Attorneys Courtney Abrams, Andrew Friedman, and David M. deRubertis secured a $6 million jury verdict for Dr. Anissa Rogers, a former Associate Dean at California State University, San Bernardino.
Dr. Rogers served as Associate Dean at CSU’s Palm Desert campus. Her lawsuit alleged that Cal State San Bernardino ignored red flags about gender-based harassment and discrimination. The jury found that CSU failed to prevent Dean Jake Zhu’s gender harassment against Dr. Rogers.
LA County Superior Court Judge Maurice Leiter oversaw the multiweek trial. Courtney Abrams of Courtney Abrams, PC announced the verdict Monday. “This represents a resounding rejection of CSU’s long-running denials of gender bias within its ranks,” Abrams said. “Dr. Rogers stood up not only for herself, but also for other women subjected to gender-based double standards within the Cal State system.”
The trial revealed that CSU leadership allowed a hostile environment for women at the campus. Officials ignored or mishandled complaints about gender inequity and mistreatment. Trial evidence showed that Dr. Rogers and multiple current and former CSU San Bernardino employees filed complaints. They reported that Dean Jake Zhu treated women differently and worse than men.
Neither CSU San Bernardino’s human resources nor its Title IX offices launched an investigation into the allegations against Dean Zhu. Dr. Rogers ultimately resigned from her Associate Dean position, believing that her complaints and pleas for help fell on deaf ears.
“This case exposed what women inside Cal State have been saying for years,” said Andrew Friedman of Helmer Friedman, LLP. “The mistreatment of women within the Cal State system is not just a series of one-off incidents. The problem is systemic and structural.”
The jury awarded $6 million entirely for noneconomic damages. This includes compensation for emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and mental suffering from harassment and retaliation.
“This verdict is a message,” deRubertis added. “Cal State can’t ignore the systemic problems of gender-based mistreatment within its ranks. The jury saw the importance of holding this institution to account. We’re very appreciative of that.”
Together, Abrams, deRubertis, and Friedman also represent Clare Weber, the former Vice Provost of Academic Affairs of CSU San Bernardino whose claims of gender pay equity, harassment based on gender and retaliation are expected to go to trial next year.