Selendy Gay has expanded the firm’s storied appellate and trial practice with the addition of Corey Stoughton. As a seasoned appellate advocate specializing in constitutional law, criminal law, and complex civil litigation, Stoughton is an invaluable asset for the firm’s clients. She will hold the title of special counsel.
“Corey is a top-tier appellate specialist and sophisticated strategist, who has successfully led many high-profile, high-impact cases,” said Maria Ginzburg, managing partner of Selendy Gay. “We are delighted to include her on our deep bench of trial lawyers and appellate advocates.”
Stoughton comes from The Legal Aid Society, where she served as Attorney-in-Charge of Law Reform and Special Litigation and oversaw its strategic litigation practice. In this role, she led a large litigation team focused on a variety of cutting edge, constitutional and statutory issues, including the impact of COVID-19 in prisons and jails; as lead counsel in Payne v. City of New York (S.D.N.Y.), which challenged the NYPD’s use of inappropriate force against protesters; and in Davis v. City of New York (S.D.N.Y.), which challenged and reformed the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk practices. In June 2023, the New York State Bar Association honored Stoughton with its prestigious Award for Excellence in Mandated Representation.
“Selendy Gay is exceptional in the private sector for representing the practice of law at its very best,” said Stoughton. “I am thrilled to be able to continue to bring a commitment to excellence and innovation in the law to both its commercial and pro bono clients and proud to be a part of the firm’s extraordinary legacy.”
Before joining The Legal Aid Society, she led Liberty, the U.K.’s preeminent human rights and civil liberties organization. In 2015, Stoughton was appointed by President Barack Obama as senior counsel to head of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, where she focused on voting rights, criminal justice, and discrimination in education, housing, lending, and employment, among other areas. From 2005 to 2015, Stoughton managed complex litigation and advocacy campaigns for NYCLU, New York’s state affiliate of the ACLU.
“Corey is a brilliant and creative advocate who shares our firm’s deep commitment to legal excellence, social justice, and the staunch protection of human rights,” said Faith Gay, who leads the criminal law, corporate investigations, and pro bono practices at Selendy Gay. “We look forward to working shoulder to shoulder with Corey across a wide variety of civil, criminal, and constitutional matters.”
Stoughton graduated from Harvard Law School, served as a Fulbright Scholar, and clerked for the Honorable Cornelia G. Kennedy, on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. New York State’s Commission on Judicial Nominations three times included her among the slate of nominees for Associate Justice and Chief Justice of the New York Court of Appeals.
“Winning disputes at our level requires the most insightful and agile tacticians,” said Philippe Selendy, co-founder of Selendy Gay. “Corey brings to our clients the highest caliber of attention, guidance, and strategy.”
