Eliza Orlins

Eliza Orlins is a Manhattan public defender and advocate for criminal justice reform. For more than a decade, she has represented thousands of New Yorkers who could not afford legal representation. Her work focuses on defending vulnerable individuals and addressing systemic inequalities within the criminal justice system.

Eliza earned a degree from Syracuse University and a law degree from Fordham Law School. While at Fordham, she served as symposium editor for the Urban Law Journal and organized a symposium examining the constitutionality of lethal injection and related issues within criminal law.

Eliza has represented more than 3,000 New Yorkers during her career as a criminal defense attorney with The Legal Aid Society. She has appeared in both the New York State Supreme Court and the New York State Criminal Court, defending individuals who face serious legal challenges and limited resources.

Eliza has also helped train new attorneys in criminal defense advocacy. She works with developing lawyers on courtroom strategies, including bail arguments, suppression hearings, cross-examination techniques, and effective closing arguments designed to protect defendants’ rights and ensure fair legal proceedings.

Eliza is known for her advocacy for individuals from communities facing systemic barriers in the justice system. Her work often focuses on defending people from lower income communities and supporting broader conversations about fairness, accountability, and justice within public institutions and legal systems.

Eliza’s advocacy has been recognized in public discussions about criminal justice reform. Her legal work and advocacy efforts have been featured in The New York Times, and she has written opinion columns on justice and policy issues for publications including Gotham Gazette and Blavity.

In addition to her legal career, Eliza Orlins has engaged with the public on issues of justice and reform. She has also used her national platform, from appearing on the television program Survivor to raise awareness about criminal justice reform and social justice issues.

Law Office Affiliations

• Attorney, The Legal Aid Society
• Member, New York State Bar Association

Licensed State

• New York

Education

• Fordham Law School
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• Syracuse University
  Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Awards & Badges