The lawsuit alleges the existence of a glass ceiling that denies qualified African American candidates due consideration for positions at higher professional levels such as director or above. "The dues and fees paid to LOMA by more than 1200 member insurance companies go toward supporting the discriminatory views, attitudes and employment practices that have persisted and permeated LOMA over its entire eighty-two year existence. The administration of LOMA and the companies that sit on the Board of Directors, both present and past, must shoulder the blame and responsibility for its decades of unfair treatment of African Americans," says Leon Morris, the plaintiff in the suit.

Mr. Morris alleges that LOMA intentionally, willfully, and with a reckless disregard for the law, obstructed his ability to compete for the position of Director, Business Development, and unduly and unjustly withdrew him from consideration. "To my knowledge there is only one African American manager at LOMA, and that person is manager of office services (the mailroom). LOMA's latest income tax filing for the 2004 tax year, filed August 2, 2005, includes a list of its officers, directors and key employees. There are no African Americans listed. The lack of racial diversity at the management level and above indicates a glass ceiling at LOMA and it confirms that pockets of racism still exist within our country even though our society would like to think that we've reached equality.