NSBHF
NSBHF is a New York-based civil rights law firm specializing in federal §1983 wrongful conviction and police misconduct litigation, representing individual plaintiffs nationwide on a contingency fee basis through direct representation and partnerships with Am Law 100 firms and local counsel.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What NSBHF does
NSBHF is a national civil rights law firm headquartered in New York City, founded in 1998 by Barry Scheck, Peter Neufeld, and the late Johnnie Cochran Jr. The firm specializes in federal §1983 civil rights litigation, with a concentrated practice in civil wrongful conviction cases, police misconduct (including excessive force, fabrication of evidence, and custodial abuse), and Eighth Amendment jail and prison death claims. NSBHF describes itself as having established the field of civil wrongful conviction litigation and positions itself as the standard-bearer for record jury verdicts and settlements in such cases across the United States, operating from a single New York office while litigating nationwide through local counsel in Alaska, California, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Nevada, Idaho, Michigan, and Illinois.
The firm's core service is contingency-fee civil rights litigation; revenue is generated from contingency percentages of settlements and jury verdicts, with no published pricing. NSBHF staffs each case with multiple partners and associates and routinely partners with Am Law 100 firms (e.g., Cotchett Pitre & McCarthy, Lathrop GPM, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, Stanford's Three Strikes Project) on co-counsel engagements, as well as with regional local counsel and innocence projects (Los Angeles Innocence Project, Great North Innocence Project). The firm operates a dedicated Cochran Fellowship, a two-year post-graduate civil rights fellowship that serves as both a talent pipeline and a recruiting brand asset. NSBHF is women-led (current partners: Nick Brustin, Anna Benvenutti Hoffmann, Emma Freudenberger, and Amelia Green) and has added non-litigation infrastructure in 2025–2026, including a Managing Director and a Controller, consistent with operational professionalization rather than a pivot in business model.
Customer outcomes on record include a $38M jury verdict (Stefon Morant, 2026), a $25M settlement (Maurice Hastings, 2025), a $19.1M settlement (Daniel Saldaña), a $14M settlement (Ricky Kidd), a $43M+ award upheld on appeal (Restivo/Halstead), and the $41.65M Deskovic verdict, alongside a stated 15-year streak of wins at every jury trial. The firm does not publish financials, raise external capital, or have a parent company.
NSBHF firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NSBHF
- Legal name
- Neufeld Scheck Brustin Hoffmann & Freudenberger, LLP
- Website
- https://nsbhf.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- NSBHF is a New York-based civil rights law firm specializing in federal §1983 wrongful conviction and police misconduct litigation, representing individual plaintiffs nationwide on a contingency fee basis through direct representation and partnerships with Am Law 100 firms and local counsel.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NSBHF industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Civil Rights Litigation Services
- NAICS
- Offices of Lawyers (541110), Offices of Lawyers (54111)
- SIC
- Services-Legal Services (8111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Personal Injury & Insurance Defense (BPAHAAAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Criminal Defense (BPAHAAAN)
Keywords
Where NSBHF is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
NSBHF business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Civil Rights Litigation: The firm represents clients in civil wrongful conviction cases and police misconduct litigation. Revenue comes from settlements and jury verdicts in favor of clients, typically on a contingency fee basis common in civil rights cases.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
NSBHF product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NSBHF provides legal representation in federal §1983 civil rights cases, specializing in wrongful conviction litigation and police misconduct lawsuits against municipalities and law enforcement agencies. The firm represents individuals who have been wrongfully convicted, victims of police abuse, and families of those who died in custody, pursuing multi-million dollar settlements and jury verdicts. Their practice is supported by a dedicated social worker who provides holistic client care throughout the litigation process.
Product overview
NSBHF is a civil rights law firm specializing in wrongful conviction litigation and police misconduct cases. The firm's core offering is civil rights litigation under federal §1983, providing legal representation for wrongfully convicted individuals, victims of police misconduct, and families of those who died in custody. The practice is supported by a dedicated social worker for holistic client care and the Cochran Fellowship Program for training next-generation civil rights lawyers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Cochran Fellowship: A two-year post-graduate legal fellowship named in honor of late founding partner Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr., focusing on civil rights law training for early-career attorneys.
Products and services
- Civil Rights Litigation Services
Quantifiable outcome
- $38 million jury verdict for Stefon Morant (21 years wrongful imprisonment)
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use NSBHF
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
NSBHF technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
NSBHF partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Kaufman Lieb Lebowitz & Frick LLP (KLLF)coreCo-counsel on federal civil rights lawsuit on behalf of David Blakeney's Estate. KLLF partner Ali Frick and Ray Durham represented Blakeney's Estate alongside NSBHF attorneys.
- Kairys, Rudovsky, Messing, Feinberg & Lin LLPcoreCo-counsel on federal civil rights lawsuit on behalf of David Blakeney's Estate. Jonathan Feinberg represented Blakeney's Estate alongside NSBHF attorneys.
- Levy Firestone Muse LLPcoreCo-counsel on federal civil rights lawsuit on behalf of David Blakeney's Estate. Josh Levy and Julianna Andonian represented Blakeney's Estate alongside NSBHF attorneys.
- Stanford Law School's Three Strikes ProjectcoreCo-counsel with NSBHF on Daniel Saldaña wrongful conviction case. Michael Romano and Susan Champion represented Saldaña alongside NSBHF.
- The Freedman Firm PCminorLocal counsel with NSBHF on Daniel Saldaña wrongful conviction case. Michael Freedman and Ashwini Mate represented Saldaña.
- Morgan Pilate LLPcoreLocal firm partnering with NSBHF on wrongful conviction lawsuits for Domonique Moore and Cedric Warren against Kansas City, Kansas Police. Lindsay Runnels is the primary attorney.
- Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLPcoreNational firm partnering with NSBHF on wrongful conviction lawsuits for Domonique Moore and Cedric Warren. Bob Hoffman and Courtney Stout are the primary attorneys.
- Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy LLP (CPM)coreLocal counsel from CPM represented Maurice Hastings alongside NSBHF in the $25 million settlement case.
- Lathrop GPM LLPcorePartnered with NSBHF on Ricky Kidd wrongful conviction case. Filed lawsuit in 2021 against Kansas City, Missouri Board of Police Commissioners. Partner Michael Abrams, attorney Alana McMullin, and paralegal Melissa Love represented Kidd.
- Kramer & CosgrovecoreAlaska law firm partnering with NSBHF on Marvin Roberts settlement case. Mike Kramer and Reilly Cosgrove represented Roberts alongside NSBHF.
- Magna Law Firm, LLCminorOliver Nelson of Magna Law Firm represented Marvin Haynes alongside NSBHF in wrongful conviction lawsuit against Minneapolis Police Department.
- Am Law 100 FirmscoreAm Law 100 firms routinely ask NSBHF to partner on civil rights cases with their pro bono practice groups, bringing in NSBHF's expertise and stellar track record for record settlements.
- Innocence ProjectscoreNSBHF works with innocence projects nationwide including the Los Angeles Innocence Project (on Maurice Hastings case) and Great North Innocence Project (on Marvin Haynes case).
- Law Offices of Kenneth RosenthalminorKenneth Rosenthal served as co-counsel representing Stefon Morant alongside NSBHF.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
NSBHF competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy: California-based plaintiffs' firm with a civil rights and police misconduct practice that has served as local counsel on NSBHF-led matters (e.g., Maurice Hastings). Directly comparable on contingency-fee §1983 work against municipalities.
- Geragos & Geragos: Boutique plaintiff-side firm handling high-profile civil rights, police misconduct, and wrongful conviction matters on contingency. Comparable to NSBHF in case-type focus and reputation-driven intake model, though with a broader plaintiff practice.
- Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein: National plaintiff-side law firm with a leading civil rights and human rights practice alongside mass torts and class actions. Directly comparable to NSBHF as a contingency-fee firm pursuing high-impact constitutional and civil rights damages actions against government and institutional defendants.
- Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll: Plaintiffs' firm with a prominent civil rights and institutional abuse practice. Comparable to NSBHF in its contingency-fee civil rights docket, focus on systemic misconduct, and track record of multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements against government defendants.
- Loevy & Loevy: Plaintiffs' civil rights firm widely regarded as a leading competitor in police misconduct and wrongful conviction litigation. Closely comparable to NSBHF in niche focus, case economics, and high-profile verdict track record.
Others
- Lathrop GPM: National firm that partnered with NSBHF on the Ricky Kidd wrongful conviction case. Comparable as a co-counsel partner providing local and amicus capacity on civil rights matters where NSBHF leads.
- Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner: Am Law 100 firm that has partnered with NSBHF on civil rights matters (e.g., Domonique Moore and Cedric Warren case). Functions as a co-counsel and pro bono partner rather than a direct competitor, providing scale and jurisdictional reach NSBHF leverages.
- The Innocence Project: Nonprofit co-founded and co-directed by NSBHF founders Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld. While not a direct fee-for-service competitor, it is a key referral source and ecosystem partner feeding wrongful conviction cases into NSBHF's pipeline.
Broad incumbents
- NAACP Legal Defense Fund: Larger civil rights organization with a broader civil rights mandate including criminal justice, education, and voting rights. Comparable to NSBHF in mission and case-type overlap (NSBHF senior associate Alaizah Koorji previously served there), though LDF's practice is not contingency-fee damages work.
Emerging players
- Center for Constitutional Rights: Public interest law firm litigating constitutional and civil rights cases. Comparable in subject-matter overlap with NSBHF, with NSBHF associates having trained there (Bertha Justice Fellowship); operates on a non-contingency model rather than competing directly for damages work.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
NSBHF social profiles
Digital presenceNSBHF financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NSBHF leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
NSBHF funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NSBHF M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about NSBHF
What does NSBHF do?
NSBHF provides legal representation in federal §1983 civil rights cases, specializing in wrongful conviction litigation and police misconduct lawsuits against municipalities and law enforcement agencies. The firm represents individuals who have been wrongfully convicted, victims of police abuse, and families of those who died in custody, pursuing multi-million dollar settlements and jury verdicts. Their practice is supported by a dedicated social worker who provides holistic client care throughout the litigation process.
Is NSBHF a public or private company?
NSBHF is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was NSBHF founded?
NSBHF was founded in 1998. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is NSBHF based?
NSBHF is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does NSBHF make money?
One revenue line is on record: civil Rights Litigation.
Who are NSBHF's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, Geragos & Geragos, Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll and Loevy & Loevy. Others are Lathrop GPM, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner and The Innocence Project. NAACP Legal Defense Fund is listed as a broad incumbent. Center for Constitutional Rights is listed as an emerging player.
Does NSBHF have an API?
No public API is recorded for NSBHF.
What industry is NSBHF in?
NSBHF's product category is Civil Rights Litigation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAAAM, Personal Injury & Insurance Defense, with a secondary code of BPAHAAAN, Criminal Defense. Its NAICS code is 541110 and its SIC code is 8111.