Adds comment from Elagha's attorney in paragraph 4

By Karen Sloan

July 22 (Reuters) - International law firm DLA Piper has asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit brought by a former summer associate and Palestinian whose full-time associate job offer it rescinded in 2024, saying she failed to disclose allegations of assault and battery against her tied to a protest during her third year of law school.

In a filing in Chicago federal court on Tuesday, DLA Piper said Northwestern law graduate Yasmeen Elagha also failed to provide facts to support her claims that she was subject to racial and religious discrimination and forced to endure a hostile work environment during her summer internship program in the firm’s Chicago office in 2023.

The firm said Elagha failed to disclose the campus incident and investigation on a new hire questionnaire it sent to incoming associates. "The only inference is that the offer was revoked because she did not truthfully, accurately, and completely answer the questions,” the firm argued.

DLA Piper did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday. Elagha's attorney, Waleed Naser, said her legal team is reviewing the filing and called the case an important test of antidiscrimination law.

Elagha sued DLA Piper in May, alleging it wrongfully terminated her job offer after learning of her public advocacy for Palestinians. Her lawsuit claims the firm used Elagha's alleged assault of a fellow student at a ‌Palestine-related ⁠protest in November 2023 to revoke her associate offer, even though Northwestern University later dismissed the claims against her.

Elagha previously sued Northwestern University for discrimination in November 2024, claiming it failed to protect her from harassment over her pro-Palestine activism. A federal judge in Chicago dismissed her case in November, finding that Elagha failed to prove her allegations of a hostile educational environment and intentional discrimination. She filed an amended complaint and the case is pending.

DLA Piper cited Elagha’s lawsuit against Northwestern in its motion to dismiss to demonstrate that the university had investigated her conduct and her actions at the protest generated media coverage before she received its questionnaire. That questionnaire requires new hires to disclose accusations of violating an academic institution’s policies; any investigation by an educational institution; and “facts or circumstances” that might result in publicity for them or the firm.

The firm also argued Elagha waited too long to bring her hostile work environment claim and never complained about her alleged harassment during her 10-week summer associate program.

Read more:

Palestinian law grad sues DLA Piper over rescinded job offer

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