Chicago Lawyers Offer Northwestern Hazing Victims Free Consultations

CHICAGO — In the wake of a hazing scandal that cost Northwestern football coach Pat Fitzgerald his job this week amid claims players in the program reportedly suffered sexual abuse as part of the allegations, attorneys from two Chicago law firms are now offering free consultations to players who may have been affected.

Patrick A. Salvi II, a partner at Salvi, Schostock, & Pritchard, along with co-counsel Parker Stinar of the Stinar Law Firm, issued a statement on Friday concerning the controversy at the Evanston Big Ten university after the firms had social media messages posted in the Evanston area in the wake of recent allegations that came out involving hazing at Northwestern.

In an ad for the law firms, a message in all capital letters reads, “Demand Accountability for Northwestern Hazing." It continues: “Did you fall victim to Northwestern’s alleged hazing practices? Demand accountability and compensation for the harm you’ve endured. Our dedicated team is here to help.”

In an explosive, detailed report outlining the allegations, The Daily Northwestern, the university’s student newspaper, spoke to former players who claim they were the victims of hazing while part of the Wildcats’ program. Players said that they were dry-humped by masked upperclassmen in a dark room as part of hazing rituals for making mistakes in practice.

Others claimed they were forced to endure other forms of punishment for mistakes, including being forced to strip naked and go through a “carwash” of teammates in a locker room shower area, the newspaper reported.

In announcing Fitzgerald's firing on Monday evening, Northwestern President Michael Schill said that the contents of the outside investigation into the hazing will remain confidential. However, he said that the hazing included forced participation, nudity, and sexualized acts of a degrading nature, in clear violation of Northwestern policies and values.

He added that while some student-athletes believed the hazing was in jest and not harmful, others viewed it as causing significant harm with long-term consequences. Investigators said, according to Schill, that they did not find clear evidence that Fitzgerald was aware hazing was going on.

Moving forward, the school vowed to cut down on potential hazing moving forward by requiring monitoring of the football locker room by someone who doesn’t report to the football coaching staff.

The school also said it will create an online reporting tool specifically for student-athletes to anonymously report incidents of potential hazing or hazing-related concerns. It also said it will provide and require annual mandatory anti-hazing training for all coaches, staff members, and student-athletes, with an emphasis on reporting options, the duties to report, discipline for future violations, and the fact that hazing is not acceptable regardless of consent, the school president said.

Since the launch of the investigation in January, Fitzgerald has maintained he did not know anything about hazing allegations within the program until the investigation by the outside firm was announced.

In a statement issued by the law firm and provided to Patch on Friday, attorneys from the two Chicago firms said that they have communicated with several individuals who have suffered sexual abuse and harassment at Northwestern.

“We intend to hold those responsible accountable.”

A spokeswoman for the law firm did not address a question from Patch about the number of Northwestern students who have responded to the offer for free legal consultation in connection with the hazing scandal. In response, however, the firm offered the following statement in response to the inquiry.

“Survivors of abuse want to know they aren’t alone. And that they can share their experiences in a safe and confidential manner," the statement, issued by Salvi II and Stinar said. "We’re here to hear their stories and provide legal options. Stinar Law brings a wealth of experience in representing victims like those of Northwestern’s misconduct, and Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard similarly has a track of record of unparalleled success in Cook County.

"We intend to advocate for those survivors together to achieve justice for them and prevent it from happening elsewhere.”

Schill, who initially handed down a two-week, unpaid suspension for Fitzgerald after an independent investigation into the hazing, said in announcing Fitzgerald’s firing that at least 11 Northwestern players backed up the claims made by the whistleblower in the case.

Schill then fired Fitzgerald on Monday for cause. Fitzgerald issued a statement to ESPN on Monday night, calling his firing a surprise. The statement also said that Fitzgerald, a former star linebacker at Northwestern, has instructed his agent and attorney to do whatever is necessary to protect his rights. Fitzgerald signed a 10-year contract extension in 2021 worth more than $50 million.

In another sports scandal for the university, a former Northwestern cheerleader, Hayden Richardson, filed suit against the university in 2021 over allegations that members of the school's cheer squad were forced to "saunter around the tailgating lots as if they were Victoria's Secret models on a runway, unsupervised in their skimpy cheerleading uniforms,"...and perform "commercial sex acts," the lawsuit stated.

"The University used these events to portray (Richardson) as a sex object rather than the athlete and scholar she is," the suit continued.

Richardson's case is still pending.

While reports indicate that the long-time coach is prepared to sue the school after he said Schill went back on his agreement to suspend the coach for two weeks without pay, other legal action may be coming from players who may be prepared to take the Chicago law firm up on its offer to help.

“Having represented hundreds of survivors of sexual abuse and harassment by academic institutions we understand the hesitation, fear, and concerns these young individuals have about coming forward to hold their abuser and enabling institution accountable,” the law firm’s statement reads. “They are concerned about confidentiality, retaliation, and have shame and guilt about the events that took place."

RELATED

• Northwestern Baseball Coach Foster Fired Over Bullying Claims
• Northwestern Athletics 'In Crisis': Professors Seek Answers To Hazing
• Northwestern Investigating 'Bullying' By Baseball Coach: Report
• Northwestern Fires Coach Fitzgerald Over Hazing Scandal
• Northwestern Football Coach Pat Fitzgerald Suspended Over Hazing Probe
• Northwestern Football Coach Pat Fitzgerald Suspended Over Hazing Probe