SOUTHEAST TEXAS RECORD

A dental practice accused of discrimination in a “frivolous” $10 million lawsuit recently had its motion for admission pro hac vice granted – a legal term referring to adding an attorney from an outside jurisdiction.

Claiming she was unlawfully terminated for being pregnant, Angelina Yap, a Houston resident, filed suit against Wallisville Dental Associates on June 13 in federal court.

Court records show that on Nov. 13 an order approving Wallisville Dental’s motion for admission for Dallas attorney Harvey Shapan was granted.

In her suit, Yap claims she began working at the defendant’s dental practice as an independent contractor May 25, 2010. After Yap worked for the defendant for two years without complaints against her, she announced her pregnancy Sept. 4, 2012.

Following her announcement, the owners of the dental practice allegedly started to blame Yap for problems patients were having with their services, even though the problems were not her fault. Wallisville Dental terminated Yap’s position Jan. 12, 2013.

Wallisville Dental answered the suit on Aug. 4, calling Yap’s claims “frivolous,” court records show.

The defendant argues Yap was a contracted employee and her contract was not terminated because of her pregnancy, but because of a legitimate nondiscriminatory reason.

However, the answer does not state what specific reason led to Yap’s termination.

Yap is seeking judgment in the amount of $5 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and court costs.

She is being represented in the case by New York City attorney James B. LeBow of LeBow and Associates PLLC.

The case is slated for trial on Feb. 8, 2016.

Southern District of the United States District Court case No. 4:14-cv-01657.