Zalkind Duncan & Bernstein

What Zalkind Duncan & Bernstein does

Zalkind Duncan & Bernstein LLP is a Boston-based trial law firm founded in the late 1960s by Norman Zalkind during the civil rights movement, with a stated mission of representing individuals against institutions. The firm operates as a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) and is privately held, employing 1-10 people. It maintains its headquarters at 2 Oliver Street in Boston, Massachusetts, and serves clients regionally in Suffolk, Middlesex, and Norfolk counties, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket, with national reach in Title IX/student rights matters spanning 85+ schools across the country.

The firm offers five core practice areas: Criminal Defense (misdemeanor and felony representation at trial and appeal, spanning violent crimes, white-collar offenses, drug cases, and federal prosecution); Employment Law (discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, FMLA, wage and hour, and whistleblower matters for employees and executives); Student Rights and Title IX (representation for both complainants and respondents at colleges and universities); Civil Litigation (constitutional challenges, civil rights claims, RICO, and contract and tort disputes); and Appeals (criminal, civil, and amicus briefs at state and federal appellate courts).

Revenue is generated through professional legal fees, primarily on an hourly billing model with quote-based arrangements following initial consultation. The firm sells directly to individual clients and referral sources via phone consultations (617-742-6020), online intake forms, professional networks, and content marketing through its Boston Lawyer Blog and media appearances. Notable case results include a $10.9 million verdict against the City of Boston (systemic discrimination), a $7.6 million verdict against the MBTA (retaliation), a $2.2 million verdict for a female police officer (gender discrimination), murder acquittals, and successful Title IX outcomes. The firm was recognized as Tier 1 in Boston across six practice areas by Best Lawyers and holds a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent rating. In May 2026, it filed as co-counsel in the Ghost Network Class Action against Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare and Point32Health, signaling expansion into healthcare class action litigation.

Name

Zalkind Duncan & Bernstein

Legal name

Zalkind Duncan & Bernstein LLP

Website

https://zalkindlaw.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Zalkind Duncan & Bernstein is a Boston-based trial law firm representing individuals in high-stakes criminal defense, employment discrimination, Title IX/student rights, civil litigation, and appellate matters across Massachusetts and nationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Criminal Defense (BPAHAAAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Employment & Labor Law (BPAHAAAD), White-Collar Defense & Investigations (BPAHAAAJ), Litigation Support & Expert Witness Services (BPAHALAG)

Keywords

• Criminal defense
• Employment law
• Civil litigation
• Title IX defense
• Appellate advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Legal Services - Professional Fees: Revenue generated from legal representation services including criminal defense, employment law, Title IX/student rights, civil litigation, and appeals. Services billed primarily through hourly fees for ongoing legal representation, with potential contingency or fixed-fee arrangements for certain matters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Zalkind Duncan & Bernstein is a Boston-based trial law firm that represents individuals in high-stakes criminal defense, employment law, student rights/Title IX, civil litigation, and appellate matters. The firm operates across Massachusetts and nationally, with a particular focus on cases involving individuals against institutions such as government agencies, employers, and universities.

Product overview

Zalkind Duncan & Bernstein is a Boston-based trial law firm offering five core legal service practice areas: Criminal Defense, Employment Law, Student Rights and Title IX, Civil Litigation, and Appeals. The firm specializes in high-stakes matters for individuals against institutions, with particular focus on complex federal cases, employment disputes, and campus disciplinary proceedings. The practice areas operate as distinct but complementary service lines serving clients in Massachusetts and across the country.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Criminal Defense
• Employment Law
• Student Rights and Title IX
• Civil Litigation
• Appeals

Quantifiable outcome

• $10.9 million jury verdict against City of Boston for systemic discrimination
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Pollock Cohen LLPminorOthers · 6 May 2026Co-counsel relationship in Ghost Network Class Action Lawsuit against Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare and Point32Health. Firm serving as co-counsel alongside Pollock Cohen LLP and Walden Macht Haran & Williams LLP.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Ropes & Gray: Premier Boston firm with broad litigation, employment, and investigations practices; competing for high-stakes matters overlapping with Zalkind's sweet spot.
• Foley Hoag: Boston mid-size firm with civil litigation, employment, and white-collar defense practices; comparable high-end individual and institutional representation.
• Brown Rudnick: Boston-headquartered firm with commercial litigation, white-collar defense, and investigations capabilities; overlaps Zalkind's complex civil and criminal defense practice.
• Mintz: Large Boston-headquartered firm with white-collar defense, employment, and litigation practices; overlaps Zalkind's criminal defense and employment practices at the high end.

Direct peers

• Roman & Chase: Boston-based criminal defense boutique handling violent crimes, drug offenses, and serious felonies at state and federal level; directly comparable in size, geography, and practice mix to Zalkind's criminal defense arm.
• Shapiro & Teitelbaum: Boston trial firm focused on criminal defense and civil litigation; similar boutique scale and individual-vs-institution advocacy positioning.
• Bianchi & Brandt: Boston plaintiff-side employment law firm representing employees in discrimination, retaliation, and severance matters; comparable target clients and case type.
• Breakstone Law Firm: Boston employment discrimination and workplace rights boutique; directly comparable plaintiff-side employment practice targeting executives and individuals.
• Liberty Law Associates: Boston-area plaintiff employment law firm handling discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims; directly comparable employment-side practice.
• Title IX / Saigal Law Group: Specialized student rights and Title IX defense firm; comparable national Title IX respondent-side practice overlapping with Zalkind's Title IX offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/zalkindlaw
• Facebookfacebook.com/Zalkind-Duncan-Bernstein-LLP-524597237620620
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zalkind-duncan-&-bernstein-llp

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zalkind Duncan & Bernstein