Lawyer files federal suit against Reed Smith's Pittsburgh office

A lawyer claims in a federal job discrimination lawsuit filed today that the Pittsburgh office of the law firm Reed Smith LLP has consistently paid her less than male attorneys performing similar work and has repeatedly passed her over for promotion while promoting male attorneys.

JoEllen Lyons Dillon of Squirrel Hill says in the lawsuit that the supervising partners in the office routinely send work to the junior male attorneys but only send it to junior female attorneys that sleep with them. The firm also cut her compensation by almost half while she was on maternity leave and a senior partner asked if she were “done having babies” when she asked about being promoted.

Dillon is seeking an order that the firm promote her as well as compensatory damages for her delayed promotion. David S. Egan, chief marketing officer for Reed Smith, said the company hasn't seen Dillon's complaint, “but we are confident that Reed Smith provides a positive working environment in all of our offices, including Pittsburgh."