Ex-Cozen Paralegal Sues Firm for Discrimination, Harassment

A former Cozen O’Connor paralegal is suing the law firm and the head of its litigation team, alleging that she was subjected to race, sex, and age discrimination and then retaliated against for complaining.

Nilda Sastre alleges that she was fired by Cozen after complaining about offensive remarks by John McDonough, a partner at the firm and the chair of its strategic risk and complex litigation group. She filed a lawsuit against Philadelphia-founded Cozen and McDonough, who is also vice chair of its insurance department, in New York state court on Wednesday.

Sastre, a Bronx native of Puerto Rican descent, joined the firm’s New York office in 2002 as a paralegal in its defense litigation group, according to the complaint. She said McDonough “engaged in a campaign of harassment and discrimination” against her because of her race, sex, and age over the course of her career.

Cozen O’Connor and McDonough did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Among several of the incidents described in the complaint, Sastre alleges that McDonough told her she had a “horrible accent” and banned her from speaking to clients and ordered to her attend “accent reduction” courses.

Sastre said she reported McDonough’s behavior to the Cozen human resources department, but the firm failed to take action. She also complained to others at the firm, including partners, according to the complaint. In January 2021, she was fired by the firm.

Sastre is being represented by Edward Keenan, co-founder of Keenan & Bhatia, LLC.

“This is an important case because the legal profession is long been plagued by abusive workplaces,” Keenan told Bloomberg Law.

“We’re looking forward to our day in court and for Nilda Sastre to be able to tell her story and stand up for the rights of paralegals and everyone who works in the legal field,” he said.

The case is Sastre vs Cozen O’Connor and John McDonough, N.Y. Sup. Ct., No. 811808/2023E.