LAS VEGAS – Sept. 13, 2022 – Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, along with co-counsel, obtained a complete defense verdict for client Sbarro, LLC in an employment harassment case after a two-week federal jury trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada.
The trial involved severe claims of sexual assault and retaliation under Title VII that drew national media attention. The plaintiff, who asked the jury for more than $178 million in damages, was a once-undocumented immigrant who claimed that her former manager at the pizza chain restaurant assaulted her on numerous occasions over a six-month period and threatened her with deportation if she resisted him. The plaintiff further claimed that Sbarro failed to act or act appropriately once she raised complaints to the company. After deliberating for less than two hours, the jury returned a verdict against the plaintiff and in favor of defendants on all claims.
Representing Sbarro’s individual human resources director, Greenberg Traurig had also secured an initial motion to dismiss victory as well as a Rule 11 order sanctioning the plaintiff’s counsel for failing to conduct the “minimal due diligence” necessary before asserting claims against Sbarro’s human resource director in her individual capacity.
The Greenberg Traurig team was led by Shareholder Jason Hicks and included Shareholder Mark E. Ferrario and Associate Elliot Anderson, along with outside co-counsel.
The case is Meza-Perez v. Sbarro LLC et al., Case No. 2:19-cv-00373 (D. Nevada)