Kayleen Fulton, former head of the Ethereum Foundation's Protocol Support team, filed a lawsuit on November 4 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado against EF-affiliated entities, co-executive director Bastian Aue, and Vitalik Buterin. The complaint alleges violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act. Fulton claims she notified management of her ovarian cancer diagnosis on March 24, 2026, and led 53 employees in a joint letter opposing the EF's Mandate the following day—a document requiring staff to sign a clause containing a "seppuku" suicide oath. On April 6, Fulton and fellow organizer Trent Van Epps were terminated approximately 30 minutes apart, just 13 days after her diagnosis disclosure. The lawsuit seeks damages and asks the court to declare Fulton's separation agreement void.