Centerview Partners Case Highlights 24 Hour Days For Junior Deal Bankers

Business Insider’s Kaja Whitehouse reports on Shiber v. Centerview Partners, an employment dispute pitting a boutique bank in Manhattan against one of its junior investment bankers. It provides a rare view into the experience of first-year analysts, whose work on deals runs deep into the AM and requires constant availability.

The plaintiff, who told the bank she required substantial nightly sleep due to a medical condition, was terminated after ten weeks. She alleges disability discrimination. The case, brought in federal court, was allowed to proceed over the bank’s objections.

Court filings contain testimony describing expectations placed on entry-level bankers. They outline how demanding assignment cycles characterize early career banking roles.

The plaintiff joined Centerview in July 2020 as an analyst immediately after college. The conflict began during an assignment on a deal known as Project Dragon. There were several late nights during which she logged off at 1 am without notifying senior team members.

Emails submitted to the court show her frustration with the pace and unpredictability of work, while contemporaneous responses from the bank partner she was working with said that such demands were a routine feature of an analyst’s responsibilities.

Depositions from the partner describe weekly workloads ranging from 60 to 120 hours during active deals, with occasional periods described as “24 hours a day.” The testimony states that such schedules are not unique to Centerview.

The partner said workloads would “rarely, if ever” exceed 120 hours in a week. The record also reflects expectations that analysts remain available, communicate before signing off, and before doing so, ask, “is there anything more I can do?”

For lawyers, the case raises issues involving workplace communication, disability accommodation, and documentation of expectations in high-pressure settings. The filings show how differing views of availability and workflow can evolve into legal conflict, particularly when an employee has disclosed a medical-related need.

Counsel may wish to consider how organizations convey duties to new employees, maintain consistent guidance across supervisors, and record relevant concerns to avoid later disputes.