.
“Rix alleges that Scherzer made repeated sexual advances over the course of greater than a yr at firm-related and different skilled occasions, that he held casual energy on the agency relative to her, and that his conduct created a piece setting that was intimidating, hostile or offensive. Such allegations are enough,” Ali stated.
Rix is represented by Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors. In a press release emailed to the ABA Journal, agency companion William A. Brewer III stated the choice on arbitration “affirms that victims of sexual harassment are entitled to the general public scrutiny that comes with the judicial system. Julia has proven braveness in standing as much as Polsinelli. Her determination to take action is now translating into safety for her and others.”
Polsinelli beforehand stated it takes allegations of harassment and discrimination very severely, and it has reporting procedures in place for such claims. Scherzer stated in his movement to dismiss he “vehemently denies” harassment or illegal conduct. Dabiri stated in a dismissal movement he “strongly denies” inappropriate conduct, sexual harassment or retaliation.
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