Are you a current or former NWSL player? Have you experienced abuse or other forms of misconduct within the league? Our legal team, which includes a former NWSL player and attorneys who took on Harvey Weinstein, is here to help change the game. Find out your rights »
WHAT’S THE ISSUE?
An independent investigation recently revealed alarming allegations of widespread abuse in U.S. women’s soccer. The report, led by former acting attorney general Sally Q. Yates, was based on 200+ interviews and reveals the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) failed to provide a safe environment for players. The report highlights a pattern of normalizing verbally abusive coaching and blurring boundaries between coaches and players.
ABUSE IN THE NWSL
The report comes long after other reports of sexual coercion and misconduct and states, “Our investigation has revealed a league (NWSL) in which abuse and misconduct – verbal and emotional abuse and sexual misconduct – had become systemic, spanning multiple teams, coaches, and victims.” Abuse detailed in the report includes:
- relentless, degrading tirades;
- manipulation that was about power, not improving performance;
- retaliation against those who attempted to come forward; and
- stories of sexual misconduct including a pattern of sexually charged comments, unwanted sexual advances and sexual touching and coercive sexual intercourse.
A TEAM WITH A CLEAN SHEET
Our legal team investigating this matter have the experience and resources to protect the rights and safety of those facing abuse, and we come to you with a depth of knowledge no other firm can match. Our attorneys taking on this case include a former NWSL player for the Boston Breakers and the OL Reign, who know the playing field you’re used to. Our firm’s co-founder also played in college and now referees U.S. Soccer matches as a diehard fan of the sport. Assisting in your case will be former prosecutors who worked on cases in a diverse set of areas, including sexual assault, violent crime and domestic violence, trying over 100 jury trials. Let us take a stand for you.
STOPPING AN INEXCUSABLE CRIME
When it comes to putting an end to abuse in women’s professional sports, it takes resources. You want a team with experience holding entities accountable. That’s what Hagens Berman does best. Our track record proves it. Hagens Berman has bested some of the largest companies in the world, and we are committed to protecting and empowering individuals.
HOW CAN LEGAL ACTION HELP?
Hagens Berman’s legal team has achieved outstanding results for those who have faced sexual harassment, including a $215 million settlement on behalf of patients of USC’s former gynecologist, Dr. George Tyndall. We also fought for the actresses and others who had been abused by Harvey Weinstein, filing a class action on their behalf against him and his coconspirators. That case culminated in a $17.1 million settlement. Our legal team also helped achieved a nationwide sexual harassment settlement on behalf of 16,000 women and filed the first ever sexual harassment case in Washington state.
KNOWING YOUR RIGHTS AND PROTECTION
If you have experienced abuse or harassment of any kind, contact our legal team to discuss your situation with care, understanding and resources to help. Our secure messaging service offers a safe space in which comments will be sent directly to our legal team confidentially, and you choose the pace. Our legal team understands the complexities of women’s professional sports, and you’ll speak with attorneys who know what it’s like.
