The Olsens Intern Lawsuit Settled

The Olsens – designers Mary-Kate and Ashley – have settled the lawsuit brought by a group of disgruntled former interns who worked at their New York label, The Row. The duo have reportedly paid $140,000 to a group of 185 interns, Page Six claims, which amounts to just over $500 per intern after lawyers fees are accounted for.

The twins’ company, Dualstar, vehemently denied any claims of mistreatment when the story initially broke in August 2015, asserting: “The allegations in the complaint filed against Dualstar are groundless, and Dualstar will vigorously defend itself against plaintiff's claims in court, not before the media. Dualstar is confident that once the true facts of this case are revealed, the lawsuit will be dismissed in its entirety."

The intern who initially brought the class-action lawsuit, Shahista Lalani, had claimed that she worked for up to 50 hours a week for several months without pay – as well as complaining that conditions and breaks were also inadequate. The company brought its own rebuttal lawsuit in September 2015.

The settlement brings the matter to a close, but does not require the company to concede wrongdoing. A legal statement for the Olsens’ brand said the settlement was reached in order to “avoid the uncertainties of litigation,” according to a recent Manhattan Supreme Court filing by their attorney.