Nancy Hollander

Nancy Hollander is an internationally renowned criminal defense attorney with over 30 years of experience advocating for clients in high-stakes and complex legal matters. She practices at Freedman Boyd Hollander Goldberg Urias & Ward P.A. in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and is also an Associate Tenant at Doughty Street Chambers in London, U.K. Her legal work spans national security, civil rights, and international human rights, making her a trusted advocate in both U.S. and global legal circles.

Hollander earned her J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 1978, where she served as an editor of the New Mexico Law Review.

Hollander’s career has been defined by bold and impactful representation. She served as lead appellate counsel for Chelsea Manning in the military courts and was instrumental in securing Manning’s early release through a sentence commutation by President Obama in 2017. She also represented two Guantánamo Bay detainees, most notably securing the release of Mohamedou Ould Slahi after 11 years of pro bono representation. Slahi’s memoir, Guantánamo Diary, which Hollander helped publish, became a New York Times bestseller and inspired the award-winning film The Mauritanian.

In another significant human rights case, Hollander represented Abd Rahim Al-Nashiri, a Guantánamo detainee facing the death penalty, and successfully argued two cases on his behalf before the European Court of Human Rights.

Beyond criminal defense, Nancy Hollander has handled numerous civil, forfeiture, and administrative cases, and notably argued and won a landmark religious freedom case before the U.S. Supreme Court. She has also consulted on terrorism trials internationally, including a high-profile case in Ireland. Hollander’s work has not only advanced individual rights but has also shaped legal standards in matters of civil liberty, national security, and international justice.

Law Office Affiliations

• Partner, Freedman Boyd Hollander Goldberg, PA
• Member, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
• Fellow, American Board of Criminal Lawyers
• Member, European Criminal Bar Association

Licensed State

• New Mexico

Education

• University of New Mexico School of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• University of Michigan
  BA with Cum Laude

Awards & Badges