Sofia Nelson Email & Phone Number

Detroit, Michigan, United States

• Provide zealous client-centered representation to individuals charged with felonies in state court from the probable cause conference through verdict. Manage litigation teams of clients, paralegals, investigators.
• Responsible for all aspects of litigation including client and witness engagement, discovery, motion practice, preliminary exams, plea negotiations, mitigation, evidentiary hearings, trial, and sentencing.
• Represented… Show more
• Represented over 300 clients resolving the vast majority of cases with dismissals, diversion, or favorable misdemeanor probationary pleas.
• Obtained dismissals on Miranda violations, Fourth Amendment violations, credibility issues, and jurisdictional challenges.
• Successfully tried three jury trials resulting in two not-guilty verdicts and one mistrial leading to a time-served misdemeanor plea resolution. Show less

Detroit, MI

• Provided zealous holistic defense to people convicted of felonies in state trial courts, Michigan Court of Appeals, Michigan Supreme Court, Eastern District of Michigan, and Sixth Circuit.
• Litigated and won People v. Stovall, 510 Mich 301 (2022) barring parolable life sentences for juveniles in Michigan resulting in hundreds of re-sentencings.
• Successfully litigated 15 juvenile lifer cases securing the opportunity for freedom for children who were previously condemned to die in… Show more
• Successfully litigated 15 juvenile lifer cases securing the opportunity for freedom for children who were previously condemned to die in prison.
• Won dozens of direct appeals securing sentence reductions, plea withdrawals, new trials, vacation of conviction, and vacation of fines.
• Was responsible for all aspects of litigation including client, family, and witness engagement, mitigation investigation, briefing, negotiation, working with experts, evidentiary hearings, oral argument.

Detroit, MI

• Developed and co-counseled litigation focused on collateral consequences, including extensive work on Doe v Snyder No 2:12-cv-11194 (ED Mich) (successfully challenging Michigan’s Sex Offender Registry) and Barry v.
• Was responsible for initial investigations, drafting litigation materials, discovery, FOIA requests and review, depositions, client… Show more
• Was responsible for initial investigations, drafting litigation materials, discovery, FOIA requests and review, depositions, client interviews, and legal research in impact litigation matters.
• Testified before the state legislature to advocate for ALCU’s position on proposed legislation. Show less

New Haven, CT

• Secured release of detained veteran Legal Permanent Resident and prevented his deportation.
• Represented a disabled veteran in a landmark challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act, winning the spousal service-connected disability benefits she had been denied due to her same-sex marriage (Cardona v. Shinseki.
• Drafted and shepherded a bill into law creating a statewide, veteran-specific, jail diversion program.
• Litigated in Board of Veterans Appeals and the Court of… Show more
• Litigated in Board of Veterans Appeals and the Court of Appeals of Veterans Claims. Show less

Seattle, WA

• Represented people accused of misdemeanors and people facing or seeking release from civil commitment for sexual delinquency.
• Co-counseled a civil commitment release trial resulting in a hung jury and ultimately the negotiated release of the client from civil commitment.

Grand Rapids, MI

• Worked on multiple litigation projects including the decriminalization of panhandling, the excessiveness of the Michigan Sex Offender Registration, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) abuse.
• Researched and wrote a legal memorandum on venue issues for Bivens and Federal Tort Claims Act claims and due process concerns surrounding lifetime trespass bans.
• Assisted in litigation development by interviewing potential plaintiffs, which included trips to local jails, homeless… Show more
• Assisted in litigation development by interviewing potential plaintiffs, which included trips to local jails, homeless shelters, and courthouses, and reviewing court records and police reports. Show less

Burlington, Vermont Area

• Recruited, trained, and supervised dozens of volunteers for the Burlington area Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. Additionally coordinated two free tax preparation clinics focused on increasing access to the.
• Facilitated and administered a coalition of local businesses and non-profits focused on increasing economic opportunity—duties included grant writing and reporting, meeting facilitation, and administrative tasks.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Assisted in congressional lobbying efforts for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.3
• Researched and assisted in drafting a guide for transgender inclusion on university campuses.
• Researched state and Canadian province policies for changing gender markers on driver’s licenses.
• Provided office support including research, scheduling, database maintenance, and fielding constituent concerns.

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Activities and Societies: Jerome N. Frank Legal Services Organization Board Member; Journal of Law and Feminism; Research Assistant.

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Political Science And Women & Gender Studies, Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa

Activities and Societies: Tufts Progressive Alumni Network; Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition; Team Q: LGBTQ Student Speakers.