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Case Notes
Berkeley Law Dean Sued for Sexual Harassment
The dean of the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law has been sued for sexual harassment by his former executive assistant.
The suit, filed in California state court on March 8, claims that dean Sujit Choudhry inappropriately touched and kissed Tyann Sorrell, who had worked as his assistant from July 2014 until March 2015, when she took a leave from the school. Choudhry will take an indefinite leave of absence, “stepping down to his faculty position and salary,” Berkeley's executive vice chancellor and provost Claude Steele announced.
Sorrell alleges that several law school administrators knew about the harassment, but failed to intervene or report it. In addition to Choudhry, the suit names the University of California regents as defendants. According to the complaint, the university's Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination conducted an investigation of Choudhry's conduct after Sorrell complained, and found that the dean had violated the university's sexual harassment policy. Steele's statement released on March 9 said that following an investigation, his office reduced Choudhry's pay by 10% for one year, required him to write Sorrell a letter of apology and required him to get counseling at his own expense.
Sorrell alleges that the harassment “interfered with her emotional well-being and ability to perform her duties.” The complaint adds, “The unlawful harassment was sufficiently severe and/or pervasive as to materially alter Plaintiff's conditions of employment, and to create an abusive working environment.”
Sorrell is claiming retaliation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, assault, and battery, among other claims. She seeks general, special and punitive damages. ' Karen Sloan, The National Law Journal
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