Wigdor LLP filed a lawsuit on behalf of Plaintiff Jane Doe, an assistant professor, against her employer St. Lawrence University and Ernesto Moralez, an assistant professor and co-chair of public health. As alleged in the Complaint, Ms. Doe told University officials that Moralez sexually assaulted and raped her when she went to his home to plan future courses that would satisfy degree requirements in both sociology and public health. April 12, 2022 was the first time Ms. Doe had met Moralez in person. As alleged, after he insisted that she “try” one of his mixed drinks when she said it was time for her to go home, over the next four hours Ms. Doe lost the ability to form words, control her body movements, and lost her memory other than finite flashbacks.
For the past year, St. Lawrence has failed to issue an investigative “finding” about what Moralez did but continues to employ Moralez and he is slated to teach a full course load in the fall of 2023, while forcing Ms. Doe to work as if the horrific alleged violence never happened, as alleged in the Complaint.
As alleged, St. Lawrence also failed to investigate reports that Moralez had engaged in prior alleged sexual misconduct before coming to St. Lawrence in 2020.
Statement from Jeanne Christensen, Partner at Wigdor LLP:
“No female employee should be forced to work for an employer who fails to protect her from sexual violence. We look forward to holding St. Lawrence responsible for its failure to protect our client from her horrific experience and its ongoing refusal to comply with the law and attempt to right this wrong.”
Press Coverage Below:
4.9.23 Adirondack Daily Enterprise