Ex-employee's lawsuit: Sex harassment was 'constant' at Hempstead law firm

A legal assistant who worked at the Hempstead law practice of civil rights attorney Frederick K. Brewington has filed a lawsuit alleging two male colleagues repeatedly sexually harassed her before she lost her job as retaliation for complaining.

Dana-Simone Williams alleged she "was subjected to constant, pervasive sexual harassment" and Brewington and the office manager, attorney Precilla Lockett, told her to deal with the problem herself before later firing her.

Filed Wednesday in New York’s Eastern District, the federal lawsuit named Brewington, his firm and Lockett as defendants. It said Williams lost her job because she lodged complaints "they simply did not want to hear" about harassment she and a female receptionist suffered.

Williams' attorney Taylor Crabill, of the Manhattan firm Faruqi & Faruqi LLP, released a statement Friday saying Brewington’s "silencing" of Williams for her complaints was especially reprehensible because his practice "ostensibly prides itself on advancing civil rights and combatting employment discrimination."

Speaking for the defendants, Brewington said Friday it was "unfortunate that this lawsuit has been brought." He added: "It is without merit and we’ll address it fully in the court. Obviously, we’ll try to do it compassionately and thoroughly."

The lawsuit said a firm file clerk told Williams in early 2020 he was going to send her a photograph of one of his body parts. It said when Williams told him not to, his harassment continued. It included lurking around Williams’ office and "directing sexual groaning noises at her," the lawsuit alleged.

It said the same clerk ogled a young female reporter during a news conference at the law firm for a client who is suing Suffolk police while alleging officers beat him. The clerk "loudly exclaimed ‘Mhmm’ while staring at the woman’s buttocks" after the reporter bent over to grab something from her bag, according to the plaintiff.

Williams, who worked at the firm from mid-2019 until June, also suffered sexual harassment from a firm attorney, her court papers said. His conduct included inappropriate comments about her appearance and clothing, along with pressure to hug him, before in January 2021 he assigned her "demeaning tasks such as making him coffee" after she rejected his advances.

Williams complained about the attorney a month later, but Brewington and Lockett told her to deal with the situation herself, according to the lawsuit.

In June 2021, a firm receptionist told Williams about harassment and sexual assault she allegedly suffered at the hands of a colleague, the lawsuit said. It said Williams tried to help the receptionist after she had a panic attack, but Lockett suspended Williams after she told her the receptionist "was outside, dealing with anxiety from being harassed, and attempting to gather herself before coming back inside."

A short time later, Brewington allegedly told Williams he wasn't interested in hearing about the receptionist's complaint from Williams. The next day, Williams found out she'd been fired after supposedly engaging in "inappropriate office behavior" and "insubordination," along with failing to follow the policy for reporting sexual harassment, the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit is seeking financial damages but no figure was given.