Legal troubles can knock the wind right out of you. Having a lawyer who truly gets it – who sees the person behind the case number – can make all the difference when the chips are down.
Ilyssa’s story, from getting into hot water herself to standing up for others, shows how powerful a fresh start can be. Her resolve to stick with her client’s family, even after he passed away, proves that true helping doesn’t stop when the road gets bumpy.
Whether you’re facing a judge, dealing with badge-wearing bullies, or fighting a boss who did you wrong, finding a lawyer who puts your needs first can turn a nightmare into something you can handle.
How a Run-in With the Law Sparked a Life-Changing Path
As an 18-year-old at Binghamton University, Ilyssa first tried computer engineering because her grandfather said she’d “make big bucks” in that field. But she soon found out that it wasn’t her cup of tea.
Instead of hitting the books, Ilyssa jokes she “got a degree in frat parties” and later got caught selling weed from her dorm room. This was before cannabis was legal in New York, and the mix up put her in hot water.
A Fresh Start When It Seemed Hopeless
What could have wrecked her whole life became a turning point instead. Ilyssa had to retain a lawyer to fight her case, and through this experience, she found what she was meant to do.
“I ended up with no criminal record, no mark on my name, and I got the chance to become a lawyer myself,” Ilyssa shares. “It lit a fire in me about the law.”
This hard knock taught her how much second chances matter. She transferred to Stony Brook University, got a degree in political science and learned how government works, and set her mind on becoming a lawyer who helps people in trouble, just like someone once helped her.
Finding Her Sweet Spot in Law
After finishing law school in 2012, Ilyssa hit roadblocks trying to land her dream job as a public defender so she could help those who could not afford counsel, because at the time, funding for those jobs was tight and the market was competitive. Instead, she worked for pay-for-help lawyers but didn’t feel her heart was in it until she stumbled upon her current work.
At Cohen & Fitch, Ilyssa found her perfect fit—a place that handles “the after-effects of bad policing” along with representing individuals charged with crimes. She has now been successfully helping clients for nearly 12 years.
Her daily grind focuses on cases where cops and jail guards did wrong, letting her step in for folks who got a raw deal from those meant to uphold the law and protect them.
A Tale of True Grit: A 10 Year Prison Saga
One case lights up in Ilyssa’s mind that shows what it truly means to be a lawyer with heart. It’s about a client of the firm, who spent 10 long years locked up for something he never did.
From day one, the client swore he was innocent. He knew there were cell phone records that would definitively prove he was in a whole other part of the city when the crime went down, but at the time, the phone company claimed the records had been destroyed.
While stuck at Rikers Island in jail waiting for his day in court, the now client heard a radio advertisement for Cohen & Fitch, with their easy-to-recall hotline number: 212-BAD-COPS. He wrote this number down in his Bible.
After the court said “guilty” and sent him to the big house, the client kept this Bible—and that phone number—with him for ten whole years. All this time, he fought to clear his name, working with an appellate lawyer to dig up the phone records that would set things straight.
Breaking Free and Seeking Fair Play
When the cell phone records finally turned up many years later, they backed up what the client had said all along—he was nowhere near the crime scene. The court threw out his case, and he walked free at last.
Once he got his life back, one of his first moves was to dial the number he’d kept in his Bible for ten years: 212-BAD-COPS. He reached Ilyssa’s team, and they jumped in to help him get compensation for the years the system stole from him.
Standing Strong Even After Goodbye
Heart-breakingly, the client passed away just weeks after they started the ball rolling. But this wasn’t the end of the road.
“Even though he’s not walking this earth with us now, our office still fights for his family, and we’re still pushing the case forward,” Ilyssa explains. She and her crew keep working to win money that would help his kids and maybe give them a step up that could change things for their family for many years to come.
This kind of resolve – fighting for what’s right even after a client has passed on – shows what it means to be a lawyer who truly puts heart before wallet.
Why These Heart-Touching Stories Hit Home
Stories like client’s aren’t just about winning in court. They’re about:
- Setting Things Right: Fixing what’s broken in the system
- Hanging Tough: Fighting for folks year after year, not giving up
- Big Hearts: Seeing the person, not just the paperwork
- Making Waves: Creating good changes that can help many folks down the road
For Ilyssa, the best part of this wrongful conviction case was “knowing we were really helping somebody who really deserved our help and who really truthfully was innocent and really spent time behind bars for a crime they didn’t commit.”
Spotting Lawyers Who Put People First
If you need help from a lawyer who will go the extra mile for you, keep an eye out for these key signs:
1. Fire in the Belly for What’s Right
Lawyers like Ilyssa have a real fire burning inside for making things fair that goes way past just clocking hours. They wake up each day wanting to make life better for folks who got a raw deal.
2. Never-Say-Die Spirit
Good lawyers don’t throw in the towel when cases get tough. The story of Cohen & Fitch’s client who was wrongfully imprisoned for 10 years shows how much it matters to stick with it—both from the person in trouble and the attorney fighting for them.
3. Easy to Reach
Lawyers who truly care make it easy for you to get a hold of them. See how Ilyssa’s team makes sure someone picks up the phone 24/7, with call-backs during work hours.
4. Straight Talk
Helpful lawyers break down big, brain-busting legal mumbo-jumbo into words that make sense to everyday folks, just like Ilyssa did when sharing her client’s story on the show.
5. Real Interest in Your Life Story
The best helpers see you as a whole person with hopes and dreams, not just a problem to fix and bill for.
The Bigger Splash When Lawyers Put Heart Into Work
When lawyers roll up their sleeves and dig in deep for the folks they help, good things spread like ripples in a pond:
- Lives flip from dark to light through fresh starts and solid backing
- Whole families win when justice comes through and money follows
- Neighborhoods start to trust the folks in the nice suits again
- The whole lawyer world gets better as the bar rises for what it means to truly help
Getting in Touch With Helpers Who Have Your Back
If you’re hunting for someone to stand in your corner, especially if cops did you wrong, jail guards hurt you, or your boss broke the rules, there’s help out there.
For folks who want to chat with Ilyssa Fuchs and her crew at Cohen & Fitch:
- Where They Work: 233 Broadway in the big Woolworth Building, downtown New York
- Main Ring Line: 212-374-9115
- Round-the-Clock Hotline: 212-BAD-COPS (which also spells 212-BAD-BOSS for work cases)
They’ll talk to you on the phone for free.
Hear the Full Story: Listen to the Podcast
Want to hear Ilyssa tell her story in her own words? The full podcast episode digs deeper into her journey and shares more details about this remarkable case. Listening to the audio gives you a feel for her passion and commitment that words on a page just can’t match.
The “Lawyers Who Care” video podcast, run by Andrew Samalin of Samalin Wealth, puts the spotlight on helpers who give their all for the folks who need them.
Legal troubles can be among the most stressful experiences in a person’s life. Having an attorney who truly cares—who sees beyond the case to the human being affected—can make all the difference.
Ilyssa’s journey from facing legal troubles herself to becoming an advocate for others shows how powerful second chances can be. Her ongoing commitment to her client’s case, even after his passing, demonstrates that true legal advocacy doesn’t end when challenges arise.
Whether you’re facing criminal charges, dealing with police misconduct, or experiencing workplace discrimination, finding a lawyer who genuinely cares about your case can transform your experience with the legal system.
In a profession sometimes criticized for putting profits over people, attorneys like Ilyssa Fuchs remind us of the profound impact caring legal professionals can have—not just on individual cases, but on families, communities, and the legal system as a whole.
