A LAWYER who claims she was sacked for being pregnant was lauded by her bosses and given a performance-related bonus before being dismissed, a tribunal heard yesterday.
But the way she was viewed by DLA Piper partners changed after they found out she was having IVF treatment, it was claimed.
Former real estate partner Sarah Sweeney, 36, says DLA Piper sexually discriminated against her when she was sacked in November 2008.
In the third day of the hearing yesterday, DLA again denied it was at fault and said it needed to cut costs from the Liverpool real estate team because of the credit crunch.
Ms Sweeney’s line manager, equity partner Mark Beardwood, gave evidence for the firm yesterday.
The tribunal heard when Ms Sweeney’s salary was set in early 2007, she was given a bonus of £10,000, but neither of the other “fixed share” partners in her team received this payment.
Describing his view of Ms Sweeney at the time, Mr Beardwood admitted: “I was entirely supportive of Sarah.”
But Ms Sweeney’s barrister, Timothy Pitt-Payne, said in November 2007 Ms Sweeney told him her husband, who had testicular cancer, was banking sperm in readiness for starting IVF.
Mr Pitt-Payne alleged since that point, Mr Beardwood’s view of Ms Sweeney plummeted.
He said: “Because you now saw her as somebody with plans to start a family, you were now seeing her as somebody who was less motivated, less focused on work, less hungry for work.”
