News Notes: Court Gives Go-Ahead to Sex Harassment Lawsuit

The Ninth Circuit has reversed a lower court’s dismissal of an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit charging Pasadena-based law firm Reeves & Associates with sexual harassment and pregnancy discrimination. According to the appeals court, a jury could find that a hostile work environment was created because of founder Robert L. Reeves’ alleged sexual jokes, leering, and offensive touching, especially because Reeves had final decision-making authority in the firm. The appeals court also threw out the lower court’s order that the EEOC pay the firm’s attorney’s fees of $363,075.