Two civil lawsuits have been filed in Los Angeles by two women who allege that Patrick Smith, formerly senior VP of print production in the studio’s marketing department, sexually harassed the women.
One of the lawsuits describes sexually inappropriate text messages as well as overt behavior such as grabbing the woman’s breast. In January 2017, at the Paramount office, Smith “forcibly pushed Plaintiff into a storage room, then shut and locked the door behind him, rendering himself and the key the sole means of Plaintiff’s escape. There, he aggressively kissed her and shockingly proceeded to digitally penetrate her without her consent. Moments after returning to his office, while Plaintiff attempted to regain composure at her desk, Defendant Smith sent her a chilling message: ‘That was fun,’” per the lawsuit.
The harassment lawsuits describe an out of control executive that believed himself to be above the law and above any norms of propriety in the workplace. Unfortunately, sexual harassment in the workplace is more common that you would think and this is typical behavior of someone who believes he is above the law and can do whatever he wants to subordinates.
Smith resigned from Paramount Pictures earlier this year following an investigation into allegations of misconduct.
If you or a loved one have been a victim of workplace sexual harassment, please contact me for a free initial consultation.
If you’ve experienced sexual harassment, assault, or retaliation in the workplace, Rheingold, Giuffra, Ruffo, Plotkin & Hellman LLP is here to help. Our attorneys have decades of experience standing up to powerful institutions and securing justice for survivors.
Call (212) 684-1880 or contact us here for a free and confidential consultation with a New York sexual harassment attorney.
Thomas specializes in the litigation and trial of significant civil sexual assault, medical malpractice, personal injury, mass tort, and product liability actions. His innovative approach has led to 20 verdicts and numerous settlements in excess of one million dollars on behalf of his clients, including a recent landmark verdict for $58 Million. He has been recognized as “outstanding in the field of advocacy” nationally and internationally.
