Experience:
Litigation Highlights
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Criminal Defense:
Experienced and successful in the representation of individuals
charged with misdemeanor & petty offenses in the Village, Town and City
Courts of Westchester County.
-
Types of charges: DWI, petit larceny, criminal mischief,
marijuana & controlled substances offenses and more
-
Has conducted
arraignments, plea bargaining, suppression hearings, fact-finding hearings,
settlement conferences, trials and more
- Successfully challenged
constitutionality of a State penal statute on Federal Constitutional grounds.
(See Media)
►
Accident Cases:
Successful experience in all phases and facets of civil personal injury
litigation. Types of cases: slip & fall; trip & fall; sexual assault;
wrongful death; automobile accidents (No-Fault); malicious prosecution.
Not-for-Profit Highlights
► Mr. Birman has
demonstrated experience with charitable groups including management,
fundraising, grant-making, start-up and dissolution. His clientele has included
community-based human service, research and advocacy, and international relief
organizations. He has also served as a grant reviewer for the United States
Department of Health and Human Services. Examples include:
-
For a U.S. government agency - served as
Grant Reviewer for a multi-million dollar Federal grant program targeting
faith-based not-for-profit organizations.
-
Established and
ran the Duke Public Interest Law Foundation (PILF), a charitable fund-raising
corporation. PILF is an entirely student-run organization at Duke University
School of Law, dedicated to helping law students finance their summer public
interest legal internships.
-
For a nationwide
lawyers' organization - served as Executive Director for two years; wrote
briefs, booklets, essays, newsletters; coordinated Board of Directors;
organized educational events; facilitated criminal defense work nationwide;
secured $100,000 in annual funding.
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For a $25-million
annual budget human services organization in Flatbush, Brooklyn: served as
grant writer, researcher and consultant. Assisted the executive staff and
top-level managers in securing millions in funding grants, contracts, and
awards from Federal, State and local government entities, corporations and
foundations. Conducted needs assessments, and wrote speeches, brochures, and
research reports.
► Examples of grants: from New York City government for after-school
programming; New York State for a primary health care center; the Federal
government for small business development, loans and technical assistance;
foundations and corporations for HIV/AIDS.
► Established and ran an advocacy and support organization for
victims of interpersonal violence:
-
Drafted articles of incorporation, bylaws, funding
application, brochures and public relations materials, and press releases
- Managed finances
- Recruited, trained and managed Board of Directors
- Organized art exhibitions at the United Nations, US
Department of Justice (Washington), New York State Capitol Building (Albany,
NY), Brooklyn and Queens Borough Halls, Bronx Museum of Art, Fordham
University, Hunter College, Kingsborough Community College, and St. Luke's
Hospital
- Held Conferences and Workshops at: YWCA of Brooklyn;
Park Slope Women's Shelter; Fordham University; Columbia University; Columbus
Ohio; Orinda, California
►
Other
Not-for-Profit Clients:
Albanian-American Women's
Organization, Inc.; Association for Disaster & Mass Trauma Studies;
Association for Union Democracy, Inc. ; Brooklyn AIDS Task Force, Inc.; Faith
Works International, Inc.; Interfaith Neighbors, Inc.; JONAH, Inc..; Public
Interest Law Foundation of Duke Law School, Inc; South Bronx Overall Economic
Development Corporation; UMMA, Inc.; World Rehabilitation Fund, Inc.
Serving Underserved
Populations
►
More than two decades of professional accomplishment working on
behalf of low-income minorities, immigrants, the homeless, and disadvantaged
people:
- Conducted research, designed program models, secured
funding, and helped to implement legal services, social services, and
education, health and economic programs for thousands of needy individuals and
families.
- Provided peer support and advocacy for victims and
survivors of interpersonal abuse, violence and trauma
- Since 2004, providing legal representation to
low-income individuals unable to afford retained counsel in misdemeanor
criminal matters and Family Court matters.
Media
Appearances: Has been interviewed by, and quoted in, the following media
outlets:
Educational Highlights
-
Juris Doctorate
Duke University, School of Law,
Durham, NC
-
Bachelor’s of Arts Diploma:
Columbia College,
New York, NY
- Continuing Legal
Education Training:
- "Statutory and Case Law Updates -
Permanency Legislation,"
by Appellate Division
-
"Local Court Criminal Practice," by NYS Bar Assn.
- "The Jury Trial
Project," by Westchester County Bar Assn
(WCBA) Criminal
Justice Section
- "Criminal Law Update," by NYS Assn. of Criminal Defense
Lawyers
- "Ethical Issues in Practice of Criminal Law," by WCBA Criminal
Justice Section
- "Recent Developments in Identification Law," by WCBA
Criminal
Justice Section
- "Child Sex Offenders," by
American Bar Association
- "DWI: New Laws, New Issues," by WCBA Criminal
Justice Section
- "Metro NY Trainer," by NYS Defenders Assn.
-
"Indigent Legal Defense in New York," by NYS Bar Assn.
- "Legal Ethics,"
New Rochelle Bar Assn.
- "Medical School for Lawyers - Neck & Back
Injuries,"
by NYS Trial Lawyers Assn.
- "Deposition
Essentials," by NYC Bar Assn.
- "Pro Bono CLE," with Legal Services of the
Hudson Valley
- "Tackling Critical Insurance Coverage and Litigation Issues
in NY,"
by Natl. Business Institute
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