Civil Rights

Civil rights and police misconduct litigation is the soul of Rankin & Taylor.

Police misconduct/wrongful arrests

The majority of our civil rights practice involves individuals wrongfully arrested or assaulted by law enforcement.  We seek to hold responsible officers who cross the line, betray their badges, and abuse their positions by putting innocent people in jail or subjecting them to senseless acts of violence.  Victims of police abuse deserve just compensation for the experiences they have been through, and we work tirelessly to ensure our clients receive all they are entitled to.  Beyond putting money in our client’s pockets, we look for ways to ensure the NYPD is made aware of and addresses the officers and institutional practices that result in injustice.

Employment violations

Rankin & Taylor perform additional civil rights work advocating on behalf of workers who have been denied pay they are entitled to under federal and state law.  Whether a worker is a U.S. citizen or of an alternate immigration status all employers must abide by labor laws that uphold the minimum wage and the 40 hour work week.  No employee can legally be discharged for organizing a union or demanding their rights be acknowledged and enforced.  We are happy to advocate on behalf of those who are mistreated by their employers in violation of the law.