In December 2022, Fordham Law alumna Allison Mahoney ’11 launched a trauma-informed firm that represents survivors of abuse and civil rights violations in Colorado, Illinois, and New York.
The firm, ALM Law, specializes in campus dating violence, sexual assault, cyber sexual abuse, domestic violence, and child welfare civil rights. “I wanted to create the firm that I wanted to work at, but I couldn’t find,” said Mahoney. “We only represent survivors of abuse, and it’s split between what I call victims rights work, which is kind of an imperfect term, and child welfare civil rights.”
Because of the delicate nature of her clients’ situations, Mahoney has taken steps to ensure that client interactions are guided by a trauma-informed approach. For example, she typically asks new clients to write a narrative describing what they have experienced rather than discussing every detail in person, which can mean reliving their trauma. “Usually by the time they’re coming to us, they’ve already talked to a family member or friends, maybe the police, maybe multiple people in law enforcement, maybe another attorney … they’ve had to repeat what’s happened so many times. We’re really sensitive to that,” said Mahoney.
“The trauma-informed approach keeps the client at the heart of what we do, and we understand that legal process can trigger distress for victims of abuse,” said Casey Kasher, a paralegal at ALM Law. “Allison has really created a compassionate, patient, and non-judgmental space for clients so they feel supported and empowered throughout their engagement with us.”
Mahoney’s legal career has prepared her for this new endeavor. Before launching ALM Law, she worked at Lawyers for Children in New York, a nonprofit that represents kids in foster care in Manhattan family court. “I represented kids in their abuse and neglect proceedings, and then I became the office’s child sexual abuse and exploitation project attorney,” she said. From there, she honed her skills investigating foster care systems across the country and filing civil rights class actions on behalf of abused children.
Her dedication to advocating for survivors of abuse is apparent, even outside of her legal representation—she is a member of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, the New York Cyber Abuse Task Force, and the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault’s policy committee and she also serves on the Board of Directors for Response Aspen and YouthZone.
“My time at Fordham had an impact on the direction that my career went. I’ve been working in public interest for so long now, and the practice areas that my firm handles are very service-oriented and focused on helping people who are vulnerable or who don’t have a voice. That very much feels aligned with the values that Fordham imparts on its students,” said Mahoney.
Mahoney said that starting her own firm was intimidating at first. “I know I’m a good litigator, but there was that fear of, is anyone going to hire me? Or why would they hire me if they could go to a really established firm? I had to overcome those insecurities,” said Mahoney. But with dedication, networking, and marketing strategies, her efforts paid off. “The work just started coming in right away,” she said. While keeping busy representing her many clients, she also hosts a podcast that informs survivors of abuse about their rights.
Mahoney, an active member of the Law School’s affinity group Fordham Law Women while she was studying law, advises current students to “follow what you feel passionate about. If the corporate route doesn’t speak to you, then you don’t need to do it.” She also emphasizes that students should “network as much as possible, and be smart about networking. Fordham has such an incredible and powerful community, and I think that if people take advantage of that, it can get them really far.”