
Our Nationwide Cases
Simply put, no other firm comes close to matching the success we have obtained for our clients in state and federal courts across the country. This list does not represent all cases that the firm manages or handles.
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View Case Details: Adam Oakes Case
Adam Oakes Case
Case Details Who: Adam Oakes, a 19-year-old freshman, died as a result of a Big Brother fraternity ritual that was part of the required initiation, admission, and affiliation process to…
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View Case Details: Alex Beletsis Hazing Death
Alex Beletsis Hazing Death
Case Details Who: Daphne Beletsis and Yvonne Rainey, the parents of the deceased University of California, Santa Cruz student Alex Beletsis, filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Santa Cruz County, California,…
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View Case Details: Butler Varsity Soccer Players Sexual Assault
Butler Varsity Soccer Players Sexual Assault
Case Details Who: The plaintiffs are four women’s soccer players at Butler University. The lawsuit names former assistant athletic trainer Michael Howell and senior associate athletic director Reiff, who was…
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View Case Details: Caleb Wilson Hazing-Related Death
Caleb Wilson Hazing-Related Death
Case Details Caleb Jayden Wilson was a 20-year-old junior at Southern University and A&M College and a member of the university’s marching band. The wrongful death lawsuit names Omega Psi…
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View Case Details: Carson Starkey Hazing Death Case
Carson Starkey Hazing Death Case
Case Details – California Superior Court, San Luis Obispo County, Case No. CV 09 0534 Who: This case arose from the death of Carson Starkey, a student at California Polytechnic…
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View Case Details: Ex-MLB Player Chad Curtis Sexual Assault Case
Ex-MLB Player Chad Curtis Sexual Assault Case
Case Details Chad Curtis — Former Major League Baseball outfielder (played 1992–2001 with six MLB teams including the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers). Curtis was convicted of sexually assaulting…
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View Case Details: Gary L. DeVercelly Jr. Hazing Death
Gary L. DeVercelly Jr. Hazing Death
Case Details Who: The case involved Gary L. DeVercelly Jr., an 18-year-old freshman at Rider University, who died following a fraternity initiation ritual. Our firm represented Gary’s family and estate…
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View Case Details: George Desdunes Fraternity Hazing Death
George Desdunes Fraternity Hazing Death
Case Details Who: George was a student at Cornell University who aspired to become a surgeon, inspired by his godfather. The wrongful death lawsuit was brought by George’s mother, Marie…
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View Case Details: Hims Wrongful Death Lawsuit
Hims Wrongful Death Lawsuit
Case Details Who: The parents of Luke Tyler, the Washington State University (WSU) freshman who was found dead in his dorm room on January 22, 2023, filed a wrongful death…
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View Case Details: Joshua Mardis Hazing Death
Joshua Mardis Hazing Death
Case Details Who: Joshua Daniel Mardis was a college sophomore and participant in a fraternity rush event. What Happened: On February 2, 2023, Joshua Mardis participated in a fraternity rush…
Other Notable Cases
Cal State Sorority Hazing Wrongful Death Case
The fraternity, sorority and members who hazed Bea, and covered-up their misconduct afterwards, were held responsible in civil litigation filed by the family. The family received multiple substantial financial settlements and prevented such organizations and individuals from evading responsibility for the death of their beloved daughter, sister and family member.
Arizona State Hazing Wrongful Death Case
The fraternity and its members sought to portray the death of Jack as being his fault. In fact, litigation disclosed that he had been hazed as part of his effort to join the fraternity and that fraternity members left him entirely unsupervised and in danger after their actions had caused him to become grossly intoxicated. The abuse and misuse of alcohol is rampant in fraternity initiation activities. The family revealed the truth, obtained justice, and held individuals and the fraternity respnsible for his death responsible.
Cal State Fraternity Hazing Death Case
Philip died as a result of hazing, though fraternity members coordinated their stories to deny that hazing precipitated and caued his death. The national fraternity argued that it had no legal responsibility in California for the alleged acts of misconduct by chapter members. That argument was defeated, as were the denials of responsbility by members. The case ultiimately settled for a substantial amount and added to the legal precedent in California ruling that national fraternities faced legal liability for failing to stop its members and chapters from hazing.
Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity Hazing Death
Death of a young man following a fraternity-related event connected to Tau Kappa Epsilon in Fairfax County, Virginia. The estate filed a wrongful death action against the fraternity and individual defendants alleging negligence related to fraternity activities.
Sexual Assault at Psi Upsilon Fraternity at Wesleyan University
Cabri Chamberlain filed suit against a fraternity, the perpetrator, and other fraternity members after she was raped in a common area of the fraternity house during a fraternity-sponsored party. The defendants claimed she had consented and sought dismissal, which the court denied. Facing trial, the defendants abandoned those arguments and settled for a confidential, substantial amount. Cabri continued her education on her own terms after holding those responsible accountable.
University of Delaware Fraternity Hazing Death
Brett was a beloved son and brother who died during his freshman year while attempting to comply with longstanding fraternity hazing rituals. He was drawn to the fraternity by its promised social, educational, and professional benefits, but neither the University nor the fraternity disclosed the chapter’s well-known history of hazing and misconduct. Discovery revealed the extent of that misconduct and the University’s knowledge of it. The case resulted in substantial settlements, including reforms by both the University and the fraternity to improve student safety.
University of Louisiana Hazing Related Death
Rustam Nizamutdinov, a 24-year-old international student at the University of Louisiana–Lafayette, was killed on November 6, 2016, when a sleep-deprived Kappa Sigma pledge fell asleep at the wheel during fraternity “Hell Week” and struck him as he walked along the roadside. The driver attributed the crash to hazing that required pledges to remain awake for days and serve as designated drivers, resulting in multiple accidents that weekend. The case settled for an undisclosed amount.
SUNY Geneseo Hazing Wrongful Death Case
Arman Partamian, a 19-year-old biology sophomore at SUNY Geneseo, died on March 1, 2009, after being required to drink excessively over two days to gain membership in the off-campus Orange Knights / PIGS fraternity, which had previously been banned from campus. His blood-alcohol level was 0.55. The case settled for an undisclosed amount.
Washington Navy Yard Shooting
We represented a victim of the September 16, 2013 mass shooting at the Washington Navy Yard, where Aaron Alexis killed 12 people and injured three others at the Naval Sea Systems Command headquarters. The case settled for a substantial, undisclosed amount.
Ohio State University Hazing Wrongful Death Case
Collin, an Ohio University student pledging Sigma Pi, was subjected to escalating hazing that included forced labor, physical violence, substance abuse, and activities that interfered with his education. On November 12, 2018, Collin inhaled nitrous oxide during the pledging process and went into respiratory distress. A fraternity member delayed calling 911 for nine minutes while seeking guidance from the chapter president. Collin died at a local hospital later that morning. The case remains ongoing.


