Ellen Pao Faces Million-Dollar Dilemma

Former boss will drop pursuit of legal fees if she doesn't appeal decision
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 24, 2015 1:21 PM CDT
Ellen Pao Faces Million-Dollar Dilemma
Ellen Pao walks to Civic Center Courthouse in San Francisco on March 27, 2015.   (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Even though Ellen Pao lost her gender-discrimination suit against a former employer, she's still widely hailed as a hero for bringing the boys' club atmosphere of Silicon Valley under a microscope. But now she's got a tough choice on her hands: The venture-capital firm she sued, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, says she owes almost $1 million in legal fees—but it will drop its pursuit of the money if she doesn't appeal last month's ruling, reports the Wall Street Journal. Pao's attorneys say they will have a decision in a few weeks.

Kleiner Perkins says it offered Pao about $1 million as a settlement before the trial began, but received no response from her legal team. Because of that offer, the company can now go after Pao for expensive witness fees, explains the New York Times. One factor that will surely weigh on the decision: A review of previous cases suggests that Pao has only a slim chance of winning on appeal, reports Reuters. (More Silicon Valley stories.)

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