Former Associate Professor of Government Peter Berkowitz filed a lawsuit against Harvard on Friday, charging that his application for tenure and subsequent appeal were mishandled.

The lawsuit claims Harvard failed to follow its own grievance procedures because it did not form an ad hoc grievance panel to review Berkowitz's tenure appeal after he filed a complaint.

The University's docket committee refused to form the panel because it dismissed his claim as "clearly without merit."

In his lawsuit, Berkowitz asks that the courts order Harvard to form such a panel. Berkowitz also claims the court should award monetary damages against Harvard for breaching an implied contract with Berkowitz and breaching its common law duty to observe substantially its own rules.

Harvard General Counsel Anne Taylor confirmed yesterday that the University had received a copy of the complaint.

She declined to discuss Berkowitz's allegations, citing Harvard's policy of not discussing any suit currently under litigation.

"We do not believe it has merit, but beyond that we have no comment," she said.

Berkowitz and his Washington, D.C. lawyer Maureen F. Del Duca also declined to comment on the pending litigation.