Troutman Pepper Locke associate Matthew Cali sued the firm on August 18, 2026, alleging that medical leave and reported billing concerns threatened his continued employment and harmed his advancement and compensation. The lawsuit is significant because Cali is suing the law firm where its current website still identifies him as a Princeton associate.
Key Facts
- Federal lawsuit: Cali filed the civil complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.
- Career consequences: He alleges the firm removed him from consideration for partnership, gave him no raise for 2025 and denied him a bonus for 2024.
- Legal claims: The complaint alleges medical-leave interference, disability discrimination and retaliation under federal and New Jersey law.
- Firm’s position: Troutman Pepper Locke denied the allegations and told Bloomberg Law it would vigorously defend the case.
What Cali alleges
Cali’s complaint names Troutman Pepper Locke LLP, Ron Raether and Audrey Wisotsky as defendants. It says Cali suffered a heart attack in November 2023 and took about four months of medical leave.
Cali alleges the firm later moved him away from the “partnership track,” the career path through which an associate may become a partner. He claims he received no raise for 2025 and no bonus for 2024.
The complaint also alleges retaliation after Cali raised concerns about billing practices involving work for a client. Those assertions are Cali’s allegations and do not establish that fraudulent billing occurred.
Cali claims the defendants interfered with and retaliated against his rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act. He also brings disability-discrimination and retaliation claims under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination.
A fifth claim invokes New Jersey’s Conscientious Employee Protection Act, commonly called CEPA. A 1997 enacted amendment to N.J.S.A. 34:19-3 prohibits certain retaliation against employees who report or object to conduct they reasonably believe is unlawful or fraudulent.
The firm denies the claims
Troutman Pepper Locke denied the complaint’s allegations and said it would defend the case vigorously, Bloomberg Law reported. The denial disputes Cali’s account that protected medical leave and internal reporting caused adverse employment decisions.
What Cali wants from the lawsuit
Cali asks the court to restore him to his former career position or promote him. He also seeks orders declaring his rights and directing the defendants to take or stop specified actions.
His other requests include damages, legal fees, costs and a jury trial. The complaint does not specify a total damages amount.
These are requested remedies, not benefits that Cali has received. The August 18 complaint is the document that started his lawsuit, not a ruling that any defendant broke the law.
What the claims mean
The federal medical-leave law prohibits covered employers from interfering with protected rights. It also prohibits discrimination against people for opposing practices made unlawful by the statute.
New Jersey’s whistleblower law separately covers certain retaliation against employees who report or oppose conduct they reasonably believe is unlawful or fraudulent. These laws provide the framework for Cali’s claims, but they do not prove his allegations.
The case is Cali v. Troutman Pepper Locke LLP, No. 3:26-cv-10503, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. The complaint contains five causes of action and a jury demand.
If the case proceeds, disputed claims could be tested through evidence and decided before trial or by a judge or jury. A pretrial disposition means the court ends some or all of the case without a trial, such as by dismissing a legally insufficient claim or ruling after the evidence is developed.
