Woman suing Silicon Valley firm calls for equal opportunity

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The woman suing a prominent Silicon Valley firm in a gender bias case says she wants females to have equal opportunities to become venture capitalists.

Plaintiff Ellen Pao testified Tuesday that Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers did not create an environment where she could succeed in that profession — and she wants to change that.

In her lawsuit, the 45-year-old Pao says she had been retaliated against for years then fired five months after she sued the company claiming gender discrimination.

She is seeking $16 million in damages.

Kleiner Perkins has denied wrongdoing and says Pao didn’t get along with her colleagues and performed poorly as a junior partner.