So, like, there’s this ex-salaried partner at Womble Bond Dickinson who’s suing the law firm. She claims they slashed her pay in half and promised her an exit package, but then they didn’t follow through. What a mess, right?
The lawsuit was filed on April 25 by Wilka Toppins, who says she faced race and gender discrimination, retaliation, misrepresentation, and breach of contract. The suit was filed in Harris County, Texas. Toppins, who is Hispanic, says she did a ton of origination and brought in a huge book of business when she started at the firm’s Houston office in November 2021. But get this—she didn’t get enough support. Like, no associate help or secretarial help for most of her time there. And to top it off, she was dealing with a super unfriendly work environment from the firm members and support staff in her practice group.
According to the suit, they didn’t treat her right. They didn’t give her enough support, tried to take away her clients and business, talked down to her, and broke promises. Toppins was the only Hispanic female at the firm when she was hired. When she complained, the firm said they’d look into it. They later told her she faced a hostile work environment, but it wasn’t because she was part of a protected class.
Then came the retaliation. They cut her pay from $350,000 to $175,000 and basically said, “Take it or leave it.” She tried to get her old pay back, but the firm offered her an exit package instead. It included a 10% referral agreement, a contract job for immigration work, and a severance deal. Toppins agreed and quit in January 2024. But surprise, surprise—the firm didn’t keep their end of the bargain.
The suit says Womble Bond Dickinson failed to honor the exit package. A spokesperson for the firm didn’t respond to requests for comment. So, what a rollercoaster, right? Not really sure why this matters, but there you have it. Another day in the legal world, I guess.
