Public Interest

Serving the public interest is integral to who we are as a firm, and Harris Trzaskoma LLP is committed to defending the rule of law, representing indigent individuals charged with federal crimes, seeking justice for victims of abuse at the hands of government actors, and taking on a variety of pro bono matters.

Lawyers from Harris Trzaskoma LLP engage in a wide range of public interest and civil rights matters. Firm lawyers serve on the Criminal Justice Act panel, accepting federal court appointments to represent indigent defendants. We treat these cases no differently than our billable work, and have achieved noncustodial sentences, dismissals, and trial victories for dozens of our clients.

Our firm is also committed to standing up for those who have been mistreated by federal and state actors, including in connection with wrongful convictions and prisoners’ rights litigation. We have filed lawsuits for clients abused while in New York State or Bureau of Prisons custody, including through Section 1983 litigation and Federal Tort Claims Act litigation. We have also taken on pro bono representations for low-income homeowners, environmental causes, and nonprofit organizations.

Representative Matters

  • Secured a favorable settlement for a client who sustained life-threatening injuries and was denied medical care after being assaulted by New York State corrections officers.
  • Represented a wrongfully convicted client in negotiations with the prosecutors reviewing his conviction and with his successful application for parole.
  • Obtained dismissals of criminal charges and deferred prosecution agreements for a variety of clients indicted with federal crimes, including a young adult facing RICO gang charges, an individual charged in a methamphetamine conspiracy, and a client with a long history of mental health problems implicated in a multi-state heroin distribution ring.
  • Assisted a young adult client charged with narcotics conspiracy secure enrollment in the Southern District of New York’s Young Adult Opportunity Program over the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s objection, leading to the dismissal of all charges after our client successfully completed the program.
  • Obtained a full acquittal for an indigent client in a federal weapons trial in the Southern District of New York. At trial, we conducted vigorous cross-examinations of the government’s law enforcement and forensic expert witnesses, and the jury returned a not guilty verdict after less than two hours of deliberation.
  • In a two-week trial in the Southern District of New York, we obtained a not guilty verdict on murder charge for an indigent client indicted for murder, murder-for-hire, drug conspiracy, and weapons charges. Pre-trial, the team vigorously litigated Brady issues, successfully precluded the admission of social media evidence, and challenged the admission of expert cell-site location testimony in a Daubert hearing. The trial involved the cross-examination of seven cooperating witnesses.
  • Representing a group of plaintiffs physically abused by Federal Bureau of Prisons officers.