Our guiding principle is to help victims secure their right to justice and their right to be heard.
Cohen Milstein is a litigation and advocacy leader in fighting sexual abuse and sex crimes before judges, juries and state legislatures. Our work representing victims in their pursuit of justice has resulted in precedent-setting settlements and victories, including addressing repressed memory issues and state statutes of limitations. Our advocacy efforts to make foster care systems safer for children is frequently cited by judges.
In championing the rights of our clients, who include children and adults, as well as adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse, we have battled formidable institutions, including well-funded religious organizations, schools and universities, state foster care and protective services organizations, and healthcare institutions, as well as individual perpetrators.
If you or a loved one has been a victim and you believe you may have a legal claim, please contact us at (877) 515-7955 or fill out our free case evaluation form.
Takisha D. Richardson, of counsel, is a former Assistant State Attorney and Chief of the Special Victims Unit of the State Attorney’s office for Palm Beach County, Florida. She brings more than a decade of experience both as an attorney and as a team supervisor responsible for the prosecution of crimes against children and the elderly, and sexually motivated offenses. Prior to that role, she prosecuted felony cases at all levels and was an Assistant Public Defender. Ms. Richardson has tried over 100 jury and non-jury trials, most of which involved sexual abuse and/or homicide matters.
Our Approach:
- Clients work directly with Ms. Richardson. Throughout the process, our goal is to help clients have a voice, feel heard, and be a present force.
- Because of Ms. Richardson's background as an Assistant State Attorney and Chief of the Special Victims Unit of the State Attorney's office in Palm Beach County, FL, as well as an Assistant Public Defender, Ms. Richardson is a highly respected advocate of victims' rights and trial attorney, with first-hand experience of navigating the judicial system.
- Ms. Richardson appreciates the paradox victims face when seeking justice with the aid of law enforcement and judicial systems, institutions survivors worry are not prepared to fully protect victims’ rights. Ms. Richardson has extensive experience addressing such situations to maximize victims’ rights.
- Ms. Richardson is personally invested in clients’ interests throughout the process, including participating in criminal investigations, personally filing notices of appearance, preparing witnesses for criminal trials, and attending victim impact hearings.
Representative Matters:
- John Doe: Successfully represented a 49-year-old south Florida resident in Virginia state court whose repressed memories of traumatic sexual abuse began to surface two years prior to filing the lawsuit. Successfully settled the lawsuit on behalf of our client, despite the challenges of repressed memory evidence and the passage of 40 years since the sex crimes were committed.
- Jane Doe vs. Tim Crowe: Successfully represented a childhood sexual abuse survivor in a direct action against the perpetrator, resulting in a $19.2 million compensatory damage verdict, ranked one of the Top 100 verdicts nationwide by The National Law Journal’s Verdict Search (2009).
- Trahan v. Mulholland (Cir. Crt., Alachua Cnty., Fla.): In August 2018, after a week-long trial, a jury awarded Ms. Trahan, an adult survivor of childhood sexual abuse, $4.6 million in damages for more than a decade of sexual abuse perpetrated by her father, a prominent Central Florida businessman. The jury also found her mother negligent in failing to use reasonable care to protect her from the abuse.
Fill out our free case evaluation form, if you believe you have a legal claim.