Former Legence CMO Sues for Gender Discrimination and Retaliation

Karen Toor, who served as the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Legence, has filed a lawsuit against the company for gender discrimination, equal pay, and retaliation. Toor joined Legence in March 2022 as Vice President of Marketing and was later promoted to CMO. According to the complaint, she was recruited for her expertise in building brands and guiding companies through IPO transformations.

Toor alleges that she was paid substantially less than her male counterparts. She earned a base salary of $279,000, while certain male executives received salaries exceeding $400,000 annually. Toor discovered this disparity in February 2025 after obtaining an independent compensation analysis. She formally raised concerns with company leadership regarding the pay inequity.

The lawsuit further alleges that Toor was excluded from key leadership decisions and strategic meetings, and was undermined by senior leaders. Despite her contributions, which included a 500% increase in website traffic and a 300% increase in job applications, Toor was one of only two female executives and the only non-white female executive on the leadership team. The complaint states that she was excluded from critical discussions and her authority over budgets and decision-making was reduced.

Legence acknowledged the pay disparity but delayed correcting Toor's compensation until after the company's September 2025 IPO. According to the lawsuit, during this period, the company removed Toor's direct reporting relationship to the CEO, placed her under a newly created Chief Strategy Officer position, and excluded her from strategic discussions affecting her department. Although Legence eventually increased her salary after the IPO, the complaint alleges that the company failed to remedy years of alleged underpayment and continued to marginalize her role.

On January 21, 2026, Legence terminated Toor's employment, stating that her position was being eliminated. The lawsuit alleges that Toor was the only executive terminated, and five days later, the company posted a Vice President of Marketing position with responsibilities overlapping her former role. The complaint asserts claims for gender discrimination, gender harassment, violations of the California Equal Pay Act, violations of the Federal Equal Pay Act, retaliation, and whistleblower retaliation under California law.

Toor is represented by Alreen Haeggquist and Clemency Condry of Haeggquist & Eck, LLP, a San Diego employment law firm. The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California on November 9, 2026. The case is pending as of the filing date.

The complaint, titled "Complaint, CRD No. 202611-38239309" and case number "5:26-cv-13470," is available for review. Haeggquist & Eck, LLP, a nationally recognized leader in employment, consumer, and shareholder rights law, has been committed to representing individuals in complex employment, discrimination, harassment, sexual assault, consumer, shareholder, and civil rights cases since its founding in 2008.