This is a developing story, and will continued to be updated as details become available –Kyle Patterson, Director of Web & Multimedia

According to a university press release, School of Law Dean Lawrence E. Mitchells has resigned from his post effective March 1.

He had been on a temporary leave of absence since November in response to a lawsuit by CWRU School of Law Professor Raymond Ku, who alleges that Mitchell and the university, including President Barbara Snyder and Provost and Executive Vice President W. A. “Bud” Baeslack, colluded in retaliatory conduct following Ku’s attempts to report sexual harassment by Mitchell in late 2011.

Ku’s suit alleges that, while at CWRU, six professors experienced sexually inappropriate harassment from Mitchell, along with four members of the administrative staff and a law student. Several of these individuals allegedly stated to Ku that they feared for their jobs if they reported Mitchell’s misconduct.

According to the release, Mitchell decided to resign now as opposed to the end of year “to alleviate uncertainty surrounding his status and demonstrate his personal support for the progress that Acting Deans Jessica Berg and Michael Scharf have made since their appointment.”

He was appointed dean of the law school after a long search in 2011.