Boston Jury Awards Nearly $11 Million Verdict to Longtime Public Servant for Race Discrimination and Retaliation in Treasury Department

Emma Quinn-Judge and Monica Shah represented Chantal Charles, a black woman and longtime public servant, in a race discrimination and retaliation case against the City of Boston and the City’s First Assistant Collector-Treasurer Vivian Leo.  The Boston jury awarded a nearly $11 million verdict to Ms. Charles, finding that the City and Ms. Leo engaged in a consistently enforced pattern and practice of discrimination against black employees.  The jury also found that the City and Ms. Leo retaliated against Ms. Charles for filing a charge of discrimination at the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.

The jury awarded Ms. Charles approximately $390,000 in economic damages, $500,000 for emotional distress, and $10 million in punitive damages.  The scope of the punitive damages award shows that the jury found the City and Ms. Leo’s conduct was outrageous and egregious.

Click here for the Boston Globe coverage and here for Boston Herald.