Ellen Pao Plans Appeal of Sexism Case She Lost to VC Firm

Ellen Pao, the former venture capitalist who rocked Silicon Valley’s old boys club when she sued her former employer for gender-based discrimination — and lost — will be filing an appeal, according to a document filed in California Superior Court on Monday.

Pao, who filed a lawsuit against investment firm Kleiner Perkins in 2012, lost the case on all four counts just over two months ago following a five-week trial in San Francisco. In her lawsuit, Pao alleged that during her seven years at the firm, known for investments in Google and Genentech, she was passed up for promotions and retaliated against because of her gender and for speaking out against the firm’s sexist climate. Although she lost her case, Pao succeeded in becoming a symbol of Silicon Valley’s sometimes sexist culture and lack of diversity.

“A 12-member jury found decisively in favor of KPCB on all four claims. We remain committed to gender diversity in the workplace and believe that women in technology would be best served by focusing on this issue outside of continued litigation,” Kleiner Perkins said in a statement in response to the news of the appeal.

In late April, Kleiner Perkins indicated it would seek to recover $973,000 in legal costs incurred during the trial from her. But the firm offered to wave them if Pao chose not to appeal the case.

Though Pao has filed an appeal notice, she has yet to list her arguments she would base it on. Pao is currently the interim CEO of Reddit, an online bulletin board founded in 2005.

(The story has been updated with a statement from Kleiner Perkins.)