Finding the best civil rights law firms in New York is more than checking the Google Law ads
We recently profiled in LawFuel the celebrated civil rights law star Ben Crump, who is known for his work involving civil rights violations and in particular issues involving police harassment and shootings of often unarmed Black civilians.
The article gave rise to some questions regarding other law firms or legal organizations that assist in civil rights issues and other claims involving any victim of civil rights violation in New York.
Victims of a civil rights violation can and do occur anywhere, of course. The question about New York arose because Crump’s firm is based there and as a bastion of commerce and US legal life, some were interested to know how many forms handled such cases.
It’s important to note also that civil rights’ violations are more than racial discrimination, which helped give birth to the civil rights movement, and have grown to include economic and digital discrimination and abuse, racial profiling, discrimination over sexual orientation, wage discrimination and other matters that are not always immediately thought of as issues that come to mind when we talk of ‘civil rights’.
We looked at some of the firms who provide civil rights advice with years of legal experience and who are familiar with issues like the United State constitution, the federal anti-discrimination law.
Among the best civil rights law firms in NYC are –
The Law Offices of Frederick K. Brewington:
This firm has a significant history of representing clients in civil rights cases, ranging from police brutality and misconduct cases to a variety of discrimination cases.
Frederick Brewington has been a former clerk in the US Senate and has been heavily involved in cases involving employment, affordable housing, environment and voting rights issues.
He has also written and lectured on these issues and been recognized as a leading New York civil rights attorney as well as garnering a list of clients who recommend his work and success in fighting injustice.
Sansford Heisler –
Russell Kornblith at Sansford Heisler has a top reputation for his work in employment discrimination, whistleblower and other cases. He was an Articles Editor for the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review, a research assistant to Professor (now Deputy Dean) I. Glenn Cohen, and a clinical student in the International Human Rights Clinic, where he contributed to several briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court.
He has authored or co-authored amicus briefs to state and federal courts on important issues of employment law.
The Law Offices of Michael S. Lamonsoff:
Beldock Levine & Hoffman LLP:
The firm has a long history of handling civil rights cases, including police misconduct, discrimination and harassment. The firm has extensive experience in handling First Amendment and due process abuses along with misconduct by government officials as well as class actions and infringement of both state and federal laws.
Formed in 1964 the firm’s involvement in civil rights law issues has continued from day one. The firm was responsible for the ground-breaking class action, Floyd v. City of New York, which successfully overturned the NYPD’s decade-long unconstitutional stop-and-frisk policy.
The case saw a major win with an unprecedented judgment in the district court, which found the NYPD’s practice of discriminatory stops and frisks unconstitutional.
The firm also represented over 1,800 individuals who were falsely arrested during the Republican National Convention held in New York City in 2004.
The Cochran Firm:
Founded by leading lawyer Johnny Cockhran, (left) The Cochran Firm has a national reputation for being one of the largest personal injury and medical malpractice firms, but it is also known for its work in civil rights and police abuse work.
Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. and his partners have successfully represented people from New York, Abner Louima, (9 Million dollars), Andre Smith, (6.4 Million dollars), Ohio, Tarika Wilson (2.5 Million dollars), Atlanta, Los Angeles, Mississippi, Harvey Hill (Confidential Settlement), or elsewhere across the Country.
The Cochran firm has fought for and obtained justice on behalf of police shooting victims, beating victims, false arrest victims and those who have been wrongfully convicted. Helping victims like Geronimo Pratt, the wrongfully convicted Black Panther party leader who was freed by Johnnie Cochran’s work in 1997 after having served 27 years in prison, the Cochran Firm has maintained its leading role in the Civil rights arena for more than 50 years.
Sivin Miller & Roche
This criminal defense firm with five star reviews has long had a strong interest and involvement in civil rights law issues in NYC, saying that 90 per cent of their work involves civil rights claims and having obtained verdicts in respect of police assault and misconduct claims and other civil rights violations.
The firm says it has been involved in decades of civil rights violation claims, particularly claims against police officers and the NY Police Department when they have been involved in cases involving false arrest, unlawful force, police brutality, unlawful imprisonment and other claims.
Wigdor Law
Although Wigdor LLP is principally known as an employment law firm, its focus has also been very much on discrimination issues, including sexual harassment and assault cases, plus civil rights and police assault cases, the most infamous being the Harvey Weinstein case (Weinstein is pictured with his lawyer Donna Rotunno)
The firm certainly does not shy from handling cases of any discrimination or civil rights violations.
The firm has been recognized for major verdicts it has obtained for clients and it has been recognized by such organizations as Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Top 100 Trial Lawyers and others. The firm prides itself on the professionalism of its attorneys and its work in selecting and working on ground-breaking and effective advocacy for its clients.
Nesenoff & Miltenberg
Another criminal defense practice with a strong reputation, Nesenoff and Miltenberg have also generated a strong reputation for their legal advice and litigation in respect of due process, including in alleged Title IX violations and cases relating to school misconduct.
Emery Celli Brinckerhoff & Abady LLP:
This civil litigation boutique handles civil rights claims, along with criminal and commercial litigation disputes, with a long history of successful lawsuits across these areas.
Among the civil rights litigation are a wide range of lawsuits involving wage and employment discrimination, prisoners’ rights, sexual harassment, unlawful arrest, police misconduct involving police departments in New York and elsewhere, racial discrimination, housing discrimination and other civil rights abuses.
Newman Ferrara LLP
Newman Ferrara has some of the most experienced civil rights attorneys in the field in New York and has worked on major cases involving injustice and civil rights issues with attorneys who have years of experience in handling these matters.
The firm has been involved in a wide variety of issues including the often complex area of voting rights breaches under the Voting Rights Act 1965. But issues involving housing and employment discrimination, community issues, police misconduct and all manner of civil rights and constitutional law issues have been handled by the firm at both state and federal level.
The firm has also handled cases involving the Federal Information Act and New York’s Freedom of Information Law.
Other civil rights legal organizations:
Apart from law firms there are other legal organizations involved in civil rights law issues that are important in New York for both general information purposes, free consultation and for information about anything from the Fourth Amendment to any other legal action involving civil rights issues.
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund:
This organization is one of the oldest and most prominent civil rights organizations in the country, and its lawyers are highly experienced in civil rights litigation with a focus upon fighting racial injustice and discrimination issues.
Founded in 1940 under Thurgood Marshall, who subsequently became the first African-American U.S. Supreme Court Justice, LDF was launched at a time when the nation’s aspirations for equality and due process of law were stifled by widespread state-sponsored racial inequality.
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law:
This organization is dedicated to protecting the civil rights of marginalized communities, and its lawyers handle a wide range of civil rights cases, including voting rights, immigration, and discrimination cases.
The organization was created at the request of President John F. Kennedy in the summer of 1963 following a meeting of 244 lawyers in the White House.and following public action to end segregation and discrimination in the South. The organization has since been involved in hundreds of cases involving justice and discrimination issues of every kind.
The Center for Constitutional Rights:
This organization is a non-profit legal and educational organization that focuses on civil rights and civil liberties issues. They litigate cutting-edge cases and advocate for systemic change.
Since 1966 the CCR has pioneered daring and innovative legal strategies in pursuit of its mission to advance and protect the rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The roster of civil rights legal organizations and law firms is extensive, both in New York and elsewhere, but selecting a lawyer in this area is possibly more likely to result in recommendations from such groups, as distinct from the typical legal search.
We trust this list of NYC civil rights lawyers helps focus on some of the leading civil right legal organizations working in the Big Apple.
Author: Albert Goodwin writes on legal issues, including consumer law, discrimination law issues and other areas pertaining to issues of criminal and civil justice.
