Abuse and assault · sexual abuse and assault

What happened to you matters, and you set the pace

Maybe it happened years ago and you have never told anyone. Maybe it was last month, and you're still deciding what, if anything, to do. There is no right way to feel and no schedule for being ready to talk, though a legal claim can have a deadline.

Your safety comes first. If you're in danger now, call 911. If you're in crisis, you can call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, at any hour. When you're ready, tell us as much or as little as you want.

Tell us what happened

This may be for you if

I was sexually abused as a child, and I am only now ready to think about it.
I was assaulted by someone I knew, and I want to understand my options outside a criminal case.
It happened at a school, church, youth program or sports club, and I think the people in charge knew.
Someone with power over me, such as a doctor, coach, teacher or boss, used it to abuse me.
It happened at a hotel, in a rideshare or in a building that should have been safer.

What we do, and what we do not

We do

A lawyer at our firm looks at your case, privately, and tells you straight what kind of help may fit.
You choose how we reach you: the form has space for safe-contact notes (which number is safe, when not to call), and we follow them.
When a firm that brings abuse cases where it happened is better placed to lead yours day to day, we choose that firm for you, from firms we have vetted for their expertise and track record, and we stay responsible for your case with them.

We do not

We don't contact anyone about your inquiry without your permission: not the person who hurt you, not the institution, not your family.
We don't push you to move faster than you want, or to go to the police first. A civil claim (a case you bring yourself, asking for money for the harm done) is separate from any criminal case.
We don't promise that your case will be taken on, or what it might be worth.

Two firms on your side, for the cost of one

When another firm leads your case, you have two law firms on your side, and it costs you no more than one firm would. The firm leading it day to day is one that brings abuse cases where it happened, and it's your first call for questions about the case. Our firm stays responsible for your case with them for as long as it lasts: we check in often, keep our own calendar of its deadlines, and we're who you write to if something doesn't feel right.

You decide whether to go ahead, and nothing happens until you say yes. You're always free to say no.

How it works, step by step How fees work, and how they are shared

Problems we often hear about

Sexual abuse and assault
Abuse as a child or as an adult, recent or long ago, by someone you knew or a stranger.
When an institution failed to protect you
Schools, churches, camps, youth programs, care homes and employers that ignored the warning signs.

What helps to have ready

None of this is required, and you never need to describe what happened in detail.
Roughly when and where it happened, even just the season or the year.
The name of any school, church, program, employer or business involved.
The name of the person who hurt you, only if you feel able.
Who you told or reported it to at the time, if anyone.
The safest way and time to reach you.

What to have ready before you talk to a lawyer
A short, practical list you can use for any kind of problem.

Questions people ask

It happened a long time ago. Is it too late?

Maybe not. Several states have given survivors more time, especially for childhood abuse, and some start the clock only when a person understood the harm. It depends on the state and the facts, and a lawyer checks it first.

Will the person who hurt me find out that I contacted you?

Not from us. We treat your inquiry as confidential. If a case goes forward, the people it is brought against are told then, and your lawyer will talk with you about privacy, including using initials or another name, which some courts allow.

Someone at home checks my phone. How can I reach you safely?

Use a device they can't get into, such as a trusted friend's phone or a library computer, or a private browser window, and tell us in the safe-contact notes how to reach you.

What does it cost?

It costs nothing to ask. Abuse cases are usually handled on a contingency fee: the fee is a share of any recovery, and nothing is owed if there's none.

Excessive force, false arrest and abuse in custody
If the person who hurt you was a police officer or a jail or prison guard.
Treated unfairly at work
If it happened at work, or you were pushed out after reporting it.
Harm from medical care
If it happened during medical care.

This page explains things in general terms. It is not legal advice about your situation, and the law differs from state to state.