Ex-employee of Thomas J. Henry Law files lawsuit alleging sexual assault, discrimination

Editor's note: This article includes references to sexual assault and may be triggering to some readers. Reader discretion is advised. Information about resources for sexual assault survivors can be found at the end of this story.

A former employee of Thomas J. Henry Law has alleged that the firm’s former CEO sexually assaulted her in 2019 and that, as a result, she was harassed and discriminated against at work.

The civil lawsuit was filed in federal court in San Antonio on Wednesday against the large personal injury law firm with offices around Texas.

The plaintiff, whom the American-Statesman is not naming because she is alleging sexual assault, worked as a manager at the law firm’s San Antonio office from 2015 to 2022. She claims that, at the firm-sponsored Austin Elevates Festival in 2019, she was drugged and then sexually assaulted by then-CEO John Sweeney.

Sweeney, who is not a party in the lawsuit, did not respond to an emailed request for comment Friday.

The Statesman made multiple calls to Thomas J. Henry Law and was referred to Ruben Herrera, a marketing and public relations official for the firm, for comment. As of Monday afternoon, Herrera had not responded. Emails sent to Herrera bounced back with a message stating, "Recipient email server rejected the message."

According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff had no recollection of the assault, which later became the topic of “rampant demeaning workplace gossip.”

The plaintiff claimed that the assault led to workplace discrimination and harassment; she became the only manager without an office space and was denied a promotion despite being given more duties.

In 2022, the plaintiff said that she reported the sexual assault and ensuing treatment to human resources. But, the lawsuit says, the assault was never investigated.

Her attorney declined to say whether his client had reported the assault to police.

The lawsuit also claims that top managers at the law firm had prior knowledge of Sweeney's sexual contact with the plaintiff at the festival in 2019.

The plaintiff claims that Thomas J. Henry admonished her at a managers' meeting and threatened her by saying that "anyone is replaceable" and "anyone can get fired."

The plaintiff “felt she had no choice but to resign from such a hostile work environment,” the lawsuit says.

In addition to monetary compensation, the plaintiff is asking that Thomas J. Henry Law conduct discrimination and sexual harassment training.

“Our client — like all employees — deserves a workplace free from harassment and retaliation,” Jay Ellwanger, who represents the plaintiff, said in a statement. “Our hope is that this lawsuit will lead to some positive change.”

The San Antonio Express-News reported that Sweeney’s LinkedIn page — which no longer appears to be public — showed that he was the CEO of Thomas J. Henry Law from late 2018 to April 2021.

How to get help

If you have experienced sexual assault, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline by calling 800-656-4673 or visiting online.rainn.org for emotional support, advice or crisis intervention.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Lawsuit against Thomas J. Henry Law alleges sexual assault