Former Douglas Elliman agent withdraws lawsuit that sought unpaid commissions

A lawsuit seeking $1.6 million in clawbacks from deals closed after a former Douglas Elliman agent left the brokerage has been withdrawn. Holly Parker, a New York and Miami agent, claimed she was owed commissions on pending deals post her departure. Parker disclosed in the withdrawal, filed in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, that the firm prefers arbitration over court litigation for the claims.

The Real Deal was the first to report this development. Parker transitioned to Compass in February after over 20 years at Elliman. She had filed the suit in April, asserting she was due a 40% commission on 16 deals. The complaint stated Elliman was displeased with her decision to leave.

Upon joining the firm, the parties signed an independent contractor agreement. However, Parker argued that side letters she signed in 2020 and 2022 formalized her entitlement to commissions if she departed before 2025, which should supersede the original agreement. Besides the $1.6 million clawback, she also sought damages of $385,540.

The Holly Parker Team, as per the RealTrends Verified 2025 Team Rankings, closed 91 sides in 2024 with a sales volume of $348.5 million, averaging a sale price of $3.8 million.

This lawsuit is one of several significant events at Elliman. In May, Anywhere Real Estate made an unsolicited acquisition offer valuing Elliman at over $4 per share. This came amid internal upheaval in Elliman’s leadership, with CEO Scott Durkin fired shortly after parent company CEO Howard Lorber announced his retirement. Lorber faced scrutiny for intimate relationships with two company brokers, and shareholders demanded a reduction in his compensation following sexual assault allegations against former Elliman agents Tal and Oren Alexander.