Los Angeles City Attorney Loses Gender Discrimination Lawsuit

Appellate court affirms summary judgment for city in promotion case

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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A California Court of Appeal has affirmed summary judgment for the city of Los Angeles in a gender discrimination and retaliation lawsuit brought by a female deputy city attorney. The court found that the city's reasons for not promoting the attorney earlier, including her level of experience, budget constraints, and a Covid-related hiring freeze, were legitimate and not pretextual. Statistical evidence also showed that female attorneys received promotions at a slightly higher rate than male attorneys.

Why it matters

This case highlights the challenges women can face in advancing their careers, even in professional fields like law. The ruling underscores the high bar employees must meet to prove discrimination, even when promotion decisions appear subjective. It also suggests that cities and other employers may be able to successfully defend against such claims by citing objective factors like budgets and hiring freezes.

The details

The female deputy city attorney claimed she was passed over for promotions due to her gender. However, the court found the city's reasons for not promoting her earlier, including her level of experience compared to other candidates and budget constraints that limited hiring, were legitimate and not pretextual. The court also noted that statistical evidence showed female attorneys received promotions at a slightly higher rate than male attorneys.

  • The lawsuit was filed in 2024.
  • The California Court of Appeal issued its ruling on February 27, 2026.

The players

City of Los Angeles

The defendant in the gender discrimination and retaliation lawsuit brought by a female deputy city attorney.

Female Deputy City Attorney

The plaintiff who claimed she was passed over for promotions due to her gender.

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The takeaway

This case underscores the high legal bar employees must meet to prove discrimination, even when promotion decisions appear subjective. It suggests cities and other employers may be able to successfully defend against such claims by citing objective factors like budgets and hiring freezes, as long as the reasons are legitimate and not pretextual.