Sex Abuse Litigation

Survivors' attorneys behind major outcomes

Profiles of 10 lawyers who represented survivors in the largest institutional sexual abuse cases in this index, with the settlements and verdicts that news reporting credits to them.

How this list works. Lawyers are listed alphabetically, not ranked. Each outcome is included only when published reporting names the lawyer or their firm as counsel for survivors, and each links to that reporting. Most large settlements were negotiated by several firms together and shared among many survivors, so a dollar figure is the total for the case, not what one lawyer won or was paid. Past results do not predict future outcomes. No one paid to be included. This site is not a law firm, does not give legal advice and does not endorse or refer to any lawyer. To find an attorney, contact your state bar's lawyer referral service, or read our guide to finding a lawyer.

Gloria Allred

Allred, Maroko & Goldberg · Los Angeles, California

Women's rights attorney who has represented accusers in many of the highest-profile sexual misconduct cases of the past four decades.

Documented outcomes

  1. 2014
    University of Connecticut: About $1.29 million to settle a Title IX suit by five students over the university's handling of their sexual assault reports.
    Counsel for the students. Reported by CT Mirror
  2. 2022
    Bill Cosby: Civil jury found Cosby sexually abused a teenager in 1975 and awarded $500,000 in compensatory damages.
    Counsel for the plaintiff, with partner Nathan Goldberg as trial attorney. Reported by Court TV (Associated Press)

Bill Cosby

Jeff Anderson

Jeff Anderson & Associates · St. Paul, Minnesota

Began suing the Catholic Church over clergy abuse in the 1980s and has since represented survivors in diocese cases and bankruptcies across the country.

Documented outcomes

  1. 2018
    Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis: $210 million bankruptcy settlement for about 450 survivors.
    Survivors' attorney. Reported by MPR News
  2. 2019
    Diocese of New Ulm: $34 million settlement with 93 claimants.
    Represented many of the survivors. Reported by WCCO (CBS Minnesota)

Catholic Church abuse crisis (United States)

Anthony T. DiPietro

The DiPietro Law Firm · New York, New York

Represented most of the former patients who sued Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian over gynecologist Robert Hadden. Columbia's Hadden payouts now total more than $1 billion.

Documented outcomes

  1. 2022
    Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian: $165 million settlement with 147 former Hadden patients.
    Attorney for the patients. Reported by CBS News
  2. 2025
    Columbia University: $750 million settlement with 576 former Hadden patients.
    Handled most of the Columbia claims. Reported by ProPublica

Columbia University and Dr. Robert Hadden

Brad Edwards

Edwards Henderson (formerly Edwards Pottinger) · Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Has represented Jeffrey Epstein's accusers since 2008, including in suits against the banks that served Epstein. Epstein sued him in 2009 and in 2018 publicly apologized and withdrew his claims.

Documented outcomes

  1. 2023
    Deutsche Bank: $75 million class settlement with Epstein survivors.
    Co-counsel with Boies Schiller Flexner. Reported by NPR
  2. 2023
    JPMorgan Chase: $290 million class settlement with Epstein survivors.
    Co-counsel with Boies Schiller Flexner. Reported by NBC News
  3. 2026
    Bank of America: $72.5 million settlement with Epstein accusers.
    Co-counsel with David Boies. Reported by Malay Mail (Reuters)

Jeffrey Epstein

Mitchell Garabedian

Law Office of Mitchell Garabedian · Boston, Massachusetts

Represented clergy abuse survivors in Boston before and after the 2002 Boston Globe Spotlight investigation, and has continued to bring and settle claims against the archdiocese and religious orders.

Documented outcomes

  1. 2002
    Archdiocese of Boston: $10 million settlement with 86 people who said they were abused by priest John Geoghan.
    Plaintiffs' attorney. Reported by CNN
  2. 2003
    Archdiocese of Boston: $85 million global settlement covering 552 claimants.
    One of several survivors' firms; represented about 120 claimants. Reported by The Boston Globe

Catholic Church abuse crisis (United States)

John C. Manly

Manly, Stewart & Finaldi · Irvine, California

Lead or co-lead counsel in several of the largest institutional abuse settlements in U.S. history, including the cases over Larry Nassar and USC gynecologist George Tyndall.

Documented outcomes

  1. 2018
    Michigan State University: $500 million settlement with 332 people abused by Larry Nassar.
    Lead attorney for the survivors. Reported by NBC San Diego (Associated Press)
  2. 2021
    University of Southern California: $852 million global settlement over George Tyndall.
    One of several firms; represented 234 plaintiffs. Reported by NBC Los Angeles
  3. 2021
    USA Gymnastics and U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee: $380 million settlement with Nassar survivors.
    One of several firms; represented dozens of the women. Reported by MPR News
  4. 2024
    U.S. Justice Department (FBI): $138.7 million settlement of 139 claims over the FBI's handling of the Nassar allegations.
    One of the lead attorneys. Reported by ClickOnDetroit (Associated Press)

Larry Nassar, USA Gymnastics and Michigan State USC and Dr. George Tyndall

Annika K. Martin

Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein · New York, New York

Class action lawyer who co-led the federal class case for former USC student patients of gynecologist George Tyndall.

Documented outcomes

  1. 2020
    University of Southern California: $215 million federal class settlement for Tyndall's former patients, given final approval in February 2020.
    One of the lead class counsel. Reported by Daily Trojan

USC and Dr. George Tyndall

Sigrid McCawley

Boies Schiller Flexner · Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and New York

Managing partner at Boies Schiller Flexner who has represented Epstein survivors, including in the class actions against the banks that served him.

Documented outcomes

  1. 2023
    JPMorgan Chase: $290 million class settlement with Epstein survivors.
    Victims' attorney, with David Boies and co-counsel. Reported by NBC News
  2. 2023
    Deutsche Bank: $75 million class settlement with Epstein survivors.
    Her firm was class counsel with Edwards Pottinger. Reported by NPR

Jeffrey Epstein

Ken Rothweiler

Eisenberg, Rothweiler, Winkler, Eisenberg & Jeck · Pennsylvania

Mass tort lawyer whose firm represented more than 16,000 people who said they were abused in Scouting.

Documented outcomes

  1. 2021
    Boy Scouts of America: $850 million settlement with the BSA and local councils, later folded into the $2.46 billion reorganization plan confirmed in 2022.
    One of three lead negotiators for survivors. Reported by NHPR (NPR)

Boy Scouts of America

Parker Stinar

Stinar Lannen (formerly Stinar Gould Grieco & Hensley) · Birmingham, Michigan

Represented former University of Michigan athletes and students who said they were abused by team doctor Robert Anderson.

Documented outcomes

  1. 2022
    University of Michigan: $490 million settlement with 1,050 people who said Robert Anderson abused them.
    One of several survivors' attorneys. Reported by CBS Detroit

University of Michigan and Dr. Robert Anderson

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