Jury Awards $8.6 Million in Landmark Sexual Harassment and Retaliation Case Against UC Regents and Professor

ORANGE COUNTY, CA / ACCESS Newswire / June 16, 2025 / In a powerful victory for workplace accountability and survivors of harassment, a California jury has awarded $8.6 million to a former student and researcher at UC Irvine, following a two-month trial against the Regents of the University of California and tenured professor John Guzowski.

The verdict comes after jurors found that the plaintiff was subjected to sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and retaliation by Dr. Guzowski, and that UC Irvine failed to prevent the misconduct, including that the university’s Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity (OEOD) failed to properly investigate or enforce California’s important anti-harassment or anti-discrimination protections.

The plaintiff, who was 22 at the time she began working in Dr. Guzowski’s neuroscience lab, alleged that he exploited his position as her supervisor and mentor, pressuring her into a coerced personal relationship under the pretense of professional guidance. The plaintiff further alleged that when she refused his romantic advances and demands for a personal intimate relationship, he threatened her academic future and ultimately sabotaged her career, falsely accusing her of misconduct and disparaging her to university colleagues.

“This case is about courage in the face of systemic failure,” said David Sugden, trial counsel for the plaintiff. Sugden’s co-counsel, Geoff Chackel, explained, “The jury recognized the severe harm inflicted on our client, and that institutions must be held accountable to protect its employees from this type of conduct.”

The trial also revealed that a second female student, experienced nearly identical harassment by Dr. Guzowski, reinforcing the pattern of misconduct and institutional indifference.

Crary was awarded damages for emotional distress and economic losses.

Contact:
David Sugden
Call & Jensen APC
Tel: (949) 697-8819
Email: dsugden@calljensen.com

Chackel Law, PC
Geoffrey C. Chackel
Tel: (619) 567-2454
Email: geoff@chackellaw.com

SOURCE: Call & Jensen

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire