“I’m going to start very briefly by pointing out that 16 times between 20, Professor Lieber had the opportunity and the obligation to report his outside employment contracts, compensation, and lab arrangements. Lukey, a lawyer representing Harvard and Lapp, reiterated Harvard’s stance that Lieber had willfully misled the University by not reporting his affiliations to Chinese institutions. Lapp referred specifically to a clause excluding actions in which “the Qualified Person is adjudicated or determined not to have acted in good faith.” Lapp denied Lieber’s request for indemnification in May 2020, invoking exclusions in the indemnification policy. Justice Serge Georges, Jr., however, criticized Suny’s argument Wednesday, calling it “really arrogant” and “very elitist” that a white-collar defendant would use a claim of depleted financial resources to argue for indemnification.Īccording to the suit, University Executive Vice President Katherine N. “Further, Professor Lieber averred that advancement is necessary to provide for the financial security of his family as he continues to fight the terminal illness of follicular lymphoma,” the briefing continues. Suny previously noted in a briefing to the court that Lieber testified under oath that paying his legal defense would “‘substantially, if not completely, deplete financial resources.’” Suny, one of Lieber’s lawyers, told a six-judge panel that the case was “about helping Professor Lieber achieve the right to academic freedom,” and the high-profile nature of the case meant indemnifying him would advance academic freedom more broadly. In Wednesday’s appeal hearing before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, David R. This past May, a lower-court judge declined to issue a preliminary injunction that would force Harvard to cover his fees. In October 2020, Lieber filed suit in Middlesex County Superior Court, alleging the University violated its contract by refusing to indemnify him in the criminal case. Officials allege Lieber misrepresented his affiliation with China’s Thousand Talents Program, a talent recruitment program, and failed to disclose funding from the Chinese government.
HUIT INMR HARVARD TRIAL
Lieber faces federal charges of making false statements to federal investigators examining his funding sources he has pleaded not guilty and his jury trial is set for December. Lieber - who is preparing for trial on federal criminal charges - argued in an appeal hearing that Harvard should be obligated to pay for his legal defense. Justices on the Commonwealth’s highest court appeared skeptical Wednesday as lawyers for former Harvard Chemistry chair Charles M.
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