Former Bespoke Agent Files Pregnancy Discrimination Lawsuit Against Luxury Hamptons Brokerage

Compass

Ashley McDermott alleges she was removed from a high-profile corporate team after disclosing her pregnancy; Bespoke and founder Cody Vichinsky deny the claims.

Ashley McDermott had spent seven years building her career at Bespoke, a high-end real estate brokerage in the Hamptons. By early 2024, she had been promoted to the firm’s Corporate Team, a role that put her at the center of some of the most expensive property deals in the region. Her performance that year was strong, earning her about 157,000 dollars in combined salary and commissions.

Ashley McDermott. Courtesy of Compass

In December 2024, McDermott learned she was pregnant. She waited until April 9, 2025, to share the news with the firm’s founder, Cody Vichinsky. According to a lawsuit McDermott later filed in the Supreme Court of New York, the reaction to her news was immediate and career-altering. She claims she was told she could no longer remain on the Corporate Team because her priorities would shift once she became a mother.

The transition happened over the following weeks. McDermott was removed from her high-profile position and replaced by another employee. In its place, the firm offered her a role in the property management division. The new position came with a 10,000 dollar pay cut and stripped away her ability to earn commissions. The situation grew more tense when Bespoke’s Vice President of Finance allegedly accessed McDermott’s company laptop and phone to delete her client contacts and professional correspondence. McDermott described the actions as humiliating and damaging to the relationships she had cultivated over years in the industry.

Rather than accept the demotion, McDermott informed the company in late May that she was resigning. By June, she had moved to the Terry Cohen Team at Compass.

The legal complaint, filed in Suffolk County, names Bespoke, its affiliate Parallel, and Cody Vichinsky as defendants. McDermott is seeking back pay, lost commissions, and compensatory damages, alleging that the firm’s actions violated the New York State Human Rights Law.

Bespoke and Vichinsky have denied all the allegations. In a formal statement, the companies called the claims false and stated they do not reflect how the firm treats its staff. A spokesperson for the brokerage maintained that the changes to McDermott’s employment were based on legitimate business needs and had nothing to do with her pregnancy. They noted that other employees and supervisors at the firm had successfully managed pregnancies while continuing to advance professionally.

The lawsuit comes at a time when Bespoke remains a dominant force in the Hamptons residential market. Since its founding in 2014, the firm has handled massive sales volumes, with Cody Vichinsky recently ranked as the top-producing broker in the area. The case is currently pending, and the court will eventually determine if the firm’s actions constituted illegal discrimination.