NEW YORK — Renowned attorney Roberta Kaplan, noted for her pivotal role in overturning the ban on gay marriage and prominent work in defending sexual assault victims, has announced her resignation from the law firm Kaplan Hecker & Fink, which she helped establish in 2017. Her departure comes amid accusations of fostering a toxic work environment and mistreating staff, highlighting a stark contradiction to the inclusive and respectful ethos she publicly advocated.
According to former associates, Kaplan’s behavior included berating employees, commenting inappropriately on their appearances, and making veiled threats about their professional futures. These allegations stand in contrast to her public persona as a defender of rights and dignity in the workplace.
The firm and Kaplan’s personal attorneys have fervently denied these allegations, emphasizing that the intense nature of legal work can sometimes manifest in a high-pressure environment. They maintained that Kaplan and her firm have always taken any accusations of misconduct seriously.
The internal strife reached a climax when Kaplan was removed from her leadership position on the firm’s management committee before her eventual decision to step down. The exit was framed by the firm as being Kaplan’s choice, and partners Julie Fivation and Sean Hecker expressed their well wishes for her future endeavors and anticipated collaborations with Kaplan’s new venture.
Kaplan’s legal career has not been without its controversies, especially involving her advisory role to former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo during his 2020 sexual harassment scandal. Her involvement with Cuomo, revealed through a report by the state attorney general, was seen as conflicting given her prominent status in the #MeToo movement and tarnished her reputation among some peers.
This advisory role led to her resignation as chairwoman of the board for Time’s Up, a movement against sexual harassment. Her decision was seen as a necessary step to maintain the integrity and trust in the organization, given the backlash from her association with Cuomo.
Her career, however, has been marked by significant legal victories and advocacy. Kaplan’s representation of clients like E. Jean Carroll in her sexual assault allegations against former President Donald Trump and her confrontations with powerful figures in the entertainment industry highlight her willingness to tackle high-stakes and high-profile cases.
The news of Kaplan’s departure reveals the complexities and challenges of maintaining a professional culture that aligns with personal and organizational values, especially in fields as demanding and scrutinized as law. This incident opens up broader discussions about the pressures within legal practices, the fine line between assertive leadership and mistreatment, and how public figures reconcile their professional actions with their personal and public advocacies.
As Kaplan moves on to establish a new firm, the legal community and her former firm will watch closely to see how she navigates these recent challenges and what new legal battles she will tackle next. The ongoing developments will likely continue to stir conversations on leadership, accountability, and the ethical practice of law.