Frank Douglas v. Marvin Anderson, Raymond Hanson, Board of Directors, Hastings College of Law and Hastings Service Foundation, Inc., a Corporation

Frank Douglas brought this action against Marvin Anderson, Raymond Hanson, Hastings Service Foundation, Inc., and the Board of Directors for Hastings College of Law (collectively, “Hastings”). During the period relevant to this action, Anderson was the Dean of Hastings College of Law, and Hanson was the President of the Board of Trustees for the Hastings Service Foundation. Douglas asserts that Hastings terminated his employment as manager of the law school bookstore because of his age, in violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (“ADEA”), 29 U.S.C. §§ 621-634 . In addition, Douglas asserts a pendent state claim for breach of contract.

After presentation of Douglas’s case-in-chief before a jury, the district court directed a verdict in favor of Hastings on both claims. We affirm.

I

FACTS

Douglas is experienced as a dealer in law books and as a consultant to law libraries. In 1971, Anderson requested Douglas to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of establishing an on-campus bookstore for the College of Law. After conducting the study, Douglas concluded that a bookstore could be successful. Hastings Service Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit…