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.

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.

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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

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/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

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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

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