Danielle Speziale, JD. is a recent law school graduate and serves as the firm’s Law Clerk. Speziale is passionate about civil rights, constitutional protections, and criminal legal reform, and is dedicated to advocating for individuals and communities that have been historically marginalized by legal, political, and social institutions.

Speziale earned their Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and English, with a concentration in Multicultural Literature from the State University of New York (SUNY) Old Westbury. Following graduation, they attended the City University of New York (CUNY) Law School, where they earned their Juris Doctor on the accelerated track in just two and a half years. Throughout law school, Speziale distinguished themselves as both a scholar and a leader committed to creating more equitable pathways within the legal profession. They served as the Vice President of the Formerly Incarcerated Law Student Association, where they advocated for the inclusion and support of students directly impacted by the criminal legal system. They also held leadership positions as Secretary and later, Vice President of the Mock Trial Program, where they developed courtroom advocacy skills, mentored fellow students, and competed as First Chair for the Criminal Defense team in the Queens District Attorney Mock Trial Competition. Speziale has completed two Trial Advocacy courses, earning “A” grades in both. Their academic work focused heavily on constitutional rights, state accountability, and human rights. Their legal research explored Section 1983 litigation, police use of force, municipal liability, procedural due process under the Fourteenth Amendment, First Amendment protections for protest and political expression, women’s rights in Afghanistan, and the authority of the International Criminal Court.

Mentorship is a central part of Speziale’s professional identity. Through the Black Law Students Association (BLSA), she served as a mentor to law students navigating the challenges of legal education and assisted in fostering support and belonging for historically marginalized students. In addition, she has served as a Teaching Assistant (TA) for Contracts, a mandatory course taken by first-year law students, where she had the opportunity to work closely with students to strengthen their legal reasoning and analytical skills.

Before entering law school, Speziale spent three years working as a Criminal Defense Paralegal, where they assisted attorneys representing clients accused of crimes and gained firsthand experience into the realities of the criminal legal system. Prior to that, they worked as a legal secretary in real estate, estate planning, and tax law. As they prepare to take the July 2026 bar exam and become a licensed attorney, Speziale hopes to dedicate their career to civil rights litigation and criminal defense, with particular focus on Section 1983 municipal liability claims, police accountability, excessive force litigation, discrimination cases, and the representation of both adults and juveniles involved in the criminal legal system.

Outside of her legal work, Speziale finds inspiration in art, music, literature, and poetry. She enjoys attending concerts, reading widely, and writing poetry as a means of reflection and expression. She believes that both advocacy and art challenge people to imagine a more just world, and that meaningful change requires not only legal expertise, but also empathy, creativity, and the bravery to question and challenge existing systems. Danielle Speziale uses she/her/hers and they/them pronouns.