Genie E. Harrison

As an attorney representing a victim of disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, Harrison’s practice has brought her closer than most to the man that spurred the #MeToo movement which has captured the zeitgeist of this past year.

Harrison represents Sandeep Rehal, a former assistant to Weinstein in New York, and following the Weinstein Company’s bankruptcy, sits on the committee of unsecured creditors to the company. Rehal v. Weinstein, 151738/2018 (N.Y. Sup. Ct., filed Feb. 27, 2018).

Sexual harassment and assault cases are nothing new for Harrison, who has handled such cases for over two decades. However, in a world where #MeToo and the “Weinstein effect” have entered the public lexicon, she senses a shift.

“The changes I have seen wrought really emanate from the fact that we’re listening as a society now. It’s not that sexual harassment wasn’t occurring before, but now we’re listening. So, it’s really a movement where victims feel empowered to speak out and hold perpetrators accountable,” she said.

Harrison also represents two former personal assistants to music producer Noel Fisher alleging sexual harassment and assault. Knox v. Fisher, BC710221 (L.A. Super. Ct., filed June 15, 2018) and Mack v. Fisher, BC710222 (L.A. Super. Ct., filed June 15, 2018).

In addition to her casework, Harrison recently launched an app that will let plaintiffs more accurately track their daily pain and seek more accurate and better-tracked damages.

“The reception has been overwhelmingly positive. I think lawyers really understand that I’ve built something that’s purpose is to help them do their best job on behalf of other victims,” she said.

Harrison said the change in perception that Weinstein’s fall from grace in part fueled is apparent daily when victims call her about their experience. In one instance, a father called her about his daughter being raped the previous night.

“This is an essential part of transitioning from victim to survivor,” she said. “Once we start putting it on the table and saying it happened, then we can take our power back.”

— Andy Serbe