Bizarre twists in Realogy lawsuit

The New York Post reports the latest twists in a $40 million sexual discrimination lawsuit brought against Realogy Corp. (formerly Cendant Corp.) officials in July:

Lisa Biase, who had served as general counsel in Cendant's Coldwell Banker Real Estate division, charges in the lawsuit that she was marginalized by Cendant executives "after she complained several times about sexual harrassment in the office," the Post reported in a March 30 article. Biase was allegedly "unexpectedly dismissed in April -- five days before she was to receive several million dollars from the spin-off of Realogy into a separate public company," the article states.

The Post reported that Biase hired a private detective who on several occasions followed Pat Cardwell, who at the time was the company's general counsel and chief ethics officer. The private detective allegedly witnessed Cardwell consuming bottles of wine in a vehicle on the night before a sworn deposition, while Cardwell stated in the deposition that he "only had one glass of wine at home," according to the article. Realogy officials did not offer comment in the Post article.

A lawyer for Biase reportedly sent a letter to a Realogy lawyer last month stating that Biase "feels a social responsibility to alert Realogy's board of directors and shareholders" about Cardwell's alleged actions. Cardwell left the company days later. Realogy shareholders voted March 30 to approve a buyout deal worth about $9 billion with Apollo Management, a private equity firm.

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