Chadbourne Suit’s $155M Question: Is a Law Firm Partner an Employee?

Can a partner at a large law firm be considered an employee?

As news emerged this week about a pending merger between Norton Rose Fulbright and Chadbourne & Parke , lawyers sparred over this question in court papers filed in Manhattan federal court.

It’s one that could prove critical to Chadbourne’s financial assets as it faces liability in a closely-watched $155 million gender bias class action.

The firm’s internal workings are the subject of litigation in the Southern District of New York after one of its partners, Kerrie Campbell, sued the firm in August, saying Chadbourne underpaid her by $2.7 million ...