Lawsuits
Trump Takes Aim at Harvard’s Go-To Law Firm WilmerHale
A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s Thursday order that sought to block WilmerHale — a firm that has represented Harvard in several high-profile lawsuits — from government business.
GOP Rep. Targets Federal Judge, Harvard Overseer Theodore Chuang ’91 for Impeachment
Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) filed impeachment articles against United States District Court Judge Theodore D. Chuang ’91 — a member of Harvard’s Board of Overseers, the University second-highest governing body — on Monday.
Kestenbaum Files Opposition to Harvard’s Request for Documents
Harvard Divinity School graduate Alexander “Shabbos” Kestenbaum, the lead plaintiff in an ongoing Title VI lawsuit against Harvard, filed opposition to Harvard’s motion to compel him to produce documents relating to the case, claiming Harvard’s argument is “baseless.”
As Antisemitism Lawsuit Drags On, Harvard Demands Kestenbaum’s Messages With Politicians
Harvard filed a motion on Friday to compel Harvard Divinity School graduate Alexander “Shabbos” Kestenbaum, the lead plaintiff in an ongoing Title VI lawsuit, to turn over communications with politicians and messages from the “Harvard Pro-Israel WhatsApp group.”
How City Councilor Paul Toner Fought To Keep Hearings in Brothel Case Private
Cambridge City Councilor Paul F. Toner — who faces charges for allegedly patronizing a Cambridge brothel network — spent nearly a year trying to prevent his name from surfacing in the case prior to his arraignment.
Harvard AAUP Sues Trump Administration Over Attempts To Deport Pro-Palestine Students, Faculty
The Harvard chapter of the American Association of University Professors filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Tuesday morning for allegedly violating its members’ First Amendment rights by arresting and attempting to deport noncitizens for expressing pro-Palestine views.
Harvard Requested Kestenbaum Delete X Post Denouncing DEI Officer
Harvard requested Harvard Divinity School graduate Alexander “Shabbos” Kestenbaum remove a critical social media post about Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Sherri A. Charleston.
2 Months After Settlement, Kestenbaum Seeks To File Amended Antisemitism Complaint Against Harvard
Alexander “Shabbos” Kestenbaum and two unnamed plaintiffs asked on Thursday to file an amended complaint against Harvard in federal court, seeking to continue their lawsuit alleging Harvard failed to fight antisemitism.
Court Recommends Letting Ex-Hockey Coach Katey Stone’s Discrimination Lawsuit Move Forward
A federal magistrate judge recommended on Wednesday that the district judge assigned to former Harvard hockey coach Katey Stone’s lawsuit against the University allow most of Stone’s claims to proceed, despite Harvard’s motion to dismiss them.
Former HUPD Lieutenant Sues Harvard, Police Chief For Age Discrimination
A former Harvard University Police Department officer is suing the University for “discrimination based on age,” according to a lawsuit filed in federal court last week.
Two Harvard Medical School Professors Sue Trump Admin for Removing Research That Mentioned LGBTQ Health
Two Harvard Medical School professors sued the Trump administration Wednesday afternoon for removing their research from a government-run website for including terms recently banned by the administration, alleging the removals violated their First Amendment rights and the Administrative Procedure Act.
Tamara Lanier Decries University’s Refusal To Turn Over Daguerreotypes in Book Talk
Tamara K. Lanier, who is suing Harvard for emotional distress over its possession of daguerreotypes of her enslaved ancestors, repeated her demand for Harvard to return the photographs and admonished the University for allegedly failing to reckon with its legacy of slavery at a Tuesday talk.
Federal Judge Theodore Chuang, a Harvard Overseer, Questions Trump’s DOGE at Hearing
Federal judge Theodore D. Chuang ’91 — a member of the Harvard Board of Overseers, the University’s second-highest governing body — showed sympathy on Friday for key claims in a case challenging the constitutionality of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency.
Family of MIT Cyclist Killed in Collision Sues Truck Driver, Employer Over Negligence and Wrongful Death
The family of a Cambridge cyclist who was killed in a collision with a truck last June is suing the truck driver and his employer for more than $30 million, alleging negligence and wrongful death.
Judge Dismisses Lawsuit by Harvard Alumni Who Alleged Antisemitism Devalued Their Degrees
A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit brought by 10 Harvard alumni who alleged “rampant” antisemitism on campus after Oct. 7, 2023, had devalued their degrees, ruling that the plaintiffs lacked standing.
Federal Judge Hits Pause on Trump’s Push to Halt Federal Funding for DEI Programs
A federal judge temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s push to halt federal funding for programs promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in a ruling Friday afternoon, granting a reprieve to Harvard researchers who feared their work was on the line.
Harvard, 10x Genomics Settle Patent Dispute With Vizgen
Biotechnology company 10x Genomics and Harvard University reached a Feb. 6 settlement in a patent lawsuit that they jointly filed against Vizgen Inc. in 2022.
Law Firm Withdraws From Representing HBS Prof. Gino in Suit Against Harvard
Harvard Business School professor Francesca Gino is no longer represented by Title IX law firm Nesenoff & Miltenberg after four attorneys from the firm withdrew from her discrimination case against Harvard on Thursday.
CPD Sergeant James Crowley Sues The Crimson for Defamation
James Crowley, a sergeant with the Cambridge Police Department, sued The Harvard Crimson in Massachusetts Superior Court on Feb. 3 over a November 2024 article in The Crimson, alleging the article defamed Crowley.
HBS Professor Gino Makes Changes to Legal Counsel in Discrimination Suit
Harvard Business School professor Francesca Gino has expanded her legal representation to include lawyers from employment firm Hartley Michon Robb Hannon LLP in an ongoing discrimination lawsuit filed against Harvard in 2023.
Cambridge Biopharma Firm Sage Therapeutics Sues Partner Biogen After Buyout Offer
Cambridge-based biopharmaceutical company Sage Therapeutics filed a lawsuit against their partner, the biotechnology company Biogen, after rejecting their $469 million buy-out proposal late last month.
Harvard Submits Declaration Alongside Lawsuit by 13 Colleges Over NIH Order, Calls Funding Caps ‘Disastrous’
Harvard’s top research officer submitted a declaration alongside a lawsuit filed on Monday by 13 United States universities — not including Harvard — over the Trump administration’s order to limit funding for indirect research costs.
HMS Wrongful Termination Lawsuit Moved To Federal Court
Harvard filed a notice of removal last week in a wrongful termination lawsuit filed by former Harvard Medical School affiliate James D. Wines Jr. — moving the case to a federal district court.
Graduate School of Education Lecturer Sues Harvard Over Monthly Payments
Harvard Graduate School of Education adjunct lecturer Kimm Topping filed a class-action lawsuit against Harvard in January, alleging the University paid them less frequently than required by Massachusetts law.
Chabad, Cambridge Board of Zoning Appeals Schedule Mediation Resolution Hearing
The long-running legal dispute between Harvard Chabad and the Cambridge Board of Zoning Appeal has entered a new phase as both parties prepare for an alternative dispute resolution hearing scheduled for Feb. 12.