Category: Sexual Abuse

BG Lawyers Named to 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumers Lawyers List

Nine outstanding Bailey Glasser partners have been named to the 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers list, which recognizes lawyers fighting for justice in consumer litigation across the country.

Congratulations to:
• Brian Glasser: BG Founding Partner
• Katherine E. Charonko: ESI Practice Group Leader
• Joshua Hammack: Partner, Commercial & Environmental Litigation Practice Group
• James Kauffman: Partner, Consumer Litigation Practice Group
• Patricia Kipnis: Consumer Litigation Practice Group Leader
• Jonathan Marshall: Contingent Practice Area Leader
• Todd Mathews: Partner, Mass Torts Practice Group
• Michael Murphy: Partner, Contingent Practice Area
• David Selby II: Mass Torts Practice Group Leader

As stated by Lawdragon: “[W]e’re so proud to present this amazing collection of coast-to-coast champions who dedicate their lives to helping people going through the hardest moments of their lives.”

From standing up for survivors of sexual abuse, battling corporate giants in complex mass tort litigation, to advocating for consumer rights against unfair fees, and supporting complex class actions through cutting-edge e-Discovery practices, these Bailey Glasser lawyers are relentless in their pursuit of justice.

We applaud all the lawyers who made this list and we thank Lawdragon for the recognition. To learn more about the BG lawyers recognized, visit here.

For more about this recognition visit Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers list here.

#BaileyGlasser #Lawdragon #LeadingPlaintiffConsumerLawyers #ConsumerProtection #Litigators #MassTorts #ClassActions #EDiscovery

Maryland Supreme Court Upholds Child Victims Act, Advancing BG’s Fight for Survivors

In a major win for abuse survivors, the Supreme Court of Maryland has upheld the constitutionality of the Child Victims Act of 2023, allowing survivors of childhood abuse to seek justice regardless of when the abuse occurred. This landmark ruling removes legal barriers that once shielded institutions from accountability.

In a 4-3 decision, the court affirmed that the Maryland General Assembly had the authority to retroactively eliminate the statute of limitations. Writing for the majority, Chief Justice Matthew Fader made it clear: defendants do not have a vested right to immunity from lawsuits.

Bailey & Glasser, LLP, along with three other law firms, filed lawsuits on the very day the law took effect, representing thousands of survivors abused in Maryland’s juvenile detention centers when they were just children. The lawsuits allege that past administrations allowed systemic abuse, including rape, torture, and severe neglect, failing to protect vulnerable children for decades.

Todd Mathews, lead counsel for the Bailey Glasser team stated, “This ruling is a watershed moment for survivors of child sexual abuse in Maryland. Survivors have fought too long to have their voices heard, and today, the court made it clear that their pursuit of justice will not be denied.” Sharon Iskra, BG’s Institutional Abuse & Neglect team leader added, “The trauma of abuse does not expire, and neither should the right to seek accountability.”

For survivors, this ruling is life-changing, one stating: “I’m so relieved that we are being affirmed this way; that after all we’ve been through, we now have a voice, and it will not be taken away.”

In addition to Todd Mathews and Sharon Iskra, the Bailey Glasser team leading the fight for survivors includes founding partner Brian A. Glasser, and David Selby II.

Bailey Glasser and its co-counsel are committed to holding the State accountable and fighting for justice for survivors. Learn more about our fight for Maryland juvenile abuse survivors here.

#Maryland #ChildVictimsAct #InstitutionalAbuse #EndAbuse #BaileyGlasser

BG Fights for Sex Abuse Survivors Before Illinois Court of Claims

BG litigators D. Todd Mathews and Elizabeth Dow are appearing in court today to fight for Illinois sex abuse survivors. In 2024, we filed complaints on behalf of 425 survivors of sexual abuse against the Illinois Department of Corrections and Department of Juvenile Justice. The perpetrators of the sexual abuse were correctional officers, counselors, supervisors, and other Illinois Youth Center staff.

The lawsuits were brought under the recently amended Childhood Sexual Abuse Act as codified at 735 ILCS 5/13-202.2. This statute allows survivors to pursue damages from their abusers and from the institutions that enabled the abuse by increasing the time in which survivors of sexual abuse are permitted to come forward and file civil lawsuits.

The State of Illinois filed Motions to Dismiss these complaints which we have vigorously opposed. Today we, along with our co-counsel at the firms of Levy Konigsberg, DiCello Levitt, and Anapol Weiss are appearing before a full panel at the Illinois Court of Claims to argue against the Motions to Dismiss and to stand up for our clients.

The Bailey Glasser litigation team also includes founding partner Brian A. Glasser, Mass Torts Practice Group Leader David Selby, and litigator Samira Bode.

Bailey Glasser’s 2024 Year in Review

2024 marked a milestone for Bailey & Glasser, LLP as we celebrated 25 years since our founding on March 1, 1999. As founding partner Brian Glasser said back then, “I can’t tell you how great it is to come to work just plain excited.” For over 25 years, that passion has driven our dedication to practicing law while making a meaningful impact on our clients and communities—work that remains at the core of BG today.

This “2024 Year In Review” highlights our accomplishments from the past year, including work for our valued clients, introductions to new partners and lawyers, celebrations like our 25th anniversary celebration at our Washington, D.C. office, nationwide recognitions, and a flashback to 1999 from the BG Archives. Notable victories highlighted include a $40 million jury verdict in a Texas corporate fraud case, compassionate advocacy for abuse survivors and consumers injured by defective products, precedent-setting ERISA rulings on behalf of retirees in courts nationwide, a special section highlighting our litigation and corporate work in the energy industry, and over $1 billion in closed deals for the West Virginia Investment Management Board, and so much more.

Thank you for taking a few moments to explore this report—we hope you enjoy it. Follow this link to view the full report.

#BaileyGlasser #2024inReview #25thAnniversary #TrialLawyers #CorporateLawyers #ERISA #MassTorts #EnergyIndustry #Litigators #ClassActions #MassTorts #ProductLiability #Community

BG Files New Lawsuits Against the State of Illinois

MEDIA REQUESTS: To schedule an interview with counsel or for other media inquiries, please contact D. Todd Mathews at 618.520.3342 or tmathews@baileyglasser.com.

Bailey Glasser announces the filing of new complaints on behalf of 133 survivors of sexual abuse against the State of Illinois, bringing the total number of survivors represented in these lawsuits to 800.

Our lawsuits allege that the Illinois Department of Corrections and Department of Juvenile Justice failed to protect these men and women, then minors, from sexual abuse perpetrated by adult employees at State-operated Illinois Youth Centers and Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center. As alleged in the new complaints filed on Monday, February 10, between 1996 and 2021, hundreds of youths were victimized in Illinois Youth Centers by male and female staff, with most victims being under the age of 16 at the time of abuse. While we continue filing cases on behalf of sex abuse survivors, the State of Illinois is moving to dismiss previously filed complaints.

Bailey & Glasser, LLP is on the forefront of lawsuits seeking justice on behalf of childhood sexual abuse survivors, including cases filed on behalf of hundreds of survivors against the State of Illinois since May 2024, as well as representing hundreds of survivors in the State of Maryland related to abuse in its juvenile hall detention facilities.

On Tuesday, February 11, at 11:30 a.m. Bailey Glasser partner D. Todd Mathews will hold a press conference along with co-counsel from Levy & Konigsberg LLP and numerous survivors, to speak out about the decades of physical, psychological, and emotional abuse suffered in Illinois juvenile detention centers. It is taking place at Ten North Dearborn Street, Seventh Floor, Chicago, IL 60602.

To watch the press conference, view this LiveStream link at 11:30 ET: https://www.youtube.com/live/UPjcucWxif4

In addition to D. Todd Mathews, the Bailey Glasser team in this case includes founding partner Brian A. Glasser; partner and Mass Tort Practice Group Leader David Selby; and lawyer Samira Bode. Co-counsel includes Levy & Konigsberg LLP, DiCello Levitt LLP, and Anapol Weiss.

MEDIA REQUESTS: To schedule an interview with counsel or for other media inquiries, please contact D. Todd Mathews at 618.520.3342 or tmathews@baileyglasser.com.

Client Alert: Protecting Children Online on Universal Children’s Day

Today is Universal Children’s Day, celebrated on November 20th each year to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children’s welfare.

In the article, “Protecting Children Online on Universal Children’s Day,” Sharon Iskra, Bailey Glasser partner and leader of our Institutional Abuse & Neglect team, encourages us to celebrate by reflecting on all the wonders of childhood: the innocence, joy, curiosity, and energy, but realizing the hazards to today’s children, especially online, where children can be trapped and manipulated through child sexual abuse materials (CSAM).

“It’s up to every one of us to protect kids, whether they’re our own or those we encounter through work or friends. Child safety IS your business – and at Bailey Glasser, it’s our business too,” Sharon writes.

One of the best things we can do to protect a child is to be a genuinely safe person of trust for them. Practice these fundamentals as appropriate in the context of your relationship with a child:

1. Parents/caregivers, talk to your children regularly and in age-appropriate ways about online safety.
2. Empower children, teach them to trust their instincts and repeat to them that if something doesn’t seem right or frightens them, take it to a safe adult right away.
3. Teach body integrity and self-worth.
4. Remind children that adults are supposed to protect children, and children are supposed to be children.

Read the full article to learn more tips about how to be a person of trust for children, how to protect them from CSAM, and for nationally sourced resources on how to begin talking to your child.

Learn more information on Sharon Iskra by visiting here.

#UniversalChildrensDay #CSAM #Onlinesafety #Abuse #Neglect #BaileyGlasser #ClientAlert

Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Dr. Oumair Aejaz and Henry Ford Health for Alleged Sexual Abuse and Privacy Violations

Today we announce the filing of a class action lawsuit against Dr. Oumair Aejaz, Henry Ford Health System, and Henry Ford Macomb Hospital, where we allege that Dr. Aejaz engaged in widespread sexual abuse and privacy violations against patients, including minors, over at least six years. Additionally, a second lawsuit has been filed against Detroit Medical Center.

According to the complaint, Dr. Aejaz, a 40-year-old physician from Rochester Hills, allegedly placed hidden cameras in changing rooms and medical facilities, recording patients as young as 2 years old. The lawsuit further alleges that Henry Ford Health System failed to implement appropriate safeguards to protect patients from this predatory behavior.

The class action lawsuit represents a Jane Doe who received emergency back surgery at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital in May 2023. Law enforcement officials have described the ongoing criminal investigation into Dr. Aejaz as “one of the most disturbing sexual predator cases” seen in their careers, potentially surpassing the scale of the Larry Nassar case.

Dr. Aejaz has been charged with multiple felonies, including child sexually abusive activity and capturing images of unclothed persons. Authorities have seized over 13,000 videos from the perpetrator and expect the investigation to continue for at least six months.

The Bailey Glasser team in this important case is led by founding partner Brian Glasser, and partners David Selby II, John Barrett, and Todd Mathews.

A press conference providing further details on the lawsuit will be held today, Tuesday, September 24, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. ET at the Sheraton Detroit Novi Hotel (conference room on the first floor), located at 21111 Haggerty Road, Novi, MI 48375.

To learn more about this case, and view additional media links, visit here.

#classaction #classactionlawsuit #sexualabuselaw #privacy #Baileyglasser

BG Files Additional Complaints on Behalf of 272 Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse Against the State of Illinois

Bailey Glasser announces that it has filed new complaints on behalf of 272 survivors of sexual abuse against the State of Illinois, alleging that the Illinois Department of Corrections and Department of Juvenile Justice failed to protect them from sexual abuse perpetrated by adult employees at State-operated Illinois Youth Centers and Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center.

As alleged in the new complaints filed on Monday, between 1996 and 2021, hundreds of youths were victimized in Illinois Youth Centers by male and female staff, with most victims being under the age of 16 at the time of abuse.

Bailey Glasser is on the forefront of lawsuits seeking justice on behalf of childhood sexual abuse survivors with a total of 667 cases filed in the State of Illinois since May 2024, as well as hundreds of similar cases in the State of Maryland on behalf of survivors of abuse in its juvenile hall detention facilities.

On Tuesday September 24, 2024 at 12:15pm CST, Bailey Glasser partner Todd Mathews will hold a press conference along with co-counsel from Levy & Konigsberg LLP and numerous survivors, to speak out about the decades of physical, psychological, and emotional abuse suffered in Illinois juvenile detention centers.

To watch the press conference, view this LiveStream link here.

In addition to D. Todd Mathews, the Bailey Glasser team in this case includes founding partner Brian Glasser; Partner Mass Tort Practice Group Leader, David Selby II; and lawyer Samira Bode. Co-counsel includes Levy & Konigsberg LLP in Chicago, Illinois.

MEDIA REQUESTS: To schedule an interview with counsel or for other media inquiries, please contact D. Todd Mathews at 618.520.3342 or tmathews@baileyglasser.com.

To read more about the lawsuit and view additional media, please visit this link.

Learn more about how we fight on behalf of survivors of sexual abuse across the country by visiting here.

#Survivors #SexualAbuse #ChildhoodSexualAbuseAct #Illinois #JuvenileDetentionCenters #BaileyGlasser

Survivors and Attorneys Speak Out About Sex Abuse in Cook County Juvenile Court System

“We’ve got folks as young as 9 years old who were abused. This happened over and over and over again from 1995 until current. It’s still going on. We will continue to have press conferences and file lawsuits until the folks in Springfield and Cook County hear us and do something.”

“We’ve got folks as young as 9 years old who were abused. This happened over and over and over again from 1995 until current. It’s still going on. We will continue to have press conferences and file lawsuits until the folks in Springfield and Cook County hear us and do something.”

This was a statement made by BG partner D. Todd Mathews at a press conference last week in Chicago, where he, co-counsel, and several plaintiffs spoke about the abuse and injuries suffered at the hands of adult employees at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center between 1995 and 2022.

As detailed in the new round of lawsuits filed July 22, the State of Illinois; the Office of the Chief Judge for Cook County, Illinois; the Illinois Department of Corrections and Department of Juvenile Justice employees failed to protect children from rampant sexual abuse perpetrated by adult employees between 1995 and 2022, when hundreds of youths between 9-17 years old were systematically victimized. This filing comes on the heels of two other lawsuits filed this year, which now raises the total number of plaintiffs to nearly 400.

The Bailey Glasser team also includes founding partner Brian A. Glasser; partner and Mass Tort Practice Group Leader David Selby; and lawyer Samira Bode. Levy Konigsberg serves as co-counsel for the plaintiffs.

To watch the full press conference, visit here.

To lean more information about this case and to see additional media coverage, visit here.

BG Lawyers Recognized in 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Civil Rights & Plaintiff Employment Lawyers List

Bailey Glasser partners Brian A. Glasser, Sharon F. Iskra, Cary Joshi, D. Todd Mathews, Gregory Y. Porter, and David L. Selby II were named to the 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Civil Rights & Plaintiff Employment Lawyers list.

As set forth by Lawdragon:
This is … our collection of the lawyers you need when you’ve suffered discrimination; sexual abuse at work or school; or mistreatment by law enforcement or others in positions of trust . . . . We all want a fair chance. These are the lawyers who’ve made that their lives’ work. So many rights we now take for granted – for minorities, women, the disabled and others – came about because of a plaintiff lawyer who decided to stand up. Similarly, one would have thought that in 2024, lawyers would not have been needed to litigate the right to be free from being killed or beaten by law enforcement. And yet, here we are. For those reasons and many more, it’s a particular point of pride to recognize those included here.
Congratulations to all lawyers recognized by Lawdragon in this important category.

For more, visit this link.

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