Michael Dowd Can Help You Obtain Justice
The number of people sexually abused by priests, rabbis, other clergy members, scoutmasters, teachers, coaches and youth leaders is staggering. But tragically, most victims of sexual abuse are too embarrassed, ashamed and confused to seek the legal help they deserve. A further problem facing victims is that the representation of a sexual abuse survivor requires that the attorney possess the necessary experience and understanding of the problem of child sexual abuse.
Michael Dowd’s Experience in Representing Victims of Sexual Abuse
Several years before the Boston Globe exposed the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church, Michael was fighting for victims of sexual abuse in New York. Michael had what is believed to be the first sexual abuse case ever go to trial against the powerful Archdiocese of New York. In the 1999 trial, Michael represented a boy who had been sexually abused by his elementary school principal in the Bronx. Just three days into the trial, the case was settled.
- NEW YORK TIMES – Sex-Abuse Lawsuit Names Ex-Teacher and Archdiocese
- DAILY NEWS – Archdiocese Settles Teacher Sex-Abuse Case
- DAILY NEWS – Student Says Ex-Nun Forced Sex On Him
Michael’s work on behalf of sexual abuse victims does not stop with representing Catholic Church abuse survivors. He has also represented a wide range of New York abuse victims including victims of boy scout sexual abuse. In 2001, years before the issue of Boy Scout abuse gained national attention, Michael represented a scout who was sexually abused by his Scoutmaster.
- NEW YORK POST – Former Leader Of Troop 666 Is Charged – Boy Scout Sex-Abuse Outrage
- NEW YORK TIMES – Scout Leader Is Charged In Sex Abuse Of Teenager
After the Globe Spotlight series exposed the sexual abuse scandal in the Boston Archdiocese, lawsuits were filed against Dioceses around the nation. Because of his reputation and track record representing sexual abuse victims, many victims of Catholic clergy abuse sought Michael’s assistance. Michael filed several multi-plaintiff lawsuits between 2002 and 2003 against the Brooklyn Diocese, the Rockville Centre Diocese and the New York Archdiocese. At the time, to the best of Michael’s knowledge, no other lawyer filed a similar number of lawsuits against all three New York metropolitan area dioceses.
- NEW YORK TIMES – 2 Sexual Abuse Lawsuits Filed Against L.I. Diocese
- QUEENS CHRONICLE – Diocese Sued For $300 Million; Sex Abuse Alleged In Queens
- NEW YORK POST – $300 mil Lawsuit vs. B’Klyn Clerics
- DAILY NEWS – Diocese Hit In Sex Abuse – 23 seek $100M in suit vs. L.I. clergy
- DAILY PRESS – 43 File Suit Accusing Diocese of Coverups
Around the same time that Mike filed these large multi-plaintiff cases against area dioceses, Mike also represented a teenage boy who was sexually abused by Reverend Michael Hands of the Diocese of Rockville Centre.
- DAILY NEWS – New L.I. Priest Shocker Convicted Rev. Says Monsignor Paid to Hush Up Abuse
- NEW YORK TIMES – Long Island Priest Admits Sodomizing a Teenage Boy
In 2007, Michael sued the Diocese of Rockville Centre again. This time a jury rendered an 11.45 million dollar verdict on behalf of two sexually abused plaintiffs. According to the New York Times, it was one of the largest verdicts ever entered against a Roman Catholic diocese and stands as the largest jury verdict against the Catholic Church in New York state.
- NEW YORK POST – Pastor Lied On Stand: Sex Victims
- FOX NEWS – N.Y. Diocese Loses $11.45 Million Sex Abuse Lawsuit
- NEW YORK TIMES – 2 Raped By Minister Are Awarded $11.45 Million
Mike Dowd has also been an advocate for parishioners who seek to hold their religious institutions accountable. In 2013 he represented Sam Kellner, an Orthodox Jew, who reported his son’s sexual abuse to and was in essence punished for it. Ironically, a criminal case was ultimately brought against him. Michael and his associate represented Kellner in that case and the charges were dismissed.
- NEW YORK JEWISH WEEK – Abuse Whistleblower Battling Both Haredi Community, DA
- SURVIVORS FOR JUSTICE – DA Drops Whistleblower Action in Cantor Sex Abuse Case
In 2015 Michael sued the Rockville Centre Diocese and the Vincentian Order. This time his client was a seven-year old-girl who had been sexually molested by Rev. Augusto Cortez in 2014. Cortez had previously been convicted in 2009 of molesting a female student at a Brooklyn Catholic School. He molested Michael’s client when he was still on probation for the 2009 conviction. That case was resolved in 2018.
- 27 EAST – Family Files Suit Against Diocese For Failing To Protect Daughter From Defrocked Hampton Bays Priest
- NEW YORK TIMES – Long Island Family Sues Catholic Order and Diocese in Molestation Case
In March of 2017, Michael obtained what the Daily News termed, “a historic 20 million dollar jury award” in Connecticut involving a woman who had been sexually abused by her father.
Michael’s most recent sexual abuse case was just filed in October of 2018 against the Rockville Centre Diocese. The case involves a 15 year -old girl who was sexually abused by the music minster, Efrain Villafane at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Villafane pled guilty to third-degree rape in 2017. The case is now just in its early stages.
CALL MICHAEL DOWD TODAY
The effects of childhood sexual abuse don’t disappear with time. For victims, the effects are forever, and the consequences don’t just hurt victims, but their families and loved ones as well. Survivors of sexual abuse deserve help now, and Michael Dowd can help. For a free consultation, contact Michael today.
