Venezuelan Leader's Lawyer: A Seasoned Veteran Who Took on WikiLeaks' Assange
The lawyer tasked with defending deposed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a New York courtroom is Barry Pollack, a seasoned trial attorney who previously represented Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks. Pollack, 61, has a reputation as a skilled litigator, having secured high-profile acquittals and plea deals for his clients.
A graduate of Georgetown University law school, Pollack is a partner at Harris St. Laurent & Wechsler LLP, a boutique New York law firm, and a former president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Chambers USA, a research guide that profiles lawyers, describes him as "thorough and deep-thinking" with a natural ability to connect with juries.
Pollack's impressive track record includes securing the release of Assange from a British prison in 2024 after negotiating a plea deal with the US Justice Department. The Australian was pleading guilty to violating the Espionage Act by unlawfully disclosing national defense material. Pollack also obtained the acquittal of a former Enron accountant facing criminal fraud charges stemming from the collapse of the energy giant.
In another notable case, Pollack successfully got a New York man's murder conviction overturned after 17 years behind bars for a crime he didn't commit as a teenager. The lawyer's defense strategy has raised eyebrows, with Pollack questioning the "legality of his abduction" by US military forces during Monday's arraignment.
Pollack will now face off against the US government in court on behalf of Maduro, who pleaded not guilty to charges of drug trafficking and other offenses. With a hearing set for March 17, Pollack must convince a federal jury to render that verdict.
The lawyer tasked with defending deposed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a New York courtroom is Barry Pollack, a seasoned trial attorney who previously represented Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks. Pollack, 61, has a reputation as a skilled litigator, having secured high-profile acquittals and plea deals for his clients.
A graduate of Georgetown University law school, Pollack is a partner at Harris St. Laurent & Wechsler LLP, a boutique New York law firm, and a former president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Chambers USA, a research guide that profiles lawyers, describes him as "thorough and deep-thinking" with a natural ability to connect with juries.
Pollack's impressive track record includes securing the release of Assange from a British prison in 2024 after negotiating a plea deal with the US Justice Department. The Australian was pleading guilty to violating the Espionage Act by unlawfully disclosing national defense material. Pollack also obtained the acquittal of a former Enron accountant facing criminal fraud charges stemming from the collapse of the energy giant.
In another notable case, Pollack successfully got a New York man's murder conviction overturned after 17 years behind bars for a crime he didn't commit as a teenager. The lawyer's defense strategy has raised eyebrows, with Pollack questioning the "legality of his abduction" by US military forces during Monday's arraignment.
Pollack will now face off against the US government in court on behalf of Maduro, who pleaded not guilty to charges of drug trafficking and other offenses. With a hearing set for March 17, Pollack must convince a federal jury to render that verdict.
i'm loving this storyline 
barry pollack is like the ultimate litigator hero 
we've seen him take on wikileaks and secure julian assange's release, now he's gonna try to do the same for maduro 
what's crazy is that guy has a reputation for being thorough and deep-thinking 
and getting acquittals and plea deals left and right 
i'm curious how he's gonna spin this case though - the "legality of his abduction" by us military forces during monday's arraignment? 
that does raise some eyebrows 
Barry Pollack is like a superhuman lawyer, right? I mean, this dude has got some crazy skills on his side. First off, let's talk about Julian Assange - the guy's basically a hero to me. He stood up for truth and transparency, and now he's being put through hell by the US government. 
And also, it makes me think that sometimes we have to challenge the status quo, even when it comes to things we're not used to. Like, Pollack is questioning the legality of Maduro's abduction by US military forces - it takes guts to speak up like that, but it's a reminder that even in courtrooms, there are still questions about right and wrong 
so pollack's defending maduro in a nyc courtroom? that's wild. he's got some heavy experience with big cases though, like wikileaks' assange... but can he really get maduro off the hook this time around? i'm not sure how much weight his "legality of his abduction" argument will carry in court... 
Next thing you know, he'll be defending a mafia boss or something 
. But for real though, the dude's skills are legit 
. 17 years for a crime he didn't even do as a teenager is straight up messed up 
. I'm curious to see how he'll defend Maduro in court... maybe he can make some magic happen with that defense strategy of his 
.
. And what's with all these plea deals and acquittals? Isnt he just trying to whitewash the government's case? 
Im not saying hes a bad guy or anything, but this whole thing feels like a game of chess to me 
. And that defense strategy about Maduro's abduction by US military forces? Sounds like a stretch if you ask me 
anywayz, back to pollack... seems like he's got skills for the ages 
but can he really convince a federal jury to set maduro free? 
he's got some serious skills under his belt, especially with all those high-profile acquittals and plea deals. i mean, negotiating a deal for assange in 2024 was no joke 
. here's a simple mind map to visualize the situation: