Kasowitz Defeats Harvard's Motion To Dismiss Civil Rights Lawsuit to Stop Campus Antisemitism

NEW YORK, Aug. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Kasowitz Benson Torres, on behalf of Jewish students at Harvard University and non-profit membership organization Students Against Antisemitism, Inc., has defeated Harvard's motion to dismiss their claims for violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and breach of contract arising from the antisemitic hostile educational environment generated by Harvard's deliberate indifference to harassment and discrimination against Jewish students by pro-Hamas demonstrators on its campus. Plaintiffs' claims now proceed to discovery.

In denying the motion, Judge Richard G. Stearns, U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts, ruled that the complaint documents "Harvard's failure to address what former President Gay and Interim President Garber repeatedly publicly recognized as an eruption of antisemitism on the Harvard Campus," including Harvard's failure to comply with its Title VI obligations and its contractual promises to protect Jewish students against harassment and discrimination.  

Marc E. Kasowitz stated: "We are gratified that the Court has upheld our clients' civil rights claims against Harvard, finding that the 'facts as pled show that Harvard failed its Jewish students' and that Harvard's 'virtuous public declarations…proved hollow when it came to taking disciplinary measures against offending students and faculty.'  We intend to continue to take all necessary and appropriate steps to protect Harvard's Jewish students, the first step being discovery of Harvard's internal files and communications to prove the full nature and extent of Harvard's failures."

The Kasowitz Benson Torres team representing the students is led by partners Marc E. Kasowitz, Daniel R. Benson, Mark P. Ressler, Andrew L. Schwartz, and Joshua E. Roberts, and includes associates Andrew C. Bernstein, Jillian R. Roffer, Emily Lowe, William Wolfe Taub, Zachary N. Josephs, Brittany F. Alzfan, Yarden N. Hodes, Erin Ringel, Paulina Flores Elizondo, and Alfredo J. Fernández Torres.

About Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP
Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP is a leading national law firm with a core focus on commercial litigation, complemented by exceptionally strong bankruptcy/restructuring, employment, and real estate transactional practices.  Kasowitz is known for its creative, aggressive litigators and willingness to take on tough cases.  The firm has extensive trial experience and is always trial-ready, representing both plaintiffs and defendants in every area of litigation.  Kasowitz is committed to pursuing aggressive and innovative approaches to its clients' most challenging legal matters.  Headquartered in New York City, the firm also has offices in Atlanta, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, San Francisco, Silicon Valley and Washington, DC. For more information, please visit www.kasowitz.com.

Press Contact: Shannon O'Reilly, [email protected] 

SOURCE Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP