EZOLD V WOLF, BLOCK, SCHORR AND SOLIS-COHEN - LEGITIMATE SUBJECTIVE JUDGMENT OR DISCRIMINATION

A recent Third Circuit Court of Appeals decision raised important and far-reaching implications for women and minorities in law firms and ot her professional organizations where subjective judgments are used to make promotional decisions at the highest levels. The appellate court, in Ezold v. Wolf, Block, Schorr and Solis-Cohen, reversed attorney Na ncy Ezold's landmark victory as the first woman ever to win a sex disc rimination suit against a law firm over a denial of partnership. Signi ficant questions are raised by the decision. Does the Third Circuit de cision create a new standard for proving discrimination in subjective assessment cases that will virtually insulate law firms and other prof essional organizations from Title VII liability or does the decision s imply continue to guard against judicial intrusion into legitimate bus iness judgments?