Civil Rights, Sexual Abuse & Employment Discrimination
Civil rights are the foundation of our democracy. We have significant experience investigating excessive force by law enforcement officers, sex trafficking, and widespread sexual abuse by government agents and powerful individuals. Our firm represents individuals who are victims of physical and sexual abuse by police officers, corrections officers and other public officials, including those who have been victims of excessive force by law enforcement in violation of the Fourth Amendment.
We also have significant experience working with men, women and children who have undergone trauma as crime victims and understand the importance of treating each of our clients with dignity and respect, ensuring that our representation does not result in their further victimization. Our firm provides representation to individuals who have been victims of crimes, ranging from intimate partner violence, sex trafficking and sexual abuse to revenge porn, stalking, harassment, extortion and assault, helping such individuals obtain orders of protection and navigate the criminal justice system, report crimes to law enforcement, and vindicate their rights through civil litigation, including pursuant to New York's Adult Survivors Act and similar New York City statutes.
We also represent employees who have suffered discrimination in the workplace, including those subjected to sexual harassment and pregnancy discrimination, pursuing out-of-court settlements and civil litigation as appropriate.
As federal prosecutors, we successfully investigated and prosecuted federal Bureau of Prisons officers for repeated sexual abuse of female federal inmates and brought a ground-breaking racketeering charge against singer R. Kelly in New York for his decades of criminal misconduct throughout the country involving the sexual exploitation of minors, forced labor, and other offenses, resulting in a 30-year prison sentence following a six-week trial in Brooklyn, New York. Our experience in both government and private practice provides us with expertise to properly investigate and evaluate cases, assist individuals in reporting misconduct to the appropriate authorities to ensure their claims are taken seriously, and effectively pursue civil remedies, including through litigation, in federal court.
Internal Investigations & Civil Rights Audits
With decades of investigative and litigation experience to draw on, we efficiently conduct internal investigations for corporations, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations faced with allegations of workplace misconduct, including sexual harassment, hostile work environments, discrimination and fraud. Through impartial, thoughtful and nimble investigations, we help organizations identify potential malfeasance and design and implement measures to minimize and mitigate risk. Our experience allows us to form and implement an investigative plan quickly, making modifications as necessary to address new information gathered during the investigation, assess witness credibility, and hone in on relevant materials to effectively advance an investigation and present our findings and recommendations.
As seasoned investigators, we are also well-positioned to conduct civil rights audits, providing proactive assessments of an organization’s policies and practices to ensure compliance with civil rights laws and address both intentional and systemic discrimination in the spheres where an organization operates. These audits can assist organizations in creating an inclusive environment for all, with policies and practices that comply with both the letter and the spirit of the law, minimizing the risk of misconduct and discrimination and ensuring such issues are addressed appropriately when they occur.
Finally, our experience allows us to assist companies and other organizations who have been the victims of fraud or other illegal conduct in reporting that conduct to law enforcement and regulatory authorities. Given our extensive experience as federal prosecutors, we are able to present compelling summaries of the evidence gathered by the organization to date and identify the potential criminal statutes implicated by the misconduct in a manner that is helpful to prosecutors and regulators in deciding whether to open a criminal or civil investigation.
Criminal Defense
We represent individuals who are the subjects of federal and state criminal investigations to ensure the most favorable outcomes possible. We know how criminal cases are built and how best to advocate for positive outcomes, whether with prosecutors, judges or juries. As seasoned litigators, we can effectively cross-examine government witnesses, present a defense case when warranted, and make compelling arguments in court, including on appeal.
Witness Representation
We represent witnesses in the criminal investigation and trial process, including individuals and organizations served with grand jury or trial subpoenas and those who have been asked to voluntarily meet with law enforcement agents and prosecutors. Our prior experience as federal prosecutors ensures we are able to protect our clients’ interests, negotiate the scope, timing and manner of production of documents, and effectively prepare clients for testimony and meetings with law enforcement.
Wrongful Convictions
Wrongful convictions may stem from both unintentional and intentional conduct, including eyewitness misidentifications, the use of jailhouse informants and other confidential sources, and police misconduct. We represent wrongfully convicted clients in both seeking to overturn their convictions and pursuing civil remedies for the harm they have suffered in court. As former federal prosecutors, we are able to leverage our vast experience in building criminal cases to benefit our clients by reinvestigating their cases, uncovering new evidence, and finding the flaws in existing evidence. Our prosecutorial experience also gives us credibility in advocating for our clients using a multipronged approach, including working with Conviction Review Units in district attorney’s offices to overturn wrongful convictions and pursuing post-conviction litigation in state and federal courts.