Kleiner Painted as Lacking ‘Level Playing Field’ for Women
Ellen Pao, head of business strategy for the web-based community message board Reddit, in front of a wall of postcards sent in by users at the company's offices in San Francisco, on July 16, 2014.
Photographer: Jason Henry/The New York Times via ReduxVenture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers passed over Ellen Pao and another female junior partner for promotions after each complained about being sexually harassed by the same male executive, Pao’s lawyer told a jury.
The firm’s decisions in 2012 not to promote Pao and junior partner Trae Vassallo to general partners for an investment fund followed years of unequal treatment of women at Kleiner, which in 40 years had elevated only one woman junior partner to a senior investing partner position, Pao attorney Alan Exelrod said Tuesday in opening arguments at a trial.