Claire Zartarian

Since 2018, Claire has worked at the Office of Indigent Legal Services, where she is a member of a team devoted to the Statewide Implementation of the Hurrell-Harring Settlement Agreement.  Claire’s focus is on Counsel at First Appearance, which she views as a pivotal opportunity for defense attorneys to argue for release, gather time-sensitive information regarding the facts of the case and begin establishing a positive attorney-client relationship.

Claire Zartarian obtained her B.A. from The College of the Holy Cross in 2003 and her J.D. from Brooklyn Law School in 2008.  After graduating from law school, Claire joined The Legal Aid Society and worked in the Criminal Defense Practice in Brooklyn from 2008 until 2017, where she represented clients from arraignment to trial who were charged with misdemeanor to felony level crimes including attempted murder, sex crimes, robbery, narcotics and weapons charges, and driving under the influence.  During her tenure at Legal Aid, Claire interviewed witnesses, gathered evidence via subpoena and FOIL requests, and managed all stages of criminal litigation with the invaluable assistance and support of Legal Aid’s Special Litigation Unit, investigators and social workers.  Claire successfully argued Gissendanner motions for police disciplinary records, motions for bail reduction, suppression and other evidentiary motions.  In 2016, she was selected to staff the Red Hook Community Justice Center, where many cases are resolved through community restitution projects, short-term psycho-educational groups, and long-term treatment, but clients are uniquely not required to enter a plea to engage in treatment and cases may also be litigated through trial.