Merrill Lynch must be wishing that it has never heard the name Stephanie Villaba, the ex-private client boss in its London office who last y...

Merrill Lynch must be wishing that it has never heard the name Stephanie Villaba, the ex-private client boss in its London office who last year lost her sex discrimination case against the firm. Ms Villalba is now attempting to recover £600,000 ($1,154,248) in legal fees at a “costs and remedies” hearing in London. She told the hearing yesterday that her bosses conspired to pervert the course of justice. She told the hearing that the executives had lied when they denied that a crucial meeting she relied on for her case had ever happened. Three managers, Raymundo Yu, Ausaf Abbas and Sean Woodroffe, all insisted that Ms Villalba had never complained to human resources manager Pauline Cahill of discrimination and Ms Cahill backed them up. Ms Villalba said all four had not told the truth. She said: "Firms, however large and profitable, must be held to account for their senior executives lying on oath. Women should not be discouraged from bringing valid claims for fear of crippling costs made more so by the deliberate obstruction of their employer. "This would make a mockery of the protections afforded by this country's employment laws." Merrill told Reuters yesterday that Ms Villalba’s claims for costs as “an extraordinary application". The firm added: “Stephanie Villalba has (in substance) lost the case. Yet she is seeking ... costs as if she had won - and in a forum where the award of costs even to the winner is exceptional.” Ms Villalba, according to a recent report in the London “Times”, signed a book deal worth $500,000 to tell her side of the story. The tribunal is likely to hand down a judgment on the costs next week.