Illinois Attorney General Report
“Decades of Catholic leadership decisions and policies have allowed known child sex abusers to hide, often in plain sight. . . It is my hope that this report will shine light both on those who violated their positions of power and trust to abuse innocent children, and on the men in church leadership who covered up that abuse. . .”
Kwame Raoul
Illinois Attorney General
EVERY 98 SECONDS
Every 98 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. Every eight minutes, that victim is a child. People with intellectual disabilities are assaulted at a rate seven times higher than the general population.
IMPACT ON SURVIVORS
79% of survivors who were victimized by a family member, close friend, or acquaintance experience professional or emotional issues, including moderate to severe distress, or increased problems at work or school.
PERPETRATORS
Of sexual abuse cases reported to law enforcement, 93% of juvenile victims knew the perpetrator: 59% were acquaintances and 34% were family members.
Our Clients
At Noaker Law Firm, we are driven to win and committed to care for survivors of sexual abuse and assault on a national level. Our lawyers hold sexual abusers responsible and secure damage awards for survivors, leading to improved quality of life.
We fight for you, while protecting you. It’s not just what we do. It is who we are.
Our Team
Our lawyers have over three decades of combined success in holding abusers responsible and securing damage awards for survivors, leading to improved quality of life. We are your advocates in the courtroom, bringing personal injury lawsuits on behalf of persons who have been sexually abused and assaulted.
Patrick Noaker
Pronouns: he/him/hisLawyer
For 27 years, Patrick Noaker has represented clients in courtrooms across the country, including hundreds of sexual abuse survivors. He is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum for winning multiple jury trial verdicts exceeding $1M and for winning millions more in settlements. Patrick has also been selected by his peers as a Minnesota SuperLawyer.
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Sandy Kluessendorf
Pronouns: she/her/hersParalegal
Sandy Kluessendorf has been a paralegal for 20 years. For more than a decade, she has worked with sexual abuse clients with a purpose of protecting and helping survivors heal. Prior to working with Patrick Noaker at the Noaker Law Firm, Sandy worked at another Twin Cities law firm, where she focused exclusively on sexual abuse survivors.
Noaker Law clients are honored, respected and cared for with the knowledge, expertise and understanding of Sandy Kluessendorf.Areas of Focus
While we represent any client who has experienced sexual abuse, there are four areas where we pay special attention due to the large impact these perpetrators have had on their communities.
Boy Scouts
We represent survivors of sexual abuse in lawsuits against the Boy Scouts of America and Boy Scout Councils around the country. We are proud to stand beside our clients and fight for them as they break their silence. As in all cases, we continue to fight to remove perpetrators who continue to hold positions, amid allegations.
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Catholic Dioceses
We fight on behalf of clients to hold Catholic Dioceses across the nation responsible for sexual abuse by priests. We have filed cases, won settlements for clients, and continue to fight to remove priests and other clergy who are still on the job, despite allegations of sexual abuse of children.
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Teachers and Coaches
We represent survivors of sexual abuse by teachers and coaches. We work with parents, current and former student athletes to take legal action and secure damage awards. As always, we continue to fight to remove perpetrators who continue to hold positions, amid allegations.
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Intellectual Disability
Persons with intellectual disabilities are sexually assaulted at a rate that is seven times the assault rate of the general population. We represent survivors of sexual abuse with intellectual disabilities in lawsuits against group homes, employers and other institutions who fail to protect vulnerable adults. We are proud to stand beside our clients and fight for them as they break their silence. As in all cases, we continue to fight to remove perpetrators who continue to hold positions, amid allegations.
Learn moreLaw that Heals Podcast
The Law that Heals Podcast is a podcast discussing current events, organizations, research, and self-care tips relevant to survivors of sexual abuse.
Blog/News
As advocates for victims of sexual abuse, we work hard to raise public awareness about perpetrators, resources for victims, and what can be done to help put an end to sexual abuse.
Illinois Attorney General Report on Catholic Clergy Abuse
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