Norman L. Reimer has devoted his career to the defense of the criminally accused at the trial, appellate and post-conviction levels and to criminal justice reform advocacy. He has participated in the trial and appeal of hundreds of cases in both state and federal jurisdictions, is a recognized and extensively published expert on all aspects of the criminal legal system, and he has taught trial advocacy both at the law school level and at countless continuing legal education venues. Norman has been a leader of the organized bar whose mission is to reform the policies and practices that have fueled mass incarceration and disparate impact.
His most noteworthy bar achievements include guiding a successful lawsuit in New York to ensure adequate resources for publicly appointed counsel for the accused, co-founding the John Adams Project in partnership with the American Civil Liberties Union to provide to attorneys trained in capital defense to represent the accused in the military commission proceedings at Guantanamo Bay, and leading a collaboration among several groups to establish Clemency Project 2014, which was one of the largest national pro bono projects ever undertaken by the legal profession and which secured the commutation of long federal prison sentences for 894 individuals, including more than 300 who were serving life sentences.
Norman continues to advocate for reforms that will restore humanity to the nation’s criminal legal system, such as reining in overcriminalization, reducing excessive sentences, and exposing and reforming the trial penalty and coercive plea practices that have contributed significantly to systemic injustice and mass incarceration.
Norman brings a keen focus, sensitivity, and dedication to the representation of his clients. He approaches clients with a holistic view of their legal challenges and recognizes the vast potential for government overreach in the enforcement of criminal laws. At that same time his representation is guided by the recognition that no one’s life should forever be defined by the human fallibility to which all are susceptible.
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Education
- New York University School of Law, J.D., Honors in Criminal Defense Advocacy
- New York University, B.A., Cum Laude, University Scholar
Admissions
- New York
- United States District Courts – Southern, Eastern and Northern Districts of New York
- United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- Supreme Court of the United States
- Pro hac vice admission in numerous state and federal jurisdictions.
Associations & Memberships
- New York County Lawyers’ Association, President, Vice President and New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division – First Department, Central Screening Committee for Assigned Counsel, Chair, Vice Chair, and Counsel
- American Bar Association, House of Delegates
- New York State Bar Association, House of Delegates, Nominating Committee
- New York Criminal Bar Association, Director
Experience
- Fair Trials, Global CEO
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Executive Director
- Gould Reimer Walsh Goffin and Cohen, LLP, Partner
- Gould & Reimer, Partner
- New York Law School, Adjunct Professor of Law
- Criminal Justice Act Panel for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Criminal, Habeas and Capital Defense Panels
- New York State Capital Defense Panel
Honors & Awards
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Lifetime Achievement Award, Special Recognition for Clemency Work, Champion of Indigent Defense Award
- Immigrant Defense Project, Recognition for Advancing Human Rights
- New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Gideon Award
- New York State Defenders Association, Service of Justice Award
Community Engagement
Council on Criminal Justice, Member
The Council on Criminal Justice works to advance understanding of the criminal justice policy choices facing the nation and build consensus for solutions that enhance safety and justice for all. Independent and nonpartisan, the Council is an invitational membership organization and think tank, serving as a center of gravity and incubator of policy and leadership for the criminal justice field.
End The Trial Penalty Coalition, Member
The End the Trial Penalty Coalition is an ideologically diverse coalition of criminal justice organizations and leaders committed to eliminating the Trial Penalty to ensure a fair, rational, and humane criminal justice system. The Coalition’s ideological diversity reflects a shared commitment to the Constitution and individual liberty.
Plea Bargaining Institute, Board of Advisors
The Plea Bargaining Institute is a groundbreaking project that will provide a global intellectual home for academics, policymakers, advocacy organizations, and practitioners working in the plea bargaining space share knowledge and collaborate in efforts to limit coercive plea practices.
United Justice Coalition, Advisory Board
The United Justice Coalition is a charitable organization that works across disciplines to raise awareness around key social justice issues and promote criminal justice reform.