"Window to Justice" Now Open in New York - Here are Some Experts Who Can Help

On Wednesday, August 14, a one-year "window to justice" will open in New York state, allowing those who had been sexually abused but had their cases barred by the statute of limitations a chance to file a civil lawsuit. This is an exciting opportunity for survivors to get a chance at justice, but can also be confusing and many will have a lot of questions on next steps.

Make no mistake, the litigation process can be long and difficult. However, if you want to move forward with a lawsuit against your abuser and those who enabled him or her, this one-year window is your opportunity to do so. In order to move forward, it is best if you get in touch with an attorney for guidance beforehand. Even if you don't know if you want to sue, it can be helpful to have an expert walk you through your options.

Below is a list of attorneys that have been curated by volunteer SNAP leaders. These attorneys have shown the care, compassion, and understanding needed to work best with survivors of sexual violence and also have expertise and background in cases of clergy abuse.

The most important part of moving forward is ensuring you have an attorney that you trust and can build a rapport with. We do not recommend one of these attorneys over any other; rather we want to provide this list as a starting point in your research as you look to find the expert who will work best with you.

• John Manly
• Jordan Merson
• Jeff Herman
• Edwards Pottinger
• Mitchell Garabedian
• Pat Noaker
• Steve Boyd
• Fanizzi and Barr
• Jerry Kristal
• William Lorenz, Jr.
• Martin Smalline and JoAnn Harri
• Michelle Simpson Tuegel
• Paul Mones
• Richard Serbin / Janet, Janet and Suggs
• Paul J. Cambria Jr.
• Evan Oshan
• Dominique A. Penson

If you have questions about the process and would like to speak with another survivor, we encourage you to contact our New York SNAP leaders or the SNAP Survivor Support Coordinator, Melanie Sakoda. 

Please note: this list of attorneys is not a recommendation nor does it imply any sort of endorsement from SNAP. This is simply a compilation of attorney names that have been provided to us by survivors and leaders in New York in hopes that we can provide a starting point for those who are doing research. 

(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)