Centerview Partners Lawsuit, Wall Street Is on Trial Over a Junior Banker’s Right to Sleep

A 24-year-old Dartmouth graduate was fired from one of Wall Street’s most elite banks two months into her first job — because she needed 8 hours of sleep due to a documented medical condition. Now, five years later, the case is finally going to a jury. The trial starts February 23, 2026, in Manhattan federal court. Here is everything you need to know.

Key Facts at a Glance

Who Is Kathryn Shiber — And What Happened to Her?

Kathryn Shiber joined boutique investment bank Centerview Partners as a first-year analyst in July 2020, after graduating from Dartmouth College. She was 21 years old.

Once she started working at Centerview, it quickly became apparent that employees were expected, at times, to work 24 hours in a day or across multiple days without rest. Shiber herself worked from 8am to 1am for two or three days in a row during one week.

After a few weeks of these hours, she went to HR. She provided her bosses with medical evidence that she had a mood and anxiety disorder which required her to get at least eight hours of sleep a night.

Centerview initially agreed to accommodate her. The bank informed her deal team on an assignment known as Project Dragon that Shiber was to be excused each night at midnight through the next morning.

She proceeded to work from 9am to midnight each day, seven days a week — including a whole Labor Day weekend.

Then two weeks later, everything changed. She was abruptly summoned to a Zoom call and told by Centerview administrators that she was being immediately terminated and that there was no way she could appeal against the decision.

She had worked at Centerview for just 10 weeks.

What Is Centerview Partners?

If you’ve never heard of Centerview — most people outside finance haven’t. But in Wall Street circles, it is one of the most prestigious boutique investment banks in the world.

Centerview is a New York-based mergers and acquisitions specialist and one of the top boutique investment banks globally. It advises on some of the biggest corporate deals in the world.

When questioned in a deposition, Centerview partner Tony Kim stated that a first-year analyst’s typical work week ranges between 60 and 120 hours. “In some projects, you are working 24 hours a day,” he said. He added that while it is not a goal, 24-hour days “do come up.”

What Does the Lawsuit Claim?

Shiber alleges that Centerview Partners violated the Americans with Disabilities Act when it fired her because she could not work overnight shifts due to a documented medical condition — specifically a diagnosed mood and anxiety disorder that required consistent sleep of at least 8 hours per night.

The case rests on one central legal question: Is working through the night truly an essential job requirement — or just an industry cultural expectation?

The court already ruled there is a genuine dispute of fact as to whether the ability to “be available at all hours of the day and to work long, unpredictable hours” is actually an essential function of the analyst role — noting that Centerview had no formal written policy on working hours for junior analysts.

In other words — Centerview assumed everyone knew the job meant working all night. But they never wrote it down anywhere.

How Much Is She Suing For?

Shiber is seeking $5 million in damages — including compensation for all the money she might have earned during a 10-year banking career at Centerview.

After being fired, Shiber worked in the finance group at Google and earned $582,000 in the five years since leaving Centerview. Her argument is that she should have made at least $1 million more and should be compensated for her future lost earnings had she stayed on a banking career path.

Centerview is arguing it does not owe her millions because she only worked there briefly and there is no guarantee she would have completed the three-year analyst program even without the disability issue.

The Therapist Drama — A Trial Within a Trial

Shiber is asking her ex-therapist Kylee Mueggenburg to testify to the emotional distress she suffered as a result of her time at Centerview. Centerview is arguing that Mueggenburg’s testimony should be excluded because Shiber disclosed her identity too late in the process.

Centerview also says that Mueggenburg “blindly relied on representations made by Shiber and did not consider alternative sources of her alleged distress” — noting that Mueggenburg allegedly didn’t even know that Shiber had lost her job.

The judge will rule on whether the therapist can testify before or during the trial.

Why This Case Is Bigger Than One Person

This is not just about Kathryn Shiber. The outcome of this trial could change how Wall Street operates.

The trial outcome could impact the broader investment banking industry, where analysts frequently log long and demanding hours. 2026 is expected to see an M&A boom, potentially pushing junior bankers to log even more hours as deal activity picks up.

If Shiber prevails, firms would face pressure to more carefully document what constitutes essential job functions and to more seriously consider accommodations for employees with disabilities — even in high-pressure finance roles.

In plain terms: if she wins, every bank in America may have to rewrite their job descriptions and reconsider how they treat junior staff with medical needs.

The case has attracted such attention that lawyers plan to ask prospective jurors how they feel about Wall Street — and its work culture — during jury selection.

What Happens at Trial — February 23, 2026

The trial is scheduled to begin in Manhattan federal court on February 23, 2026. Potential jurors will be asked to reckon with their relationship to Wall Street culture.

Both sides have proposed jury questions including: Do you have strong opinions about investment banking? Have you ever filed a discrimination complaint at work? Do you think today’s employment laws make it too easy for employees to sue for discrimination?

Case details:

• Case: Shiber v. Centerview Partners LLC, No. 21 Civ. 3649
• Court: U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
• Judge: Hon. Edgardo Ramos
• Trial starts: February 23, 2026
• Filed originally: 2021

This article will be updated when a verdict is announced.

Full Timeline

FAQs

What is the Centerview Partners lawsuit about? A former junior analyst named Kathryn Shiber is suing Centerview Partners for disability discrimination after being fired 10 weeks into her job when she requested 8 hours of sleep per night due to a diagnosed anxiety and mood disorder.

When does the Centerview trial start? February 23, 2026 in Manhattan federal court, Southern District of New York.

How much is Kathryn Shiber suing Centerview for? She is seeking $5 million in damages, including lost future earnings from a potential decade-long banking career.

Did Centerview do anything wrong legally? No verdict has been reached. The court already ruled the case has enough disputed facts to go to a jury — specifically whether working overnight is truly an essential job function or just an unwritten cultural expectation.

What is the ADA — and how does it apply here? The Americans with Disabilities Act requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with documented disabilities unless doing so creates undue hardship. Shiber argues Centerview failed to reasonably accommodate her sleep disorder before firing her.

What could happen if Shiber wins? Wall Street banks could be forced to formally document working hour expectations, reconsider overnight availability requirements, and more seriously consider medical accommodations for junior staff across the industry.

What is Centerview Partners? One of Wall Street’s most prestigious boutique investment banks, specializing in mergers and acquisitions advisory for major corporate transactions worldwide.

How many hours did junior analysts work at Centerview? According to court depositions, between 60 and 120 hours per week, with occasional 24-hour shifts on active deals.

What happened to Kathryn Shiber after she was fired? She went on to work in finance at Google and has earned $582,000 in the five years since leaving Centerview — but argues she lost out on over $1 million in banking career earnings.

Has there been a verdict yet? No. The trial begins February 23, 2026. This article will be updated when a verdict is announced.

Last Updated: February 20, 2026

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. All information is based on publicly available court records and verified news reports. Allegations in lawsuits are not findings of guilt or wrongdoing. For legal advice, consult a licensed employment attorney.

About the Author

Sarah Klein, JD, is a licensed attorney and legal content strategist with over 12 years of experience across civil, criminal, family, and regulatory law. At All About Lawyer, she covers a wide range of legal topics — from high-profile lawsuits and courtroom stories to state traffic laws and everyday legal questions — all with a focus on accuracy, clarity, and public understanding.
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