Karen Friedman Agnifilo has a three-decade background in criminal justice, litigation, and trials. Her practice focuses on criminal defense in state and federal courts, leveraging her extensive experience prosecuting serious violent crimes, including complex homicide cases, from accusation to investigation to arrest and trial. In addition to criminal defense, she also represents plaintiffs in civil and employment matters and individuals in Title IX matters. She also specializes in internal investigations relating to misconduct, discrimination, and sexual assault.

About

A public servant for nearly three decades, Karen Friedman Agnifilo left the government as the Chief Assistant District Attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, a role she held from 2014 through 2021. During her tenure at the Manhattan DA’s Office, she played a critical leadership role in prosecuting high-profile violent crime cases, including complex cases involving a mental health component, as well as cold case homicides. As the second most senior attorney in the office, Ms. Friedman Agnifilo served as Acting District Attorney when the DA was out of the jurisdiction. She also supervised all complex and high-profile matters in the office and managed a team of 1,500 people with a $120 million budget, giving her the experience and judgment to manage complex, high-stakes cases. While serving in the Manhattan DA’s office, Ms. Friedman Agnifilo was also integral to creating the office’s Human Trafficking Unit, Hate Crimes Unit, Antiquities Trafficking Unit, Terrorism Unit, its Cybercrimes and Identity Theft Bureau, as well as working on the creation of Manhattan’s first Mental Health Court.

Before her promotion to the Manhattan DA’s Chief Assistant, Ms. Friedman Agnifilo served as the office’s Executive ADA and the Chief of its Trial Division from 2010 through 2014. Her other work in the Manhattan DA’s office includes four years as the Deputy Chief of the Sex Crimes Unit. Ms. Friedman Agnifilo has also served as General Counsel to the New York City Mayor’s Office’s Criminal Justice Coordinator where she worked for Mayor Michael Bloomberg on transforming New York City’s criminal justice policy.

In private practice since 2021, Ms. Friedman Agnifilo focuses on serving each of her clients’ unique and specific needs at the highest level. She has extensive investigatory and trial experience and represents clients in civil and criminal matters in both state and federal courts. She is especially adept at representing plaintiffs in employment disputes whether they proceed to trial or are resolved quietly before a complaint is ever filed.

Ms. Friedman Agnifilo is a frequent television news guest and commentator and is a former legal analyst for CNN. She is also the co-host of a weekly podcast on the Meidas Touch Network where she discusses emerging legal issues and litigation strategy that routinely has half a million listeners per episode. She is also the legal advisor for the television show Law and Order. Ms. Friedman Agnifilo is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles, and the Georgetown University Law Center.