Was the DLA-Piper drama a pregnancy or a poor performance?

A high-stakes legal battle is erupting between a former DLA Piper employee and her former law firm over alleged pregnancy discrimination by Anisha Mehta, which the firm says was a series of “catastrophic mistakes.”

Former IP employee Anisha Mehta claims she was surprised by her termination, which came just six days after she requested maternity leave. She believes the company was more concerned with her bottom line than supporting her impending motherhood.

However, DLA Piper tells a different story. They say Mehta’s firing had nothing to do with her pregnancy and everything to do with her work performance.

The company alleges that Mehta caused major problems through sloppy work done on a regular basis and a series of serious errors, including creating incorrect legal documents and almost filing them in the wrong country

There were other problems as well, such as a weak understanding of the law and poor judgment.

The company insists that Mehta’s colleagues were actually supportive of her pregnancy and encouraged her to take full advantage of her maternity leave.

“Mehta’s own notes reflect that the partner who made the decision to fire her,” Mehta said, told her to use all available leave and take what she needed before returning to work, said the company in a report Bloomberg Law.

This case highlights the complex dynamics that can arise in high-pressure work environments when pregnancy and performance issues collide. It raises important questions about:

• How to balance professional ambitions with family planning
• The challenges of proving discrimination in the professional environment
• The expectations placed on senior executives, particularly in demanding fields such as law

Both sides are arguing about the legal dispute. DLA Piper is pushing for the case to be dismissed, while Mehta is seeking her day in court to prove her discrimination claims.

Other firms have faced discrimination claims, including for using an “anti-Muslim” basis in one lawsuit, while Clifford Chance saw a partner leave the company after a lawsuit alleging gender discrimination.