SAN FRANCISCO — The woman who lost her high-profile gender discrimination lawsuit against a Silicon Valley venture capital firm said Thursday that she is dropping her appeal and ending the case that became a flashpoint for inequality in the technology industry.
Ellen Pao said in a statement that she cannot afford the risk of incurring additional costs to fight Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. A jury in March found that the firm did not discriminate or retaliate against Pao when it fired her in 2012.
“This battle has been painful for me personally and professionally, and also for my family,” Pao said. “It is time to move on. I look forward to continuing the conversation about workplace equality and to building great companies in the technology industry.”
Pao’s lawsuit went to trial amid an ongoing discussion about gender inequity at elite technology and venture capital firms, where women are grossly underrepresented.
Industry observers said during the trial that the case had led some companies to re-examine their workplace cultures and practices for possible obstacles to hiring and promoting women.
Pao said she had not reached a settlement with the firm and will pay some of its legal fees. A judge ordered her to pay Kleiner Perkins $275,000 in legal fees.
