Sexual Assault Attorneys in New York: Your Complete Legal Guide
New York has enacted the most comprehensive series of survivor-protective statutes of any major state over the past several years. The Child Victims Act (CVA, 2019) permanently extended the civil statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse to age 55 and opened a two-year lookback window (now closed) for previously time-barred childhood claims. The 2019 S6574 law extended the civil SOL for adult survivors of certain sexual assault felonies to 20 years. The Adult Survivors Act (ASA, 2022) opened a one-year lookback window – November 24, 2022 through November 24, 2023 – for adult survivors whose claims were previously time-barred. That window generated over 3,000 lawsuits, including high-profile cases against Sean “Diddy” Combs, former Governor Andrew Cuomo, and others. Both lookback windows are now closed. However, New York City survivors may also have access to the Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law (GMVPL), which extends additional avenues for claims and has its own SOL framework. The result is that New York survivors now operate under one of the nation’s most protective ongoing SOL frameworks.
Understanding New York Sexual Assault Laws
Criminal Statutes of Limitations
Child survivors: Under the CVA, the criminal SOL for felony offenses was extended to age 28 for victims who were under 18 at time of abuse. For misdemeanor offenses, the criminal SOL was extended to age 25. For victims who were under 11 at the time, there is generally no criminal SOL.
Adult survivors: For felony rape and sexual assault in the second and third degree, the criminal SOL was extended to 20 years from the assault (2019 law S6574). For other felony sexual offenses, the general five-year criminal SOL applies. Misdemeanor sexual offenses carry a two-year criminal SOL.
Civil Statutes of Limitations
Child survivors – CVA (C.V.P. Law § 214-g):
The Child Victims Act permanently extended the civil SOL for survivors of childhood sexual abuse to age 55. Survivors abused before age 18 may sue perpetrators and institutions until their 55th birthday. This forward-looking framework applies to abuse occurring after the CVA’s effective date and to cases not already time-barred when the CVA was enacted, subject to case-specific analysis.
CVA lookback window: Opened August 14, 2019 and extended to August 14, 2021. Now closed.
Adult survivors – S6574 (2019):
For civil lawsuits arising from certain adult sexual assault felonies (including second-degree rape, second-degree sexual abuse), the civil SOL was extended to 20 years from the date of the assault. This does not apply retroactively to claims that were already time-barred before September 16, 2019.
Adult survivors – standard civil claims:
For most adult sexual assault civil claims, the general three-year personal injury SOL applies under CPLR § 214.
ASA lookback window (C.V.P. Law § 214-j): The Adult Survivors Act opened a one-year lookback window – November 24, 2022 through November 24, 2023 – for adult survivors of sexual assault occurring at age 18 or older to sue regardless of when the assault occurred. This window is now closed. Over 3,000 lawsuits were filed under the ASA.
New York City – Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law (GMVPL):
New York City’s GMVPL provides an additional civil avenue for survivors of violence motivated by gender, including sexual assault. The GMVPL extends the civil SOL for gender-motivated violence claims to nine years from the date of the violence and does not require proof of criminal conviction. The GMVPL created its own two-year lookback window from March 1, 2023 to March 1, 2025. Survivors in New York City should consult an attorney about whether GMVPL claims are available in their case.
Institutional liability:
The CVA eliminated the prior requirement for survivors suing public institutions to first file a “notice of claim.” New York law now allows survivors to sue both private and public institutions that enabled, tolerated, or covered up sexual abuse. Institutional defendants include schools, universities, religious organizations (the Archdiocese of New York and Diocese of Brooklyn have faced mass litigation), hospitals, medical centers, youth organizations, and any other organization where the abuser had access to victims.
No criminal conviction required:
Civil claims proceed independently of any criminal prosecution.
New York Sexual Assault Attorneys
The DiPietro Law Firm, P.C.
Address: New York, NY
Phone: (646) 809-0552
Website: https://www.atdlaw.com
The DiPietro Law Firm holds the highest dollar amount settlement recovered in New York State for sexual abuse, having recovered over $236 million from Columbia University, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, and Robert Hadden – the university’s OB-GYN gynecologist who sexually abused hundreds of patients over decades. Founder Anthony T. DiPietro has been selected to New York Super Lawyers for over ten years consecutively and was named to America’s Top 100 High-Stakes Litigators in 2022. The firm has been leading the civil accountability effort against Columbia and Robert Hadden since the beginning. Free confidential consultation. Contingency fee.
Herman Law
Address: New York, NY (national practice with NY office)
Website: https://hermanlaw.com/new-york/
Herman Law is a nationally recognized sexual abuse firm with over 35 years of experience. Founder Jeff Herman has secured landmark victories including a $100 million verdict, and the firm has represented thousands of survivors across the United States. The firm represented survivors in CVA and ASA litigation and continues to handle claims under New York’s ongoing SOL framework against perpetrators, institutions, churches, schools, and healthcare providers. Free confidential consultation. Contingency fee.
The Zalkin Law Firm, LLP
Address: New York, NY (national practice)
Phone: (800) 477-2989
Website: https://www.zalkin.com/new-york-sex-abuse-attorney/
The Zalkin Law Firm is a nationally recognized sexual abuse plaintiff firm that has represented survivors against some of the most powerful institutions in the country, securing multi-million-dollar verdicts. The firm handles cases under New York’s CVA and ongoing SOL framework, specializing in institutional accountability cases. New York court filings routinely permit use of initials or pseudonyms to protect survivor privacy. Free confidential consultation. Contingency fee.
Manly, Stewart & Finaldi
Address: New York, NY (national practice)
Phone: (800) 700-2751
Website: https://www.sexualabuselawyersnewyork.com
Manly Stewart & Finaldi is one of the nation’s leading sexual abuse litigation firms with over $2 billion in total recoveries. The firm handles high-profile institutional abuse cases and routinely represents survivors in complex national litigation including clergy abuse, school and university abuse, and organizational failures. Strict confidentiality protocols are maintained for all survivors. Free confidential consultation. Contingency fee.
Levy Konigsberg LLP
Address: 605 Third Avenue, 33rd Floor, New York, NY 10158
Website: https://www.levylaw.com
Levy Konigsberg is a New York-based nationally recognized institutional abuse firm with over $3 billion in sexual abuse compensation recovered. The firm is actively litigating CVA and ASA claims and handles cases against New York’s Catholic dioceses, Boy Scouts of America, juvenile detention facilities, and other institutions. The firm pioneered institutional abuse litigation over three decades. Free confidential consultation. Contingency fee.
Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Firm
Address: New York, NY
Website: https://www.fuchsberg.com/sexual-abuse-lawyer
Jacob D. Fuchsberg is a century-old New York plaintiff’s firm with a dedicated sexual abuse practice. The firm represents survivors in civil claims against individual perpetrators and institutions, pursuing claims under the CVA, the 20-year adult SOL, and the NYC GMVPL. Free confidential consultation. Contingency fee.
Andreozzi + Foote
Address: New York, NY (national practice)
Website: https://www.victimscivilattorneys.com/new-york/
Andreozzi + Foote is one of the country’s top sexual abuse litigation firms, handling cases involving healthcare settings, nursing homes, human trafficking, and institutional abuse under New York law. The firm has consistently been listed among the nation’s leading sexual abuse plaintiff firms. Free confidential consultation. Contingency fee.
Key Considerations for New York Survivors
Childhood abuse survivors have until age 55. The CVA permanently extends the civil SOL to age 55. If you were sexually abused before age 18 and have not yet reached 55, you generally have time to sue.
Adult survivors have 20 years for certain felony assaults. The 2019 S6574 law extended the civil SOL for adult survivors of certain rape and sexual abuse felonies to 20 years from the date of the assault, for assaults occurring on or after September 16, 2019.
Both lookback windows are closed. The CVA’s lookback window closed August 14, 2021. The ASA’s lookback window closed November 24, 2023. If your claim was revived only by those windows and you did not file in time, consult an attorney to evaluate remaining options.
NYC GMVPL may provide additional options. Survivors in New York City may have access to the Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law, which provides a nine-year civil SOL and does not require proof of criminal conviction. The GMVPL lookback window ran March 1, 2023 through March 1, 2025.
Public institutions can be sued without prior notice of claim. The CVA eliminated the prior requirement that survivors file a notice of claim before suing public entities.
Anonymous or pseudonymous filing is possible. New York courts routinely permit survivors to proceed using initials or pseudonyms to protect privacy.
Columbia University, Diocese of New York, Boy Scouts: New York has been the site of major institutional abuse litigation. Survivors with claims against these institutions should consult an attorney promptly about applicable deadlines and ongoing proceedings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there still time to file a civil lawsuit under the CVA?
If you were abused before age 18 and have not yet turned 55, the CVA’s ongoing SOL likely still applies. The lookback window is closed, but the ongoing age-55 framework remains in effect for new and ongoing cases.
Can I still benefit from the Adult Survivors Act?
The ASA lookback window closed November 24, 2023. However, for adult assault occurring on or after September 16, 2019, the 20-year civil SOL under S6574 applies. Consult an attorney.
Does the NYC GMVPL apply to my case?
If you are in New York City and experienced sexual assault or violence motivated by your gender, the GMVPL may provide an additional nine-year civil avenue. Consult an attorney about your specific circumstances.
Do I need a police report or criminal conviction to sue civilly?
No. Civil claims proceed independently of criminal prosecution.