The attorneys at Winer Burritt & Scott, led by Elana Jacobs, are proud to have secured a $13.5 million settlement on behalf of former Berkeley High School students who bravely stood up against years of sexual harassment and abuse. This milestone follows four years of litigation, shining a national spotlight on Berkeley Unified School District’s (BUSD) handling of abuse allegations. This settlement resolves three cases filed on behalf of nine plaintiffs, including Rachel Phillips, the lead plaintiff represented by Winer Burritt & Scott. Phillips courageously shared her story of sexual abuse by a former science teacher and football coach. The lawsuit revealed BUSD’s failure to protect students and act on repeated warnings from survivors who reported abuse in 2003 and 2015—only to have their voices minimized and ignored. Read more:
https://www.ktvu.com/news/berkeley-high-grads-reach-13-5-million-settlement-teacher-sex-abuse-case
https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/berkeley-unified-settlement-19811091.php
https://www.berkeleyside.org/2024/10/02/busd-sexual-misconduct-lawsuit-settled