Power Alley: Merck Is Engaging A Private Mediator, To Try To Settle The Davis EEO / Employment Discrimination Federal Suit, In Manhattan...

We mentioned this long running suit at the beginning of the month, when Merck lost a motion to dismiss without going to trial.

Now both sides have agreed to mediation, to try and resolve their differences. That is wise, on both sides. Here's that order from the beginning of the week:

. . .ORDER

As discussed at a conference held today and attended by counsel for all parties, it is HEREBY ORDERED:

1. The next case management conference in this matter is scheduled for April 10, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., to proceed in Courtroom 620 at the White Plains Courthouse, at which time the parties should be prepared to set a trial date and deadlines for pretrial submissions.

2. The parties have advised the Court that they are engaging a private mediator. The parties are directed to continue settlement discussions in good faith.

SO ORDERED. Case Management Conference set for 4/10/2025 at 10:00 AM in Courtroom 620, 300 Quarropas Street, White Plains, NY 10601 before Judge Vincent L. Briccetti.

(Signed by Judge Vincent L. Briccetti on 2/25/2025). . . .

Now you know. I thought we all -- all of us -- could use a short interlude, from the firehose of unlawful employment decisions putatively being made by Musk / DOGE / OPM / Marco Rubio/ Kash Patel / Tangerine 2.0. Heh.

More, on those malign idiots by lunch-time -- as we may have to wait until Monday to see USDC Judge Alsup's reasoned written opinion, out of San Francisco, in the "probationaries" TRO cases.

[Onward, but in employment matters, the plaintiff is very likely to net more in recovery (by saving on legal fees) by working out a settlement, especially where the employer has nearly unlimited funds to spend on legal fees -- by dragging it out. A company like Merck can simply outlast a guy like Davis. So mediation is wise, here.]

नमस्ते