Name Jeff Herman | ||
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Sex abuse attorney jeff herman discusses sandusky verdict on msnbc
Jeffrey "Jeff" Herman (born 1959) is an American trial lawyer who specializes in representing victims of sexual abuse. He is most noted for exposing the clergy sexual abuse scandal in the Archdiocese of Miami and the Archdiocese of Denver. Herman is also noted for his landmark $100 million verdict on behalf of a client who was sexually abused by Rev. Neil Doherty, one of the largest verdicts ever against an individual priest.
Contents
- Sex abuse attorney jeff herman discusses sandusky verdict on msnbc
- Jeff herman sexual abuse clergy abuse attorney
- Legal career
- Selected cases
- Recognition
- Personal life
- Television appearances
- References
Said to be driven by his commitment to break the silence on child sexual abuse, Jeff consistently represents alleged victims of abuse. For over a decade, Herman has made national headlines exposing sexual predators and the institutions that protect them. He has been featured in The New York Times, USA Today, Forbes, People, and New York magazine and is a contributor to The O'Reilly Factor, MSNBC, and CNN. Herman has been recognized for his unique child forensic interviewing technique and he trains professionals from various child welfare organizations on how to help sexually abused children heal through disclosure.
While on MSNBC discussing the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal, Herman coined the term "pedophile speak", describing the way pedophiles talk about and justify abusing children. While discussing the sexual abuse lawsuits he filed against Kevin Clash, Herman told The Baltimore Sun it has been his goal to "listen to sexual abuse victims and give them a voice." In an op-ed piece for Reuters about bringing down powerful men accused of rape, Herman said the role of the internet in sexual abuse cases is changing and it can play a positive, equalizing role enabling victims to come forward and speak up in support of others. Herman is the founding and managing partner of Herman Law.
According to the Miami New Times, "Herman is the country's leading attorney when it comes to handling high-profile sexual abuse lawsuits."
Jeff herman sexual abuse clergy abuse attorney
Legal career
Herman earned his Juris Doctorate in 1985 from Case Western Reserve University School of Law and began practicing in Florida later that year. He had a successful practice as a commercial litigator before shifting exclusively to sexual abuse cases. Herman credited the shift to a search for meaning that has been fulfilled by seeking justice for victims of abuse.
Herman first gained national attention by representing victims of clergy sexual abuse in over 100 cases against the Archdiocese of Miami. In 2003, he represented the victim in the first sexual abuse lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Miami allowed to go to trial. For years, the Catholic Church was able to have sexual abuse cases dismissed on statute of limitations technicalities. Herman became one of the first attorneys to successfully defeat this strategy- arguing that the archdiocese committed fraud by keeping a priest's sexual abuse history secret.
In 2011, Herman won a $100 million verdict for a victim of Father Neil Doherty, a priest of the Archdiocese of Miami accused of drugging and raping church youths. The result was the nation's largest jury verdict for a sexual abuse case in 2011 and one of the year's top 20 verdicts overall. In 2014, Herman won a $5.25 million verdict for a boy in a sexual abuse lawsuit against Charter Schools USA. The verdict is believed to be among the highest ever in a charter school sexual abuse case.
Selected cases
Recognition
In 2013, Jeff Herman was named "Child Advocate of the Year" by KidSafe Foundation during their 4th Annual Fundraiser.
Herman is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi Million Dollar Advocates Forum. He has been referred to in the media as the "Dark Knight", fighting for the most vulnerable victims. Herman has also been referred to as the "legal eagle" and the "Go-To-Guy" for sexual abuse lawsuits.
Personal life
Herman is a practicing Jew and father of four. He grew up in Youngstown, Ohio before attending the University of Arizona. He went on to Case Western Reserve University School of Law, earning his Juris Doctorate in 1985 while serving as the Editor of the Journal of International Law.
In 2008, The Miami Herald profiled Herman and reported on his greatest weakness: red meat. He has a favorite steakhouse in every city, never deviating from his order of a medium rare New York strip and a side salad. Herman is also an avid collector of wine and single malt scotch.