“I want to express my sincere appreciation to the Kilgore & Kilgore staff and you, Bob Goodman, for guiding me through what could have become an unbearable process. Now that I have had time to reflect upon and digest the last six months of my employment, I wish to share my experience in the hope that others in similar situa-tions may find comfort in an otherwise taxing ordeal.

At the beginning of this journey, I questioned if I would have the strength to see it through. Conflict, in any form, is difficult. It is easy to vent to friends and family yet quite another to engage the conflict headlong. However, I have come to realize that the struggle through adversity is always preferable to silent apathy. A wise caveat to this principle is: temper emotionally driven reckless abandon for contemplative planning. To redress self-worth and reaffirm individual convictions and principles is the priceless reward I gained through this experience.

In retrospect, I am amazed at how a situation as serious as sexual harassment could progress to the point it did in my situation. What began as seemingly harmless banter, gestures and ambiguous comments slowly mor-phed into vile and confrontational interactions.

My husband has always professed that “nothing is more intoxicating than the effects of gradualism.” Too often, we can find ourselves in over our heads with no clear recollection of how we arrived at a particular point in life. Finally, we ask ourselves how it came to this.

It was at this point that I began to entertain my worst fears. I felt lost, helpless, humiliated and violated. I was unsure of who to turn to, what direction to take. I found myself too embarrassed and ashamed to confide in my husband. I had two choices, either I could accept the transgressions and remain a silent, faceless victim, or I could stand up, not just for myself, but also for all the employees who had made their concerns known to me. I knew it was time to take a stand and reach out to those who would help me.

Thankfully, we found a champion and ally in you, Bob. While my husband’s support was crucial, without you and your team’s diligence and efforts I may have taken a place among the nameless people who simply accept their situations as the way it always is. Your calm and staunch resolve helped me navigate through a complex, precarious process. You and your staff restored my faith. Together, we proved we do not have to accept a life plagued with an acceptance of trespasses and breaches of confidentiality.

You preserved my dignity when others around me sought to strip it from me. You fought for terms that were fair yet favored my position. Most importantly, you gave me a voice. Through you I was able to send a mes-sage to the morally ambiguous few that there IS a line in the sand and NO ONE is above the law. You af-firmed that for anyone who tests these rights, there will be a reckoning and consequences.

As the screams of rage fade to whispers of memory, I can finally begin to heal. Thank you for restoring my dignity and giving me the confidence to assume mastery over my own destiny. I cannot imagine placing what is in essence my life in more capable hands.”

LM, Sexual Harassment and Wrongful Termination Matter, 2012