Richard Saenz Email & Phone Number

New York, Ny, Us

New York, New York, United States

Greater New York City Area

Richard Saenz focuses his work on the criminal legal system, coordinating litigation and policy work on behalf of incarcerated people and against the criminalization of LGBTQ+ people. He is the project manager and co-author of Protected & Served? 2022, a groundbreaking community survey on the experiences of LGBTQ+ people and people living with HIV with the criminal legal system at www.ProtectedAndServed.org. Richard represents Jane Roe, a transgender woman living with HIV who was held in solitary confinement for over six years under a Missouri DOC policy, in Jane Roe v. Precythe, et al. He is also lead counsel in John Doe v. Delaware County, et al. concerning the unlawful denial of participation in a prison’s work program because of Mr. Doe’s HIV status . He was lead counsel in Dorn v. Michigan DOC resulting in substantive changes to the MDOC’s policy directive that unlawfully discriminated against people living with HIV. Richard was counsel in Hicklin v. Precythe, a successful challenge to Missouri’s DOC’s “freeze frame” policy denying appropriate health care to transgender people in its custody.In Rhines v. Young, a capital case in South Dakota, Richard was co-author of an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to allow Mr. Rhines to present evidence that anti-gay bias was a factor in some jurors’ decisions to sentence him to death. He co-authored an amicus brief in NYSPRA v. Corlett concerning the constitutionality of New York’s licensing for concealed carry permits. His legislative work includes the NYS Gender Identity Respect, Dignity, and Safety Act. He is part of the team defending California’s SB 132, The Transgender Respect, Agency and Dignity Act. His work has been featured in the ABA’s Criminal Justice Magazine, Washington Post, NBC News, USA Today, Newsweek, and The Advocate. In 2016, he served as a panelist at the White House LGBT/HIV Criminal Justice Briefing. Richard is a contributing author of the Prisons and Jails chapter of AIDS and the Law.

Greater New York City Area

The Wasserstein Public Interest Fellows Program, created in 1990 in honor of Morris Wasserstein through a generous gift from his family, brings outstanding public interest attorneys to Harvard Law School to counsel students about public service. The Program recognizes exemplary lawyers who have distinguished themselves in public interest work and who can advise students who are considering similar career paths.

Queens, New York

The HIV/LGBT Advocacy Project provides confidential legal services for low-income lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and people impacted by HIV in our communities. With our clients, we advocate for comprehensive access to justice in areas such as discrimination, housing, government benefits and family law.HIV/LGBT Advocacy Project Staff Attorney: providing direct representation to low-income victims of domestic violence, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender clients and people living with HIV in Family Court, Supreme Court and Administrative hearings (Social Security and FAIR Hearings) on matrimonial, family offense, custody and support matters, disability and government benefits; providing center-level advocacy for clients for public assistance; providing legal workshops on public benefits, domestic violence, permanency planning, confidentiality law and anti-discrimination laws to community organizations

Provide trainings to incoming students on legal skill sets; mentor students on courses, exam preparation and legal writing

Helpdesk Specialist: Worked directly on legal issues that impacted LGBT communities and people living with HIV/AIDS; Interviewed potential clients for possible impact litigation cases and prepared interview memos for attorney review; Provided general legal information and referrals; Participated in strategic planning for Legal Department

J.D.

Bachelor'S Degree, English, Justice And Peace Studies