I am a veteran of, and former partner in, two prominent litigation firms in New York City -- Zuckerman Spaeder and Hughes Hubbard & Reed respectively. Over roughly 23 years in both firms, I enjoyed a terrific mix of criminal defense and civil litigation, primarily but not exclusively in the federal courts. Having begun my career with a two-year clerkship with a federal district judge in Connecticut (the late and truly great T.F. Gilroy Daly), I am most at home in federal court.
In 2016 I took a leave of absence from Hughes Hubbard. I had just led a successful pro bono effort at the Firm, in partnership with The Legal Aid Society, to obtain the exoneration of Vanessa Gathers. Ms. Gathers had been convicted years prior of manslaughter and had served ten years' imprisonment for that (alleged) crime. It is now clear she had been framed by former (and now infamous) NYPD Detective Louis Scarcella. I took the leave of absence to represent Ms. Gathers in civil proceedings to obtain compensation for her wrongful incarceration. That effort, which consumed literally every waking hour for the next year and a half, was successful.
I so enjoyed my independence in that time period that I decided to stay out on my own. I hung out my shingle and have been happily busy ever since. My cases thus far have run the gamut -- from helping a Yonkers barber successfully defeat deportation by obtaining a court order substituting his narcotics conviction with a disorderly conduct conviction, to representing a former international investment banker in a high profile fraud case in the EDNY, to representing a household name luxury goods conglomerate in connection with a SDNY grand jury investigation. My low overhead makes it possible for me to take whatever case strikes me as interesting and important.
I am extremely fortunate in that I am also of counsel to Krantz & Berman, suite mates of mine. I am able to draw on their associates so can punch above my weight. Most importantly, I get to work very closely with Larry Krantz, an EDNY alum and College of American Trial Lawyers fellow. Brilliant lawyer and great sounding board. Gordon Mehler, another EDNY legend and co-author of the Second Circuit Criminal Law Handbook is also in our suite, and another great resource.
I am as happy a lawyer as I know. Have loved it always.
I live in New York City (and Shelter Island) with my husband Mark and 12 year-old daughter Tess. I am an identical twin, technically the first born in a large Irish Catholic family of six, a die hard New Yorker, a dual Irish-American citizen, and a runner (three NYC marathons). I love most any sport and am happiest taking long walks and long runs, especially on Shelter Island and in Central Park.