Law firm specializing in family and work fires Partner who verbally abuses colleague in text form

A Cleveland law firm fired one of its partners after a text message he sent was criticized that a former colleague left the firm after her maternity leave was posted online.

Zashin & Rich, a law firm specializing in employment and family law, confirmed in a LinkedIn post Tuesday that it had terminated partner Jon Dileno’s contract.

According to a screenshot shared online, the text in question read in part: “What you did – collecting salary from the company while sitting on your ass, other than finding time to interview for another job – says everything there is to know about your character needs to know .’

Dileno said his former colleague was “soulless and morally bankrupt” because she took another job after returning from maternity leave.

Pictured: Zashin & Rich, a law firm specializing in labor and family law

Jon Dileno’s text message

Co-CEO Stephen Zashin released a statement Tuesday calling the text “inappropriate and unprofessional.”

He wrote, “This single text was sent in the heat of the moment by an employee who was upset that the former colleague had sought employment at another law firm while on paid leave,” Zashin’s statement said.

“Within days of returning to work, she accepted this new job.

“This is not an apology for the offensive text that should not have been sent. That single text has caused some to question our commitment to fair treatment, diversity and other values ​​that our company holds dear and strongly believes in.’

Zashin’s statement said the company is proud to focus on supporting working parents, facilitating tailored work schedules and offering permanent paid leave for childcare.

“We are taking a purposeful look at our culture and what may need to change,” the statement said.

“While we cannot undo the past, we can change the future. We are committed to turning that negative into a positive.”

A statement that co-CEO Stephen Zashin posted on LinkedIn on Tuesday

In another statement released on LinkedIn later Tuesday, Zashin said the firm made the decision to fire Dileno after discussions with its team members and clients.

Zashin wrote: “This has been a sad and challenging time for our company. I apologize to my former colleague who received the inappropriate message and I am disappointed that this happened under my supervision.’

He added: “I said in a previous statement that Zashin & Rich are committed to turning that negative into a positive and I feel that commitment even more today.”

The social media post, which failed to name Dileno, has sparked conversations in the legal community

Dileno told news outlet Cleveland.com that he sent the text, which was later shared widely on social media, and admitted his message was “inappropriate and disrespectful,” according to their Tuesday report.

Another attorney, Kelley Barnett, wrote about the text message in a LinkedIn post on Tuesday, noting that the recipient (who was not named) shared it with her.

Barnett wrote that the recipient gave her permission to post the message but did not reveal the identity of the attorney who shared it, describing it only as a female staffer who received the text earlier this month.

Another attorney, Kelley Barnett, wrote about the text message in a LinkedIn post on Tuesday

Barnett wrote that the incident demonstrated some of the persistent forms of discrimination women in the legal profession still face, and urged law firms to address the true workplace culture behind the “words and images on company websites and marketing materials.”

“It is defined by the ‘boots-on-the-ground’ reality that takes place in corporate floors, offices and conference rooms,” Barnett wrote.

The post had received more than 2,000 comments, many of which shared their own stories of corporate abuse.

According to his bio on the company’s website, Dileno has worked as a chief negotiator, representing cities and local governments in contract negotiations, including the city of Cleveland.

He has also defended the city in court cases, including a retaliation case brought by former Cleveland Fire Chief Sean DeCrane that lasted nearly six years.

The Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association criticized the text message amid “growing outrage.”

“Yesterday, the text heard in our community and then across the nation showed us how women continue to be discriminated against by some within the legal profession,” read the statement from the group’s President, Adrian Thompson, and its CEO, Becky Rupert McMahon.

“We have said before and we say it again today: bias has no place in our profession and in a society based on the rule of law.”

The Bar Association has been inundated with messages from outraged lawyers calling for action, the statement said.

“First and foremost, we offer our support to the woman who received the untenable text,” the statement said.

“Second, we condemn bias, both conscious and unconscious, and urge our entire legal community to do so explicitly.”

The Bar Association said it will host a free session on Jan. 17 to discuss legal and ethical issues related to the text.