Types of Cases

What Sexual Abuse Cases Do You Handle?

We generally focus our experience and resources on helping survivors of childhood sexual abuse because we have a substantial amount of experience in this area.  Although we have generally decided to help abuse survivors, please do not hesitate to contact us if you have experienced some other form of sexual abuse or harassment.  Even if we are not able to take your case we can usually point you in the direction of someone who can.

What Type of Experience Do You Have?

In Illinois, we represent people with claims against a large number of institutions, including the Boy Scouts of America, the Archdiocese of Chicago, other Catholic entities, such as the Diocese of Joliet, Catholic Charities, the Congregation of Christian Brothers, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, and the Mormon Church.

But our experience is not limited to Illinois.  While the attorneys of Hurley McKenna & Mertz are located in Chicago and have helped many Illinois abuse survivors, our team of sexual abuse attorneys have represented hundreds of abuse survivors across the country.  We believe this unique combination provides our clients with the twin benefits of local counsel and national experience.

What Are Some of Your Current Illinois Cases?

Archdiocese of Chicago and Diocese of Joliet

In 2006, the Archdiocese of Chicago released a long list of priests who it identified as alleged abusers:  “The following Archdiocesan priests are no longer in public ministry because an allegation of sexual misconduct with a minor has been substantiated. The list includes priests against whom there have been substantiated allegations since 1950.”  That same year, the Diocese of Joliet also released a similar list of priests accused of sexual misconduct with children.  You can read the list of 22 priests with substantiated allegations of sexually abusing minors by clicking here.  (Please note:  these lists were released in 2006 and may no longer be current.)

We represent a number of people who have claims for sexual abuse against the Archdiocese of Chicago and the Diocese of Joliet.  Some of our clients were abused by priests at parishes, while others were abused while attending an Archdiocesan or Diocesan school, like Leo High School.

If you survived abuse by a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago or Diocese of Joliet, or were abused at one of their schools, please contact us so you can learn your options.

Boy Scouts of America and Chicago Area Council

We represent a number of men who were abused as children by Scout leaders and volunteers.  Although we have handled a number of these cases over the years, many survivors have come forward in the past few months after the public release of thousands of the “perversion files” of the Boy Scouts.

Most recently, we filed a lawsuit against the Boy Scouts of America and the Chicago Area Council on behalf of one of dozens of men who were abused by Thomas Hacker, a former Scout leader and volunteer in the Chicago area.  You can read the lawsuit against the Boy Scouts by clicking here.

If you survived abuse while in Scouting, please contact one of our sexual abuse attorneys to learn your options.

Christian Brothers Bankruptcy

Two corporations of the Congregation of Christian Brothers filed for bankruptcy in April 2011, including a corporation based in Illinois.  The bankruptcy involves a number of Illinois schools, including Leo High School, St. Laurence High School, and Brother Rice High School.  We currently represent men who survived sexual abuse at each of those schools, as well as O’Dea High School, Briscoe Memorial School, and other Christian Brothers schools.

If you survived abuse by a Christian Brother or at a Christian Brother school, there is a bankruptcy court order that requires you to file a claim by August 1, 2012, for sexual abuse, and by May 11, 2012, for all other types of claims.  Learn more about the Christian Brothers deadlines.

How Do I Contact You?

Please visit our Contact Us page to learn the different ways you can talk to us by email, phone, or in-person.  While we have offices in Chicago, Seattle, and Spokane, we can meet with you wherever you live.

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