WASHINGTON, DC, July 14, 2020: Morgan Lewis partner Grace Speights has been named in Variety’s 2020 Legal Impact Report, which recognizes lawyers who are making a significant impact on the entertainment industry.
Grace was profiled for her precedent-setting #MeToo win on behalf of PBS. This was a landmark case, both in terms of testing the morals clause in contracts for the first time before a jury, and because PBS was the one being sued by someone accused of sexual misconduct. Over the course of two years, Grace and her team were able to get several aspects of the case dismissed, and after a three-week trial the jury found in favor of PBS on the plaintiff’s breach of contract claims and awarded a nearly $1.5 million verdict for PBS on its contract counterclaims.
Grace handles high-profile, high-stakes workplace matters and is often called on by clients for crisis management assistance. She defends clients against employment discrimination claims, particularly class actions, and claims of discrimination in public accommodations. She also counsels on best practices for corporate diversity initiatives. Grace is the global leader of the firm’s labor and employment practice, managing more than 300 lawyers across the firm.