Court Rules White Starbucks Manager Was Fired Because Of Her Race, Awards Her $25M

A federal jury awarded a white Starbucks regional manager — who was fired after staff at one of her stores called the police on two black men in 2018 — over $25 million, finding that the coffee giant fired her because of her race.

In the unanimous ruling, the jury awarded Shannon Phillips $25 million in punitive damages and $600,000 in compensatory damages. Phillips’ lawsuit against Starbucks alleged that the company fired her on the basis of her race, in violation of New Jersey law and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Phillips and her lawyer, Laura Carlin Mattiacci, were “very pleased” with the unanimous verdict. Mattiacci said that “[Phillips] proved by ‘clear and convincing evidence’ that punitive damages were warranted” under New Jersey law, according to the Daily Mail.