As Head of Pro Bono Litigation, Dara oversees pro bono litigation initiatives including family court litigation, post-conviction relief matters in criminal courts, federal civil rights and Hague Convention actions, and civil and criminal appeals. She has a particular focus on representing survivors of domestic violence and has led Davis Polk teams that achieved precedent-setting litigation victories on behalf of such survivors, securing U.S. refuge under the Hague Convention for multiple families and early release from prison in numerous resentencing actions.

Dara helps our lawyers develop and strengthen trial and client interview skills. And she serves as a resource to other law firms on pro bono best practices, including in regard to the litigation of New York State’s Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act (DVSJA) cases and clemency actions.

Earlier in her career, Dara was a director of Sanctuary for Families’ Family Law Project and, previously, a litigation associate at Davis Polk.