Although a partner at the law firm of Jacobs & Hazan, LLP located in New York City, Mr. Jacobs often works together with Schmeikin Associates, PC on all phases of litigation in both criminal and civil rights cases. He concentrates his practice in complex civil rights cases, as well as criminal defense. Mr. Jacobs represents individuals whose constitutional rights were violated by the government and its employees. He vigorously and aggressively protects individuals and the public from civil rights violations, including cases involving false arrest, police brutality and prisoners’ rights. Mr. Jacobs began his legal career at a boutique Manhattan law firm, where he was an associate in the firm's criminal defense and civil litigation practice. During his tenure at that law firm, he vigorously defended the rights of individuals accused of committing crimes ranging from drug possession to attempted murder in both State and Federal Court. He was intimately invoked in the defense of these individuals, from the initial arraignment up to and including trial. Mr. Jacobs continued his legal career as an Assistant Corporation Counsel at the New York City Law Department, Special Federal Litigation Division, where he was focused on defending the City of New York, New York City Police Officers, and New York City Correction Officers against lawsuits filed by individuals pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, that their constitutional rights had been violated. These claims included, but were not limited to, false arrest, malicious prosecution, excessive force, and denial of medical treatment. Mr. Jacobs successfully defended the City of New York in several high profile and complicated cases. Mr. Jacobs now vigorously and aggressively protects the rights of individuals and the pubic at large from the violation of their rights, including police brutality and prisoner abuse cases. His unique background of having represented citizens, as well as police officers and correction officers has provided Mr. Jacobs with the necessary perspective and understanding that comes only from litigating cases from both sides. Mr. Jacobs received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan. Thereafter, Mr. Jacobs attended Hofstra University School of Law, where he received his Juris Doctorate, cum laude. While attending Hofstra, Mr. Jacobs was a Dean's Scholar and upon graduating, he was awarded the Procedural Law Course Award. Mr. Jacobs is a member of the New York State bar and is admitted to practice in both the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. He is also an active member of the New York State Bar Association and New York County Lawyers' Association. Mr. Jacobs has also taught courses on the topic of civil rights litigation and has been a volunteer mentor to high school students at Legal Outreach, a non-profit organization.
I am the principal attorney of the law firm of “David Blum and Associates.” I have been admitted to practice in New York since 1993. I’ve known Joel Schmelkin for well over 20 years and have worked closely with him and his predecessor law firm, on and “of counsel” basis. I often assist Schmelkin Associates, P.C. representing their clients in areas of my concentration, being criminal defense; immigration; and commercial disputes. I received my law degree from the University of Miami, and am licensed to practice law in the State Courts of New York as well as the Southern and Eastern Districts, under the Federal Court System. I’m a member of the American Bar Association as well as the American Immigration Law Association.
Although I’m a partner at the law firm of Jacobs & Hazan, LLP, I often work together with Schmelkin Associates, P.C. I work together with them on all phases of litigation in both criminal and civil rights cases. My focus is to protect the constitutional rights of individuals who have been subject to police misconduct, and prisoners who have been subject to constitutional violations while incarcerated. I also represent individuals who have been accused of criminal misconduct in all phases of criminal proceedings, from arraignment to trial. In addition to civil rights litigation and criminal defense litigation, in addition, I’m active in the practice of Constitutional Law, Children’s Rights, Class Actions, and Free Speech/ First Amendment Litigation. For six years, I was a public servant at the New York City Office of the Corporation Counsel in the Special Federal Litigation Division; I was responsible for litigating civil rights cases and supervising younger attorneys. In this office, where my focus was on defending the City of New York, New York City Police Officers, New York City Corrections Officers, and other agents of the City of New York against lawsuits alleging that an individual’s constitutional rights had been violated. Many of these claims were brought pursuant to the First, Fourth, Fifth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution. They included false arrest, malicious prosecution, and excessive force. I've successfully represented the New York City Police Department and the City of New York in several high profile class action lawsuits, wherein plaintiffs claimed that the New York City Police Department had an actual policy and practice of violating individuals’ Constitutional Rights. Now I work to protect the rights of individuals and the public at large from violations of their civil rights, including police brutality and prisoner abuse. So my background is unique: I’ve represented citizens as well as police and correction officers. This work’s given me the understanding that only comes from representing clients with a variety of perspectives. I’m a member of the New York State bar and I’ve been admitted to practice in the Southern, Northern, and Eastern Districts of New York. I’m also an active member of the New York State Bar Association and New York County Lawyers’ Association. I received my undergraduate degree from Emory University, and my Juris Doctorate from Northwestern University Law School.
I’m an independent attorney, from “The Meyers Law Firm” and have been practicing law since 1997. Over the years, I’ve assisted Schmelkin Associates, P.C. as a general practitioner in the areas of wills and estates; family law; bankruptcy and landlord-tenant. I’m often called by Joel Schmelkin, as “special counsel”, to represent his clients in those areas. I’m a graduate of the Quinnipiac Law School where I received my JD degree and received my Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice from John Jay College. I am also licensed to practice law in the state of New York, as well as in the Southern and Eastern Districts of the Federal Court System and a member of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association.
