Firm History
As portrayed in the 2016 Academy Award-winning movie "Spotlight"
As a result of his ground breaking legal work in the Father John J. Geoghan cases, Attorney Mitchell Garabedian was portrayed by Stanley Tucci in the 2016 Academy Award winning best picture “Spotlight."
As portrayed in the 2005 Showtime film "Our Fathers"
The story of the investigation was presented in the 2005 television film starring Ted Danson as Mitchell Garabedian. The film highlighted Mitchell Garabedian’s historic struggle with Father John J. Geoghan and Cardinal Bernard Law, as well as their employers, the Archdiocese of Boston and the Catholic Church.The trailer is below.
It began in Boston with a desire to help people
Upon becoming an attorney in 1979, Mitchell Garabedian built a general practice around representing individuals. It was not until the mid-1990s that the clergy sexual abuse crisis became the center of Mitchell Garabedian’s practice. While records now publicly available show Catholic clergy in Boston had for decades been sexually abusing children, this was a well-kept secret of the Archdiocese of Boston in 1994. In 1994 Mitchell Garabedian began to meet with parents, victims and survivors who as children had been sexually abused by Father John J. Geoghan. In 1996, Mitchell Garabedian filed suit against Father Geoghan, a foreshadowing of the massive litigation to follow naming hundreds of Catholic priests and dioceses throughout the United States and ultimately the world. Mitchell Garabedian has successfully represented more than 150 victims or survivors of Father John J. Geoghan.
Hidden secrets revealed
While Mitchell Garabedian learned of this history he was precluded from revealing the information by a court order the Boston Archdiocese obtained requiring Mitchell Garabedian and his clients not to reveal what they discovered prior to trial. The Boston Globe, with the support of Mitchell Garabedian’s clients, successfully petitioned the court to gain access to the secret documents Mitchell Garabedian had uncovered. When those documents were released to the Globe and published, for the first time the public saw that the Boston Archdiocese was knowingly reassigning an admitted pedophile priest to unsuspecting parishes. This watershed event revealed that the Catholic hierarchy, including Bernard Cardinal Law, was knowingly reassigning a priest who admitted to being a pedophile.
Litigation that followed revealed this was too often a common practice. Mitchell Garabedian continued to pressure the church. The book Betrayal: The Crisis in the Catholic Church, written by The Boston Globe investigative staff, puts in perspective the secrecy of the abuse scandal and Mitchell Garabedian’s efforts to expose it. Cardinals, bishops, and other Church officials had been covering up for Geoghan for more than three decades.
A precedence-setting victory for sexual abuse victims
Before the verdict was issued, Mitchell Garabedian’s 86 clients and the Archdiocese entered into a $10 million settlement. This sum was one of the larger settled cases in the clergy sexual abuse crisis to that point and became a model for other settlements.
Victims and survivors continued to emerge from the secrecy of the clergy sexual abuse cases. In the fall of 2003, Mitchell Garabedian was representing another 120 clients who claimed they had been sexually abused by priests who had worked in the Archdiocese of Boston. The 120 victims and survivors in 2003 identified their sexual abusers as being more than 40 different priests. Mitchell Garabedian, along with lawyers representing other victims and survivors of abuse, obtained an $85 million settlement with the Boston Archdiocese.
Continuing Success in Obtaining Settlements for Victims and Survivors
Mitchell Garabedian’s practice is not limited to victims or survivors of clergy sexual abuse. He represents victims and survivors of sexual abuse of all ages, including adults who were children when they were abused by teachers, coaches, priests, scout leaders, neighbors, relatives, or other adults who abused their trust or authority.
- In 2002, Mitchell Garabedian obtained a $10,000,000 settlement for 86 Father Geoghan victims or survivors.
- In 2003, Mitchell Garabedian and other lawyers obtained an $85,000,000 settlement from the Archdiocese of Boston. Mitchell Garabedian represented 120 victims or survivors of the sexual abuse of more than 40 different priests.
- In 2013, Mitchell Garabedian as lead counsel obtained a $12,000,000 settlement for 24 Haitian victims or survivors of the sexual abuse of Douglas Perlitz.
- In 2014, Mitchell Garabedian and other lawyers obtained an $8,000,000 settlement from the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, the Franciscan Friars of the Third Order Regular, the Diocese of Youngstown, and Bishop McCort Catholic High School, Inc. Mitchell Garabedian represented 33 victims or survivors of the sexual abuse of Brother Stephen Baker.
- In 2019, Mitchell Garabedian as lead counsel obtained a $60,000,000 settlement for 133 Haitian victims or survivors of the sexual abuse of Douglas Perlitz.
Hold sexual abusers, their supervisors, and the organizations they work for accountable
The attorneys of the Law Offices of Mitchell Garabedian are sensitive to the horrible suffering experienced by sexual abuse victims and survivors. To try to heal, sexual abuse victims and survivors seek accountability and validation.
Be empowered; come forward; empower others; make the world a safer place for children; let us help you obtain justice
We represent thousands victims and survivors in Massachusetts, and across the United States with local counsel, as well as in other countries.
For a free consultation, call (888) 995-2214 or contact us online. You are not charged any fees unless we recover money for you.
Important Announcements
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"Diocese of Manchester settles 1970s sexual-abuse claim," Manchester NH Union Leader, March 26, 2024
Assignment Record for Father Alfred L. Janetta -
"'They're self-inflicted wounds': Buffalo Diocese bankruptcy moves into year four," wkbw.com, March 4, 2024
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Names of 4 priests and 1 worker released, bringing the total to 406!Released in March 2024
Results/List -
"Second judge in Wisconsin rules defrocked cardinal Theodore McCarrick not competent to stand trial," BishopAccountabilty.org, January 11, 2024, citing the Boston Globe on January 10, 2024
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"Three brothers allege sexual abuse at Saint John’s in mid-1960s," Community Advocate, January 4, 2024
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Names of 11 sexually abusive clergy released, bringing the total to 401!Released in October 2023
Individual Records -
"Deerfield Academy reaches 6th sexual abuse settlement against former math teacher," Masslive.com, October 18, 2023
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"Mitchell Garabedian: The Lawyer Who Helped Expose the Boston Priest Scandal", BishopAccountability.org, May 23, 2023
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"Former altar boy's lawsuit against former New Bedford priest alleging sexual abuse settled," Yahoo and The Standard-Times, May 9, 2023
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Names of 7 sexually abusive clergy released, bringing the total to 390!Released in October 2022
Results/List -
Names of 22 sexually abusive clergy released, bringing the total to 383!Released in April 2022
Individual Records -
Additional Archdiocese of Boston Clergy Names Released! Details on 5 Abusive Priests and 1 Deacon (link to pdf) Released in July 2021
Individual Records Complaints Filed -
Additional Priests' Names Released! Details on 10 Abusive Priests (link to pdf) Released in May 2021
Individual Records -
Archdiocese of Hartford – Fr. Kenneth Bonadies publicly outed as a sexual abuser Hartford Courant, May 5, 2021
In The Media
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"Diocese of Manchester settles 1970s sexual-abuse claim,"Manchester NH Union Leader, March 26, 2024
Assignment Record for Father Alfred L. Janetta -
"Deerfield Academy settles child sexual abuse claim involving longtime athletics employee," Daily Hampshire Gazette, July 25, 2023
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"3 people sue cardinal, bishops, over alleged sex abuse by Arlington Catholic High ex-principal," Bishop Accountability.org, May 22, 2023
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"Third alleged sex abuse victim from one priest’s time in Ohio Valley comes forward,"BishopAccountability.org, May 15, 2023
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"Caught between the mob and a predatory priest, a survivor finds his voice," Boston Globe, April 18, 2023
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"Vermont Catholic Diocese settles sex abuse lawsuit targeting South Burlington priest," WCAX.com, May 17, 2022
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"Archdiocese of Chicago settles sex abuse claim against the Rev. George Clements," Chicago Sun Times, April 26, 2022
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"Woman accuses former Bridgeport priest of sexual abuse," WTNH, Bridgeport, CT, February 23, 2022
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"Fall River Diocese: Three Priests ‘Credibly’ Accused of Child Abuse," WBSM-AM/AM 1420, Fall River, Fairhaven, MA, December 13, 2021
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Boston archdiocese settles two new lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by priests, Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA, November 14, 2021