Claire-Lise Y. Kutlay 

Claire-Lise Y. Kutlay is a partner at Greenberg Gross LLP who practices high-stakes commercial litigation and represents victims of job discrimination, harassment, pay inequity and whistleblower retaliation, plus survivors of sexual abuse.

Her international background includes a childhood in Nigeria as the child of a Turkish father and British mother who moved the family to Canada when Kutlay was nine. “I saw so much injustice in Nigeria, and then I experienced a huge culture shock when we got to Canada,” she said. “Law always seemed an interesting career path. I got a business degree as an undergraduate, but I wanted to do more.”

Kutlay joined the firm in 2015 and made partner in January 2023. Despite her status as Greenberg Gross’ most junior partner, Kutlay has just been selected to head a new plaintiff-side employment law practice.

In part, the promotion was based on Kutlay’s success with a major whistleblower retaliation victory when she was still an associate. She helped the firm secure a $3.2 million jury award for the wrongful termination of two school district executives for exposing misconduct. Contraras-Smith v. Montebello Unified School Dist., BC666775 (L.A. Super. Ct., filed June 29, 2017)

The win was a Daily Journal Top Verdict for 2018.

Currently, Kutlay is one of the lead lawyers in high-profile litigation over claims of childhood sexual assault against their client, the granddaughter of prominent fashion family founder Aldo Gucci. The defendants are the plaintiff’s stepfather, Joseph Ruffalo, who allegedly committed the assaults, and her mother, Aldo’s daughter, who allegedly enabled the wrongdoing. Alexandra Gucci v. Patricia Gucci et al., 20STCV34041 (L.A. Super. Ct., filed Sept. 8, 2020).

Trial is set for March 2024. “Patricia resides in Switzerland, and we defeated her motion to quash a subpoena and a demurrer challenging the proceedings,” Kutlay said.

“She claimed she’s not responsible for the assault, but we successfully argued on a negligence theory that she had or should have had actual knowledge of the matter and failed to protect her daughter.”

Kutlay said there’s an added dimension to cases that achieve public notoriety. “There’s been New York Times coverage. The media does play a role in this kind of thing. While, of course, the trial remains our focus, we also have to win in the court of public opinion.” Kutlay is prepping in advance of deposing both Patricia Gucci and her now ex-husband, Ruffalo.

“This is an incredibly important case for us,” she said. “We place a premium on excellence and on having a positive impact on society through our work. We need to show that the perpetrators of sex acts against a child will be held accountable.”

–John Roemer