The former general counsel of Dallas-based Tekin and Associates filed suit in a Dallas County court-at-law last week alleging she was fired by the commercial real estate developer for refusing to violate the Dallas County “shelter in place” restrictions.
Amy Reggio said she was hired as general counsel for the firm in early December, just months before the outbreak of the COVID-19 began to affect Texas. After Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins announced county-wide restrictions on March 22, which included severe restrictions on business and public activities, Reggio said she contacted Mark Tekin, president of the Frisco-based company, and asked to be allowed to work from home.
Reggio, a real estate lawyer who lives in Dallas with her husband and child, said she told Tekin that she would be in violation of Judge Jenkins’ order if she traveled to Collin County for work, and that she was fully capable of performing her work from Dallas. She said Tekin responded that he would not even consider her request.
Reggio said Tekin was upset and belligerent that she would even ask. On March 27, according to the lawsuit, she wrote an email describing her situation:
“My hope in writing you this email is that you will stop trying to require me (and other Dallas County residents and residents of other Counties with the same orders) under the threat of termination to come to the office in violation of various government orders/laws that will subject me to criminal penalties.”
Minutes later, according to the lawsuit, Tekin responded by firing her.
In her wrongful termination lawsuit, Reggio claims that her refusal to ignore the county work restrictions was the sole reason for her firing, and that by requiring her to work, Tekin was exposing her to potential criminal penalties as the result of his “malicious reckless, and consciously indifferent conduct.”
The lawsuit was filed by Rogge Dunn and Joshua Iacuone of the Dallas-based Rogge Dunn Group.
Contacted for comment, Tekin’s office described him as unavailable.