Former Starbucks regional director awarded $25.6 million in wrongful firing suit

A jury in New Jersey has awarded Shannon Phillips $25.6 million in compensatory and punitive damages in a lawsuit she brought against Starbucks for illegally firing her. Ms. Phillips claimed that she was fired from her position because she was White and Starbucks was looking for a scapegoat after an incident in a Philadelphia store where two Black men were escorted out in handcuffs after refusing to leave the location as they waited on a friend. Starbucks said it disagreed with the decision and is evaluating its legal options.