ellen pao prominent bay area venture capital firm.

Ellen pao prominent bay area venture capital firm. trial#

The verdict was announced on March 27, 2015. The firm also argued that Pao’s job description was mostly managerial and that limiting her involvement in investing was therefore not a form of discrimination. Kleiner Perkins claimed that Pao was paid more than her male counterparts, including bonuses and training. Evidence included evaluations, self-evaluations, meeting summaries, and messages both personal and professional. The defense’s case focused on Pao’s performance and character, noting that Pao received several negative performance reviews and acted entitled or resentful toward other employees and was not a team player. Further, the legal team described how Pao and other women had been left out of certain meetings and gatherings. She said she received an inappropriate gift containing erotic imagery and was present while men at the firm were making inappropriate conversation. Pao’s performance reviews revealed contradictory criticisms such as “too bold” and “too quiet.” Pao also accused company partner Ajit Nazre of pressuring her into an affair and subsequently retaliating against her after she ended the relationship. Pao’s legal team argued that men were promoted ahead of women, women who experienced sexual harassment received little support, and women’s ideas were often more quickly dismissed than men’s.

Pao’s lawsuit made four claims against Kleiner Perkins: 1) they discriminated against Pao on the basis of gender by failing to promote her and/or terminating her employment 2) they retaliated by failing to promote her because of conversations she had in late 2011 and/or the memo from Janu3) they failed to take all reasonable steps to prevent gender discrimination against her and 4) they retaliated against her by terminating her employment because of conversations she had in late 2011 and/or the memo from January 4, 2012. And I wanted to make sure my story was told.” And I think it’s important…to make those opportunities available in the future. I wanted to be a VC but I wasn’t able to do so in that environment. I think there should be equal opportunities for women and men to be venture capitalists. “It’s been a long journey, and I’ve tried many times to bring Kleiner Perkins to the right path. In a testimony during the trial, Pao explained that she sued because there was no process for HR issues at the firm and believed she had exhausted all options for addressing these issues internally:

Ellen pao prominent bay area venture capital firm. trial#

The lawsuit went to trial in February 2015. Pao’s memo indicated that she wished to work with the firm on improving conditions for women. In the memorandum, she described harassment she had received while at the firm, claiming she had been excluded from meetings by male partners, and asserting an absence of training and policies to prevent discrimination at the firm. In late 2011, Pao and a coworker were asked by a senior partner to come up with ways of improving the firm’s treatment of women, but the senior partner, according to Pao, was “noncommittal.” On January 4, 2012, Pao took this issue a step further and wrote a formal memorandum to several of her superiors and the firm’s outside counsel.

Pao claimed that men with similar profiles and achievements were promoted instead. She became a junior investing partner, but after several years at the firm was passed over for a senior partner position and was eventually terminated. Pao began working at Kleiner Perkins in 2005. On May 10, 2012, executive Ellen Pao filed a lawsuit against her employer, Silicon Valley-based tech venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (Kleiner Perkins), on grounds of gender discrimination. 36 short illustrated videos explain behavioral ethics concepts and basic ethics principles.īeing Your Best Self, Part 1: Moral Awarenessīeing Your Best Self, Part 2: Moral Decision Makingīeing Your Best Self, Part 3: Moral Intentīeing Your Best Self, Part 4: Moral ActionĮthical Leadership, Part 1: Perilous at the TopĮthical Leadership, Part 2: Best Practicesĥ8 animated videos - 1 to 2 minutes each - define key ethics terms and concepts.ģ0 videos - one minute each - introduce newsworthy scandals with ethical insights and case studies.Ĭurbing Corruption: GlaxoSmithKline in China