Ilyssa S. Fuchs is an attorney admitted to practice in the State of New York and a partner at Cohen & Fitch LLP.
She represents plaintiffs in state and federal civil rights litigation, focusing on constitutional violations and misconduct by law enforcement and corrections personnel.
Ilyssa joined Cohen & Fitch in May 2014 as an Associate Attorney and became a Partner in November 2021. Her civil rights practice encompasses all phases of state and federal litigation, from case investigation and development through discovery, depositions, motion practice, trial preparation, and trial.
Prior to joining Cohen & Fitch, Ilyssa developed substantial experience in federal and state criminal defense. Following law school, she worked with Margaret M. Shalley, Esq., as a Postgraduate Fellow and Of Counsel, assisting in the representation of individuals charged with a wide range of federal offenses, including fraud, embezzlement, tax offenses, drug and firearms offenses, and Hobbs Act robbery. She subsequently worked as an Associate Attorney at the Law Offices of Ellyn I. Bank, where her practice included federal and state criminal defense and civil litigation.
Ilyssa's criminal defense experience began during law school, when she served as a legal intern with The Legal Aid Society's Criminal Defense Division and the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem. Her work included client representation, trial and hearing preparation, motion practice, and assisting attorneys in all stages of criminal proceedings.
Ilyssa earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from New York Law School in 2012, where she served as President of the Stonewall Law Students Association and as a Student Bar Association Senator. She earned her Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, in Political Science from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 2008.
Ilyssa is admitted to practice in New York State, the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
She currently serves as Co-Chair of the Civil Rights Committee at the New York County Lawyers Association, where she has held several leadership positions over the years.
Ilyssa has been selected to the New York Metro Rising Stars list for 12 consecutive years, from 2015 through 2026.
Learn more about Ilyssa's litigation consulting and attorney training services.