Aurore DeCarlo has spent nearly 20 years fighting for the rights of victims. She has extensive experience in all phases of litigation including almost 50 trials. She has battled against employers, individuals, educational institutes, corporate landlords and developers as well as city, state, and federal agencies in hundreds of cases in civil court, NYS Supreme Court, Appellate courts, administrative tribunals, housing court and federal court.
Areas of Practice
With a particular focus on C.A. Goldberg’s employment law, Title IX, sexual assault/harassment and defamation defense practices, Aurore has achieved exceptional results on behalf of the firm’s clients in a multitude of cases against school districts, universities, employers, and individual offenders.
Aurore has represented plaintiffs in federal and state workplace disputes including but not limited to discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, and defamation. She has procured awards totaling in the millions of dollars on behalf of clients who pursued lawsuits for discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation against a multitude of employers – whether small startup companies, behemoth financial institutions, and anything in between.
Aurore has also represented many clients in Title IX litigation against school districts and universities that have failed to protect the rights of students. Aurore has litigated cases involving students in K-12 education, obtaining several high awards on behalf of clients as young as 13 years old. She has also represented students in Title IX proceedings at all phases of dispute – from university’s internal investigations to federal litigation against educational institutions that have retaliated against students for reporting sexual harassment and assault.
Aurore often represents plaintiffs in high-profile sexual harassment and sexual assault cases involving highly-resourced and powerful defendants – including moguls in the entertainment business, corporate CEOs, politicians, and world renowned physicians.
She has represented numerous clients in lawsuits or pre-litigation negotiations under New York and New Jersey’s Child Victims Acts – where clients have sought damages against individuals who sexually assaulted them when they were minor children or the institutions , such as schools or churches, who allowed the sexual assaults to be perpetrated under their supervision.
Aurore has developed a particular expertise in the area of defamation defense where clients have spoken up about their experiences of sexual harassment and sexual assault only to be sued by their offenders. She has successfully defended dozens of cases, protecting her clients’ rights to speak publicly about their experiences without a single client being held liable for defamation or paying a cost for speaking out.
Aurore has achieved exceptional results on behalf of the firm’s clients in a variety of scenarios including:
- Negligent response from a dating app after a victim was raped by someone she met on the app
- Civil claims on behalf of a victim who was sexually abused by her doctor
- Defamation defense on behalf of a client who had spoken out about a sexual assault and faced a retaliatory lawsuit
- Student sexually harassed by a professor
- A man sexually assaulted by his massage therapist
- Underage victim sexually assaulted while on a school trip
- Civil action related to a drug rape at a large hotel chain
Some of her recent results for C.A. Goldberg, PLLC clients include:
- $850,000.00 pre-litigation settlement pursuant to Child Victims Act
- $800,000.00 recovery in hostile work environment/retaliation claim against employer, an international bank
- $450,000.00 recovery for a victim of unlawful surveillance by employer
- 6-figure settlement for a victim of sexual assault by a man she met on a dating app
- Successfully represented a group of artists being sued for defamation for speaking about an abuser on social media; defamation claims were dismissed
Education and admissions
Aurore is a graduate of Columbia Law School and New York University’s Robert Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.
She is admitted to practice law in New York State and the Southern District of New York.
Recent presentations and media
- Litigants In High-Profile Suits Increasingly Under Threat – Law360, September 2022
-
Sex abuse suit against NYC doctor Kevin Cahill to continue despite his death – NYPost, September 2022
- Northern District of New York Federal Court Bar Association – No Safe Place: Recognizing and Responding to Intimate Partner Violence and Technology Facilitated Abuse. September 2021
- New York Cyber Abuse Task Force – Speaking Out Online: Perspectives from Survivors, Researchers, and Lawyers. April 2022
What our clients say about working with Aurore
Finding out I was being sued for defamation for speaking out about my alleged sexual assaulter was an earth shattering experience. I felt silenced and stuck in an impossible situation. The team at C.A. Goldberg, PLLC, and in particular my lead attorney, Aurore, were superheroes who expertly fought what I felt was a losing battle, helping me to overcome my fears and find my power again. Their strategic fight for my justice was unrelenting but still tender towards my feelings. Aurore is a brilliant, unwavering badass. Her knowledge of not only the law, but the psychology of sexual assault victims and abusers alike, is beyond reproach. My lawsuit ended with a settlement that could only be described as perfect. I didn’t lose my story or my voice, I never stepped foot in court, and I didn’t owe that guy any compensation or apologies. It was a complete win for me and an utter embarrassing loss for him. It was absolutely spectacular watching Aurore cut my abuser (and his counsel) down to size in deposition, reverting him to his true form of a worm throwing a temper tantrum. C.A. Goldberg and Aurore will restore your power, and absolutely demolish your abuser. I feel very lucky to have gotten to work with Aurore and I can say with absolute certainty that anyone else seeking justice with C.A. Goldberg will feel the same.
-Female, Early 30s
I can’t say enough about how wonderful the staff made me feel. The best part about working with them was the rapid response time. I had resolution within a couple of days from my initial call.
I would recommend this firm to friends and family. You made me feel supported and empowered, the wise advice of counsel removed my concerns about navigating the sometimes complex and intimidating justice system. My advice to anyone thinking about hiring C.A. Goldberg, PLLC would be to cast aside the doubt, financial, or otherwise, prioritize safety and peace of mind, and take control of your situation.
-C.A. Goldberg, PLLC client
I was referred to C.A. Goldberg, PLLC when I was learning about my options after the passage of the Child Victims Act in New York. As a male survivor of childhood sexual abuse by an adult family member, it took years before I was ready to acknowledge what had happened to me. The abuse had affected me for my entire life, particularly with regards to my mental health and relationships. When the #MeToo movement started, it triggered something in me, and I knew I could no longer be silent. I started therapy, which was an important step in my healing process, and then the CVA passed, and then I found this firm – it felt like the stars were aligning, telling me it was time to take this step for myself now. With C.A. Goldberg’s support, guidance, and encouragement I was ready to confront my abuser and hold him accountable. Everyone I spoke with at C.A. Goldberg, from the intake team to the attorneys, were wonderful. Through Aurore DeCarlo’s advocacy and skillful negotiations, the firm secured a six figure settlement on my behalf, before a lawsuit was ever filed. Most importantly, my attorneys gave me the long-awaited chance to confront my abuser and find closure. Those achievements were priceless. I am so thankful I chose to work with C.A. Goldberg. Beyond the financial settlement, the experience empowered me and helped me to finally open up to my immediate family members about what had happened to me. The impact goes far beyond the legal work with this team. If C.A. Goldberg takes your case, you won’t regret hiring them.
-Male, Sexual Assault Survivor, 50s
As a single woman in New York I was no stranger to online dating. I always took precautions to protect myself, and I had never questioned my safety on a date. This all changed after an encounter with a man who drugged me with GHB on a first date and then sexually assaulted me. Although I had filed a criminal complaint and a NYPD investigation was underway, it wasn’t looking good from what the cops were telling me. I had to do a lot of investigation on my own, and learned the offender was a serial patron at the restaurant he took me to, taking a series of dates there and ordering the same drinks he’d given me.
One of my friends suggested I contact C.A. Goldberg, PLLC. I had a case evaluation within the first week of contacting the firm, and I was asked not only about what happened to me, but what was important to me and what I wanted going forward. I just wanted something to happen to the guy – some kind of accountability, whatever that looked like, to stop him from abusing women this way. I wanted to pursue every avenue possible.
As soon as I retained the firm, my attorneys began advocating for criminal consequences. Prosecutors ultimately decided not to pursue the criminal case, but where law enforcement failed, my attorneys persevered in finding creative ways to hold my sexual assaulter accountable. They gave me guidance to protect myself as I posted outreach and got in contact with other victims through social media – disturbingly, additional survivors came forward with almost identical experiences. With all the information we learned, Aurore DeCarlo sent the offender an ironclad demand letter, and relentlessly pursued the offender to hold him accountable. She never backed down when the offender’s attorneys claimed there was no direct physical evidence of a rape, and when the offender tried to cry poor. Her expert advocacy and negotiation skills resulted in a 6-figure settlement, without ever having to go to court.
In a world where victims of sex crimes are constantly doubted and blamed for their own assaults – it was an immeasurable relief to work with a nonjudgmental and supportive team that understands consent, sexual assault, and healing. Not only did they make the offender pay up for what he did to me, they helped me feel understood and empowered every step of the way. It was an immeasurable relief to have attorneys believe in me and advocate so fiercely for accountability where law enforcement had failed me.
-Female, Business Executive, 40s