Case: 2:18-cv-00736-MHW-EPD Doc #: 113 Filed: 02/24/20 Page: 1 of 4 PAGEID #: 1961 Scott Elliot Smith, Esq. Board Certified Civil Trial Advocate By the National Board of Trial Advocacy Also Licensed in Colorado Scott Elliot Smith L.P.A. 5003 Horizons Drive, Suite 101 Columbus, Ohio 43220 Tel: 614.846.1700/ Fax: 614.486.4987 www.sestriallaw.com Philip L. Judy, Esq. February 24, 2020 By CM/ECF Judge Michael H. Watson United States District Court Southern District of Ohio – Eastern Division Joseph P. Kinneary U.S. Courthouse, Room 109 85 Marconi Boulevard Columbus, OH 43215 Re: Steve Snyder-Hill, et al. v. The Ohio State University, No. 18 Civ. 736 Khalil, et al. v. The Ohio State University, No. 19 Civ. 4902 Garrett, et al. v. The Ohio State University, No. 18 Civ. 692 Chrystal et al v. The Ohio State University, No. 19 Civ. 5272 Your Honor: On behalf of the Snyder-Hill, Khalil, Garrett and Chrystal Plaintiffs, we write to inform the Court that, in our collective view, mediation has run its course. We ask Your Honor to allow the litigation to resume. OSU has not participated in the mediation process in good faith. Our clients have waited too long for justice. To represent our clients effectively, we must move forward with litigation at this point. As Your Honor is aware, in July 2018, we filed the Snyder-Hill and Garrett lawsuits. By January 8, 2019, OSU’s motions to dismiss were fully briefed. In a court conference on January 17, 2019, Your Honor stated: “I know the board chairman, Mike Gasser. He’s a man of his word. He’s told the victims that appeared before the board that, rest assured, the board is not dismissing you. We’re committed to doing the right thing. And the Court intends to see that the right thing is done here.” Dkt. 43. Mike Gasser, however, resigned last May. In the 13 months since the Court referred the parties to mediation, and notwithstanding Plaintiffs’ best efforts, OSU has refused to engage in productive settlements talks. Without revealing any of the details of the settlement process, we are highly disappointed in OSU’s failure to meaningfully engage in the mediation.1 1 To the extent the Court believes it appropriate to learn more about the mediation process, last week we sent an ex parte letter to Judge Barrett explaining how OSU’s conduct has not been in good faith. Case: 2:18-cv-00736-MHW-EPD Doc #: 113 Filed: 02/24/20 Page: 2 of 4 PAGEID #: 1962 Page 2 of 4 It is clear to Plaintiffs that OSU will not take Plaintiffs’ claims seriously until OSU’s statute of limitations defense is defeated in a motion to dismiss. Our clients deserve an opportunity to be heard. They have been psychologically traumatized not only by Strauss’s abuse, but by OSU’s ongoing indifference and betrayal. Accordingly, we ask that the Court (i) set a schedule to permit Plaintiffs in the Snyder-Hill and Garrett cases leave to amend under Fed. R. Civ. P 15(a)(2), with OSU to respond after that amendment deadline, and (ii) set a date certain for OSU to respond to the complaints in the Khalil and Chrystal cases. Respectfully submitted, /s/ Scott E. Smith (0003749) SCOTT ELLIOT SMITH, LPA 5003 Horizons Drive, Suite 101 Columbus, OH 43220 Phone: 614-846-1700 Fax: 614-486-4987 E-mail: ses@sestriallaw.com /s/ Ilann M. Maazel* Debra L. Greenberger* Marissa Benavides EMERY CELLI BRINCKERHOFF & ABADY LLP 600 Fifth Avenue, 10th Floor New York, NY 10075 Phone: 212-763-5000 Fax: 212-763-5001 E-mail: imaazel@ecbalaw.com E-mail: dgreenberger@ecbalaw.com /s/ Adele P. Kimmel* Alexandra Z. Brodsky* PUBLIC JUSTICE, P.C. 1620 L Street, NW, Suite 630 Washington, DC 20036 Phone: 202-797-8600 Fax: 202-232-7203 E-mail: akimmel@publicjustice.net * Admitted pro hac vice COUNSEL FOR SNYDER-HILL AND KHALIL PLAINTIFFS Case: 2:18-cv-00736-MHW-EPD Doc #: 113 Filed: 02/24/20 Page: 3 of 4 PAGEID #: 1963 Page 3 of 4 /s/ Simina Vourlis (Trial Attorney) 0046689 The Law Office of Simina Vourlis 856 Pullman Way Columbus, OH 43212 Phone: 614-487-5900 Fax: 614-487-5901 fax Email: svourlis@vourlislaw.com /s/ Rex A. Sharp Ryan C. Hudson Larkin Walsh Sarah T. Bradshaw SHARP BARTON, LLP. 5301 West 75th Street Prairie Village, KS 66208 Phone: 913-901-0505 Fax: 913-901-0419 Email: rex@sharpbarton.com Email: ryan@sharpbarton.com Email: larkin@sharpbarton.com Email: sarah@sharpbarton.com Robert Allard CORSIGLIA, MCMAHON AND ALLARD, LLP 96 North Third Street, Suite 620 San Jose, CA 95112 Phone: 408-289-1417 Fax: 408-289-8127 Email: rallard@cmalaw.net Jonathan Little SAEED AND LITTLE, LLP 133 W. Market Street, #189 Indianapolis, IN 46204 Phone: 317-721-9214 Email: jon@sllawfirm.com Stephen Estey ESTEY & BOMBERGER LLP 2869 India Street San Diego, CA 92103 Phone: 619-295-0035 Case: 2:18-cv-00736-MHW-EPD Doc #: 113 Filed: 02/24/20 Page: 4 of 4 PAGEID #: 1964 Page 4 of 4 Fax: 619-295-0172 Email: steve@estey-bomberger.com Daniel R. Karon (0069304) KARON LLC 700 West St. Clair Avenue, Suite 200 Cleveland, OH 44113 Phone: 216.622.1851 Email: dkaron@karonllc.com Joseph Sauder SAUDER SCHELKOPF LLC 555 Lancaster Avenue Berwyn, PA 19312 Phone: 610-200-0580 Fax: 610-421-1326 Email: jgs@sstriallawyers.com COUNSEL FOR GARRETT PLAINTIFFS cc: All counsel of record via CM/ECF