A former security director at Santa Monica-based RAND Corporation has quietly resolved a gender-discrimination lawsuit that accused the powerhouse think tank of retaliating after she went to human resources. Attorneys told a Los Angeles Superior Court judge this week that the case had reached an “unconditional” settlement, but they did not disclose any financial or other terms. The suit, filed in July 2024, had been grinding through months of discovery before the resolution.
According to MyNewsLA, lawyers for plaintiff Cheryl Stone filed court papers on Friday notifying Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James Montgomery of the settlement. The filing notes that Stone was hired in August 2013 as RAND’s director of corporate security and safety, overseeing global security and serving as a liaison with federal, state, and local law enforcement. The report adds that the complaint credited Stone for her work during the coronavirus pandemic and for her actions when social unrest put pressure on security at RAND’s Santa Monica campus.
Discovery Fights Dragged the Case Out
Court calendars and tentative rulings show that the case, listed as 24STCV02587, featured a run of discovery dustups and motions in front of Judge Montgomery, signaling a lengthy and contentious pretrial phase. A motion to compel in September 2025 and related filings appear in public tentative-rulings entries, highlighting how discovery disputes stretched the litigation. Those entries are accessible online through Tentative Rulings.
Inside the Allegations
The complaint alleges that in January 2022, two male directors were promoted to vice president while two female directors were passed over, and that by the end of 2022, Stone was being shut out of duties and meetings that fell squarely within her role. It further claims that a January 2023 classified-support announcement named a male employee to lead that unit without any notice to Stone or another female director, and that the new lead made demeaning comments blaming Stone for problems created by his own staff.
The suit says Stone told human resources that she believed she was being excluded because she was not part of the “good old boy network.” According to the complaint, HR informed her in October 2023 that her concerns were invalid, and she was laid off about a week later. Roughly five months after that layoff, the filing alleges, RAND hired a man into her former position at a higher salary, as reported by MyNewsLA.
How State Law Frames the Case
The lawsuit centers on alleged violations of California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination and retaliation in the workplace and is enforced by the state’s Civil Rights Department. California’s Civil Rights Department offers information on how to file FEHA complaints and what remedies may be available, including protections against retaliation for speaking up.
Because many employment disputes end in confidential agreements, the “unconditional” settlement notice filed with the court does not spell out whether Stone secured monetary damages, reinstatement, policy changes, or some combination of relief. Those specifics often stay behind closed doors once a case resolves.
RAND’s Profile and What Comes Next
RAND is a nonprofit global policy research organization headquartered in Santa Monica, with its main office listed at 1776 Main Street. The organization operates multiple U.S. research sites and programs and is widely known for its work on national security, health, and social policy. In this matter, the court filing that alerts Judge Montgomery to an “unconditional” resolution stands as the key public record of the settlement, and the parties have not provided additional details in documents available to the public.
With the judge now formally notified of the resolution, the public docket could see follow-up entries, such as dismissal papers or closing orders. We will keep an eye on any additional filings or statements and report further developments if they surface.
