Criminal Defense
Michael Dowd has been defending people accused of crime for nearly forty years. He has handled more than 200 jury trials and nearly 50 homicide cases in both state and federal court. He has represented defendants in almost every kind of case from federal cases involving bank fraud, wire fraud, securities fraud, bank robbery and cases involving crimes on federal property. In state court Mr. Dowd has represented people accused of every kind of crime from arson to homicide to DUI.
His philosophy is simple. Michael Dowd handles every case with the same care and skill he would want for himself. He prepares every case as if it is going to trial. Once a prosecutor understands that a criminal defense lawyer will go to trial, if necessary, the chance of reasonable disposition by plea increases.
Michael Dowd was one of the first lawyers to handle and win a battered woman's self defense case. He has been instrumental in developing the defense. He has represented over 20 women in homicide trials where the women fought back against their abuser.
Michael Dowd was the first lawyer in New York State to successfully bring to trial a case using the post-partum psychiatric defense in a case where a mother smothered two of her children.
Michael Dowd is a tough adversary. He fights for his clients.
One of the worst things that can happen to an individual or a family is to be arrested or have a loved one accused of a serious crime. They can be imprisoned for months or even years just waiting for a trial.
When that awful thing happens, you want to find a lawyer who is experienced and able and most of all cares about the person he represents. It's not a nine to five job.
As you look through this website, you will see that Michael Dowd's office has represented people who have been the victims of injustice.
There is only one injustice worse than being wrongly accused of a crime. Being convicted of a crime you did not commit.
Sexual and Clergy Abuse
The sexual abuse of a child by a trusted adult can have far reaching and devastating consequences that will last well into a person’s adult life. Psychological problems like depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder can wreak havoc on a victim’s life, to say nothing of the loss of trust and self-esteem. It is not uncommon for victims of sexual abuse to have substance abuse problems, problems in their marital life and problems in their sex life. Unfortunately, most victims of abuse are too ashamed, embarrassed, confused and fearful to report their abuser or even tell a family member or friend about their ordeal. Very few victims ever report their abuse to the authorities. Sexual abuse is the perfect crime because it often silences the victim, allowing the perpetrators and those who employed them to escape responsibility.
Michael Dowd has been a tireless advocate for survivors of sexual abuse. He understands that while filing a lawsuit will not erase the trauma and pain of abuse, the civil justice system is the best method we have as a society to hold the perpetrators and those who employ them accountable. To that end, Mr. Dowd has not only represented numerous victims of abuse by Catholic priests and Catholic school employees, but as well as victims of the Jewish Community, and victims in the Boy Scouts of America.
If you or a member of your family has been the victim of sexual abuse, please call the office of Michael Dowd for a free consultation.
The sexual abuse of a child by a member of the clergy is the ultimate betrayal of trust. Children who are sexually abused by a priest, minister, deacon or rabbi not only must cope with the vast array of problems typically felt by other victims of abuse like embarrassment, confusion, anger, anxiety and depression, but they also often experience a profound loss of faith. In fact, for many victims, this loss of faith creates a wound that never heals.
Michael Dowd has been a pioneer in the effort in New York State to get religious institutions to be held accountable to victims of sexual abuse. In 1995, fully seven years before the Catholic Church scandal broke in 2002, Michael Dowd sued the Archdiocese of New York on behalf of a boy who had been molested by a Catholic elementary school principal. The case was settled two days after the trial started.
After the 2002 abuse scandal broke out in the Catholic Church, Michael Dowd’s office was flooded with calls from victims seeking justice for the injuries they received from abusive priests. Mr. Dowd was one of the first attorneys in New York to file a lawsuit against the various dioceses in the New York metropolitan area. He represented almost two hundred victims in lawsuits against the Brooklyn Diocese, the Rockville Centre Diocese and the Archdiocese of New York.
In 2007, Michael Dowd’s office took the first sexual abuse case against the Catholic Church in New York to trial. After seven weeks, the jury awarded his clients a joint total of $11.45 million dollars.
Michael Dowd knows how emotionally difficult and painful it is for survivors to come forward and confront their abusers. His goal in representing victims is to prepare them for the challenge and vigorously and tirelessly protect them so they can receive justice.
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment in the workplace is unfortunately an all too common occurrence. If you have been the victim of unwelcome sexual conduct or sexual advances, either physical or verbal, you may be entitled to recover money damages depending on the nature of the abuse, how and where it occurred and the identity of the employee or supervisor who had been harassing you. In addition, if you have been penalized in any way as a consequence of reporting the acts of sexual harassment, you may also have the right to sue your employer.
If you or a member of your family has been the victim of sexual harassment, please call the office of Michael Dowd for a free consultation.
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