A federal judge on Tuesday denied Jones Day’s request for sanctions against a group of ex-associates who are waging a $200 million proposed gender discrimination class action against the Am Law 50 law firm.

In a minute order, U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss in Washington, D.C., said he wasn’t persuaded by Jones Day’s assertion that the evidence revealed so far undermined and contradicted the plaintiffs’ claims that Jones Day paid men more than women.