Heather Gregorio

Representative Cases

Housing Discrimination

Represented dozens of individuals denied the opportunity to rent real estate in the New York City region because of discriminatory practices and policies by landlords and real estate agents. Litigated multiple injunctive and damages cases based on testing investigations conducted by the Fair Housing Justice Center that revealed discrimination relating to race, national origin, family status, disability, and source of income. For example:

• Fair Housing Justice Center v. Beach Haven Apartments Associates LLC, et al.: In case involving source of income discrimination, successfully argued and defeated a motion to dismiss, producing decision reaffirming the liability of landlords for discrimination by real estate brokers; ultimately obtaining settlement with substantial monetary and injunctive relief.
• Fair Housing Justice Center v. The Parkoff Organization et al.: Have twice represented the Fair Housing Justice Center in litigations against a large real estate empire, achieving successful settlements with robust injunctive relief in both cases. In second case, also negotiated settlement with co-defendant Compass Realty Inc. that will lead to training of approximately ten thousand real estate agents in New York City area.

Sexual Abuse, Sexual Assaults, Discrimination/Harassment, and Retaliation

Represented dozens of individuals who have been subjected to sexual abuse, sexual assaults, severe sexual harassment, and discrimination based on race, religion, and gender. For example:

• Helped several rape survivors achieve justice decades after their assaults by successfully litigating and settling their cases under New York’s Adult Survivors Act.
• Successfully represented many survivors of child sex abuse by resolving their claims amicably, including survivors of abuse by doctors, priests, teachers, relatives, and powerful high-profile individuals.
• Achieved substantial settlement for employee of automotive service company who was subjected to nearly a decade of severe racial harassment, control, and abuse.
• Successfully represented employee of top Fortune 500 company after her direct supervisor subjected her to persistent and open sexual harassment and unwanted touching, and then held her back in her career for resisting his advances.
• Obtained settlement from a New York City bank for employee who endured years of racist remarks from his supervisor and was then effectively demoted for reporting the discrimination.

Sherman v. Graves

Successfully defended both our client – who had sued Sean Combs and his former security guard Joseph Sherman for violently raping her years earlier – and our co-counsel in that case Gloria Allred against Sherman’s retaliatory lawsuit against them. Helped achieve dismissal of Sherman’s suit and the imposition of sanctions against his lawyer for having filed a frivolous action.

Zervos v. Trump

Represented Summer Zervos in a defamation action against Donald J. Trump regarding his public statements that she fabricated her claim that he touched her inappropriately. Prevailed on every motion made in the action, including multiple efforts to dismiss and/or stay the lawsuit.

Noel v. City of New York

Co-counsel, along with the Anti-Discrimination Center, Inc., for plaintiffs who successfully challenged New York City’s residential preference rule, on the basis that it perpetuated segregation and disparately impacted participants in the City’s affordable housing lotteries on the basis of race.