The Story of Barber and Ranen is All-Too Common
Antisemitic and anti-women BigLaw partners are all-too common and so are the people that stay quiet and allow them operate with impunity
I know Barber and Ranen. I do not know them personally, but I know enough people like them.
My inbox is full of young lawyers who have encountered Barbers and Ranens.
Almost every day I hear stories of Jews not hired because, in the words of Barber (a leader at a major U.S. law firm), “we don’t hire Jews”.
Barber and Ranen led a large department at a prominent national law firm, Lewis Brisbois (ironically, the Employment Litigation department). For years they were sending antisemitic, anti-women, and anti-minority emails to each other and other partners. Barber and Ranen left their firm, which prompted the firm to publicly release their old emails. You can read the story HERE.
I hear stories like my friend at a Biglaw firm, who she cried under her desk because she could not take another day of objectification from a prominent partner. When she filed a complaint, and nothing changed, she left her dream job.
I think about the countless observant Jews who stuffed their Kipa in their pocket because, like, Ranen said, “This is why people don’t like Jews”.
I think about my two daughters who, one day, will start their dream jobs.
Most of all, I think about all the people over the years that allowed these leaders to spew their hate with no recourse. All the people that “stayed in their lane” or didn’t want to risk their career.
When I wrote about observing Shabbat as a BigLaw M&A lawyer, I got hundreds of messages telling me to stop playing the victim. When I said my 9-year-old is scared to wear his Kipa in public, people said I was being dramatic. They said I should just stay quiet and focus on my job.
I should just stay quiet.
For years, Barber and Ranen led a major law firm while people just stayed quiet. People knew when Jews were not hired. People knew when women were treated as inferior objects. People knew when they disparaged minorities.
How many people just stayed quiet for so many years?
Barbers and Ranens are all around us. They are allowed to be there because people stay quiet.
This is a story about the hundreds of people over the years that did not speak up to combat this hate. For me, this is a reminder to keep sharing loudly and to always make myself heard.
I can only pray that one day when my daughters are interviewing for their dream job there will be no more Barbers and Ranens to encounter.
Very well written. It’s shameful and I admire your journey. Leaving Big firm for more family friendly firm is a brilliant & worthwhile venture.