Ilann M. Maazel is nationally recognized for helping the most vulnerable: survivors of sexual abuse, disability abuse, bullying, police abuse, prison abuse, and all forms of discrimination. Mr. Maazel co-led the $100 million mass action sex abuse case against Ohio State University, secured the largest wrongful conviction settlement in Connecticut history, helped save the High Line in New York City, led the 2016 presidential recount effort in Pennsylvania, and has brought class actions to end the tampon tax, end delays in Bronx Criminal Court, provide services to disabled preschool children, reduce violence in New York City prisons, and defend millions of Americans surveilled by the National Security Agency.
As a commercial litigator, Mr. Maazel defeated Donald Trump and has represented Martha Stewart, the Apollo Theater, Everytown for Gun Safety, the NAACP, Newegg, the Children’s Aid Society, The New York Foundling, the New York City Council, and executives and employees in financial services, health care, fashion, advertising, academia, and the non-profit sector.
Mr. Maazel has been published in USA Today, The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, and The National Law Journal. He blogged for Law.com, writes the civil rights litigation column for the New York Law Journal and is a frequent commentator on civil rights issues in the national media. His work has been featured in The New York Times’ The Weekly, NPR, The Brian Lehrer Show, the Oscar-winning documentary Citizenfour, and the duPont-winning documentary Surviving Ohio State. He has guest lectured at Columbia Law School and The Cooper Union.
Mr. Maazel joined the firm after clerking for the Hon. John M. Walker, Jr. on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
Mr. Maazel is also a writer, pianist, and composer.
Education
University of Michigan, J.D., magna cum laude, 1997
Order of the Coif
Harvard University, B.A., magna cum laude, 1993
Harvard National Scholar (in recognition of “unusual academic, extracurricular and personal distinction”)
Harvard Scholarship for “academic work of high distinction”
Admissions
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York
U.S. District Court, Western District of New York
New York
Memberships
The Federal Bar Council
The Association of the Bar of the City of New York (Civil Rights Committee, Federal Legislation Committee)
NationSwell
The New York County Lawyers’ Association (Federal Courts Committee)
Honors
City and State Law Power 100 (2023)
Super Lawyer (2012 – 2026)
Lawdragon’s “500 Leading Civil Rights Lawyers” (2021 – 2026)
Legal Services Pro Bono Leader
Legal Aid Society Pro Bono Publico award winner
Coro Leadership Fellow
Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America (2018 – 2025)
Echoing Green Public Service Fellowship awarded to “outstanding individuals who are committed to public service work.”
Attorney News
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ECBAWM Secures $15.25 Million Settlement for Vernon Horn After 17 Years of Wrongful Imprisonment, Largest Wrongful Conviction Settlement in CT History
August 13, 2026
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Major Announcement in the Ohio State University Sex Abuse Case
June 3, 2026
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ECBAWM Files Federal Civil Rights Lawsuit on Behalf of Christopher Ellis Following Wrongful Conviction
April 7, 2026
Representative Cases
#MeToo: represent survivors of sexual abuse, discrimination, and harassment, including the Ohio State University sex abuse scandal ($100 million settlement) and Breest v. Haggis ($10 million jury verdict). Member of the Legal Network for Gender Equity.
Wrongful Conviction and Prisoners’ Rights: Represent wrongfully convicted prisoners (including Vernon Horn, over $20 million in settlements from Connecticut and the City of New Haven; Kareem Bellamy, $8 million settlement from New York City). Helped free Christopher Ellis, Anthony Sims, and Amaury Bonilla. Co-counsel in Ingles v. Toro, resulting in one of the most sweeping injunctive settlements in the history of the New York City prison system.
Police Misconduct: represented Brigid Pierce ($2.5 million verdict v. the NYPD), Emil Mann (police shooting, $2.4 million jury verdict), Kenneth Banks (settlement/jury verdict totaling $1.7 million), Leonel Disla , Luis Solivan , and William Hallowell.
Wrongful Death/Personal Injury: represented families of the three Badger girls who died in the Stamford Christmas Day fire (over $12 million in settlements), Esther Penn (confidential settlement), Kim Barry (confidential settlement), and Roger Sanford ($2 million verdict v. the Albany County Nursing Home).
Publications
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Rule of Law, Not Rule of Trump
March 24, 2025
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Civil Rights and the 47th President
February 11, 2025
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"What Do Civil Rights Lawyers Do?"
November 14, 2023 —
New York Law Journal and ALM Litigation Daily
Education
University of Michigan, J.D., magna cum laude, 1997
Order of the Coif
Harvard University, B.A., magna cum laude, 1993
Harvard National Scholar (in recognition of “unusual academic, extracurricular and personal distinction”)
Harvard Scholarship for “academic work of high distinction”
Admissions
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York
U.S. District Court, Western District of New York
New York
Memberships
The Federal Bar Council
The Association of the Bar of the City of New York (Civil Rights Committee, Federal Legislation Committee)
NationSwell
The New York County Lawyers’ Association (Federal Courts Committee)
Honors
City and State Law Power 100 (2023)
Super Lawyer (2012 – 2026)
Lawdragon’s “500 Leading Civil Rights Lawyers” (2021 – 2026)
Legal Services Pro Bono Leader
Legal Aid Society Pro Bono Publico award winner
Coro Leadership Fellow
Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America (2018 – 2025)
Echoing Green Public Service Fellowship awarded to “outstanding individuals who are committed to public service work.”