NEW ORLEANS – An attorney for Amy's Country Candles has been denied a request to withdraw as counsel.
On June 13, Judge Sarah Vance of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana denied the counsel's motion to withdraw in the dispute between the candle company and U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
"Counsel have not provided the court with any reason for their withdrawal," Vance wrote. "In addition, their withdrawal could prejudice plaintiff and delay the resolution of this case, because it could disrupt plaintiff’s ability to enforce the terms of the settlement agreement."
In May 2019, the counsel requested they be withdrawn.
“An attorney may withdraw from representation only upon leave of the court and a showing of good cause and reasonable notice to the client," court papers state.
According to court papers, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a Title VII discrimination suit against Amy’s Country Candles in July 2017. As part of the settlement agreement in the case, which was finalized in November 2018, Amy's Country Candles was to pay Chelsea Donnelly $6,500; $2,000 within one month of the entry of the judgment, and the remaining amount in monthly installments of $300, court papers state. However, Amy's Country Candles failed to make that first payment in the allotted time of the settlement agreement. Since the company failed to follow the agreement, Donnelly is still due $3,600, court papers say.
"The court sees no reason why defendant’s counsel cannot remain as the counsel of record for the period of time it will take for defendant to fulfill its remaining obligation or for the Court to enforce the judgment," Vance wrote.