SOUTHEAST TEXAS RECORD

A final judgment has been entered in a plaintiff’s suit against a Galveston attorney who botched his gender discrimination claim. 

As the Southeast Texas Record previously reported, in February 2008 plaintiff Michael Jordan brought a discrimination suit against Lamar University, alleging he was denied tenure because of his gender.

On Feb. 17, 2011, the Texas Ninth District Court of Appeals granted Lamar immunity because Jordon failed to timely file his claim with the Texas Commission on Human Rights no later than 180 days after he learned of the department’s allegedly discriminatory votes against the tenure promotion, court papers say.

A month later, Jordan filed suit against Galveston attorney Anthony Griffin on March 22, 2011, in Jefferson County District Court, alleging it was his lawyer’s fault that he did not timely file a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Court records show that on March 21, 2012, the parties settled the cause for $12,000 – a day before the case was set to go to trial.

However, on June 6 Jordan filed a motion to enforce settlement, stating that Griffin refuses to tender payment and refuses to return any calls on the subject.

Eventually, on Oct. 15 a final judgment was entered in the suit, stating the parties announced to the court that the controversy between them had been compromised and settled.

Case background

Records show that Jordan applied for tenure on Nov. 14, 2005, and was rejected the following month. He then filed his charge of discrimination on Dec. 7, 2006 – seven months past the 180-day deadline.

In his latest lawsuit, Jordan says he paid Griffin $10,000 for his legal expertise, which he relied on when not immediately filing the EEOC charge.

“The Ninth Court of Appeals has ruled that the vast majority of his claims are barred for failure to timely file any EEOC charge of discrimination,” the suit states. “At all times, plaintiff operated on the advice of counsel in this regard.”

Jordan alleged Griffin was guiltily of gross negligence and legal malpractice.

Beaumont attorney John Morgan represented him.

Judge Milton Shuffield, 136th District Court, presided over the case.

Trial case Nos. E181-188 and D189-638

Appeals case No. 09-10-00292