Robert De Niro’s former assistant has received an impressive $1.2 million payout after winning her sexism and retaliation lawsuit against the actor’s production company.
Graham Chase Robinson, 41, was awarded two identical damages totaling $632,142.96 for gender discrimination and retaliation after De Niro’s Canal Pictures was found liable Thursday night.
The amount corresponded to her salary for the four years she was unemployed since her split from De Niro. Despite applying to over 600 positions, she was unable to find a new job.
Robinson’s victory is significant, but falls far short of the $12 million in damages she originally sought. De Niro countersued her for $6 million over airline miles she had logged, but Robinson was not held liable for those allegations.
After the jury’s verdict, Robinson was overcome with emotion and near tears.
She tried to compose herself as the seven jurors were dismissed and left the courtroom, but gave them a broad smile.
Robinson then hugged her lawyers and thanked them for their work, and everyone congratulated each other on the victory.
Graham Chase Robinson is seen outside court on Thursday after the jury ruled in her favor
The beaming 41-year-old can be seen leaving the court in Manhattan with her lawyers
Robinson looked overjoyed as she left the courtroom Thursday. De Niro was not present
A delighted Robinson was awarded $1.2 million – the equivalent of her salary over the last four years since she stopped working for De Niro
The verdict came after five hours of deliberations by a jury of four women and three men in Manhattan federal court. An eighth juror called in sick Thursday morning.
Chase Robinson worked for Canal but was essentially De Niro’s fixer between 2008 and 2019, earning a salary of $300,000 at the time of her resignation.
Her former boss was not held personally liable for the claims of gender discrimination or retaliation, although Robinson’s allegations focused solely on his bad behavior.
She said he repeatedly branded her a “bitch” and begged her for back scratches by sobbing on the witness stand, behavior she described as “creepy.”
The jury did not explain why Canal was found liable but De Niro was not. Canal will also likely have to pay Chase Robinson’s hefty legal fees.
David Sanford, Robinson’s attorney, said they were “delighted.”
“We are pleased that the jury saw what we saw and returned a verdict in favor of Chase Robinson against Robert De Niro’s company Canal Productions,” Sanford said.
“Not only did Ms. Robinson win her case against Canal, but the jury also fully vindicated Ms. Robinson by finding that De Niro’s claims against her were without merit.”
Robinson was in court for Thursday’s sentencing, but De Niro was not. He was seen at the courthouse late Wednesday during closing arguments and gave his statement on Oct. 31.
De Niro’s attorney, Richard Schoenstein, said they would review the amount of damages awarded by the jury.
He said it was “gratifying” that De Niro himself was not held liable.
“I won’t comment on the verdict, we have to analyze the amount of damage,” said Schönstein.
“It seems like a compromise.” “Apparently they wanted $12 million and got $600,000.”
He added: “I am very grateful to the jury for their service.”
“We’re really glad they removed Bob from this situation. “It’s a dispute between an employee and his former employer.”
When asked about De Niro’s response, Schoenstein replied: “I haven’t called him yet, I don’t know (if he knows the verdict).”
“There may be a basis for reducing the amount once or twice.”
The 80-year-old “Taxi Driver” star was accused of being an abusive boss in the bombshell trial heard by eight jurors in Manhattan federal court.
Robert de Niro is seen leaving the Greenwich Hotel on November 2nd
Robert De Niro in federal court in Manhattan on Wednesday evening as closing arguments in Graham Chase Robinson’s lawsuit against him neared a conclusion
Jurors were dispatched shortly before noon local time on Thursday after hearing a week and a half of evidence in the case brought by Robinson.
The famous actor denied losing his temper with Robinson – but that’s exactly what he did in court, shouting: “Shame on you, Chase Robinson!” last week before I apologized.
The most jaw-dropping claims resulted in Robinson calling her former boss “creepy” and “disgusting” requests for back scratches.
While speaking on Nov. 3, Robinson said through sobs, “I mentioned he could use a back scratcher instead.” He said, “I prefer the way you do it.”
“It was scary, just disgusting.”
The actor insisted there was nothing inappropriate or sexist about it and that his requests did not constitute gender discrimination.
Robinson also claimed that De Niro branded her a “slut” two or three times during her 11 years working for him.
She said he accused her of acting “like a little bitch” after a fire broke out in his New York townhouse.
Robinson said the insult was uttered again in December 2017 when De Niro reacted violently after he couldn’t find Christmas presents in his house.
“He swore left and right. I tried to work it out but he just said I was a slut.”
Robinson was employed by De Niro’s Canal Pictures, starting as an executive assistant in 2008 with a salary of $75,000.
When she resigned in April 2019, she had been promoted to vice president of production and finance and was paid $300,000 a year.
Robinson was essentially De Niro’s fixer and says she was expected to be on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to help him with his children, family and medical care.
She also clashed with De Niro’s friend Tiffany Chen after she claimed that Chen “humiliated” her by forcing her to order vacuum cleaners and organize director Martin Scorsese’s birthday party.
Chen accused Robinson of overspending and called the former employee “obsessive, psychotic and dangerous” on the witness stand last week.
Robinson said De Niro holds male and female employees to different standards.
A courtroom sketch shows Robert De Niro testifying on October 31st. He lost his temper with Chase Robinson in court
“The female employees were expected to be there for Bob 24/7. “He didn’t expect that there would be male staff working for him,” she claimed, adding that the Oscar winner referred to his female assistants as “the girls.”
She said: “Male staff may not be available and Bob wouldn’t mind.”
Robinson says she asked to be paid the same salary as her colleague Dan Harvey, who is the actor’s personal trainer and has worked with him since 1985.
But she claims De Niro gave a poor excuse for the rejection, telling her, “Chase, you don’t have kids. Dan has a family to support.”
Robinson told the court: “It made me so sad. “It frustrated me, it made me angry… That comment really hurt me.
“I gave my life to this job. ‘I didn’t have children because I worked.’
Her salary was subsequently increased from $200,000 to $300,000, with Harvey receiving $290,000 at that time.
De Niro’s defense attorney, Richard Schoenstein, cross-examined Robinson on the witness stand and asked her, “You thought you should be paid the same salary as someone who has worked with Mr. De Niro since you were in preschool?”
On Wednesday, the court also heard from De Niro’s long-time personal trainer Harvey, 63, who also spoke to the actor over the past 40 years before filming.
Harvey said he has been De Niro’s full-time trainer since 1985, spending two to seven hours with the actor about 330 days a year and having to travel with him to locations around the world.
De Niro is pictured with his girlfriend Tiffany Chen in June. Robinson and Chen clashed, with Chen expressing concern about Robinson’s spending
Holding a tissue to her face, Robinson appeared emotional Tuesday as she told the court she was worried no one would believe her word to De Niro.
Her resignation email was presented to the jury and she told De Niro she had been “loyal, caring, honest and extremely hardworking.”
“I put my heart and soul into this job and it put other parts of my life and my opportunities on hold.” “You always came first,” she wrote.
It has been over three years since she left Canal Productions and in her statement she said she has applied for 638 jobs since then but has not received a single interview.
She revealed that she suffers from depression, anxiety and insomnia and has to take medication in order to be able to leave the apartment she shares with her mother.
“I lost my life.” I lost my career. I have lost my financial independence. “I lost everything,” said Robinson, who is now seeing a therapist.
On Tuesday, Robinson’s team’s psychiatrist, Dr. Robert Goldstein, she has generalized anxiety disorder related to her employment at Canal.
The practicing psychiatrist said Robinson suffered from the “severe and often disabling mental illness” after examining her in January 2019 and reviewing more than three years of medical records.
He said she suffered from symptoms such as insomnia and memory loss and “experienced a lot of psychological pain and emotional discomfort” that occurred during her employment with De Niro.
When asked what was the trigger for this psychological condition, he said: “Your perception of discrimination and retaliation at work.”
But a psychiatrist hired by De Niro’s lawyers described Robinson as “narcissistic and paranoid.”