Who We Are.
The Law Offices of Jarrett Adams has one purpose: to apply the legal expertise and life-changing experiences of its founding partner, Jarrett Adams, Esquire, to protect the Constitutionally guaranteed rights of an individual throughout the legal process.
As an innocent man convicted of a crime he did not commit, Mr. Adams had to learn the law to free himself. As he unraveled the complexities of the legal system, he discovered just how deeply flawed it is. Poorly conceived and badly written laws keep innocent citizens in jail longer than necessary, rob individuals of their rights even before conviction, keep others from fully exercising their constitutionally protected rights, and unnecessarily stretch out civil negotiations.
Whether it’s for a criminal trial proceeding, to counter a civil rights violation, free a wrongly convicted person, or negotiate a fair settlement in a civil matter, Jarrett Adams and his team of legal experts stand with their clients every step of the way.
LEADERSHIP
JARRETT M. ADAMS, ESQUIRE
Jarrett M. Adams, Esquire, is an author and attorney specializing in criminal defense, civil rights, and wrongful conviction cases in state and federal courts. Jarrett M. Adams is admitted to practice in;
Admitted to Practice
State of New York
State of Wisconsin
State of Illinois
California Southern District Court
Louisiana Eastern District Court
Oklahoma Eastern District
Texas Northern District Court
Southern and Eastern District of New York Federal Court
Northern and Central District of Illinois Federal Court
Eastern and Western District of Wisconsin Federal Court
7th, 5th, 2nd, Circuit Court of Appeals
US District Court, District of Columbia
Mr. Adams was wrongfully convicted of a crime at age 17 and sentenced to 28 years in a maximum-security prison. After serving nearly ten years and filing multiple appeals with the assistance of the Wisconsin Innocence Project, the Seventh Circuit United States Court of Appeals exonerated him.
He used the injustice he endured as inspiration to become an advocate and attorney for the underserved and often uncounted. Mr. Adams earned his Juris Doctorate from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in May 2015.
During law school, Mr. Adams worked as an investigator for the Illinois Federal Defender’s Program. For his work with the clemency petition of Reynolds Wintersmith, ultimately granted by President Obama, he received the National Defender Investigator Association Investigator of the Year award.
He served as a public interest law fellow under the Hon. Ann Claire Williams, of the Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. This is the same court that reversed his wrongful conviction because of his trial lawyer’s constitutional deficiencies. Mr. Adams also clerked in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York with the late Honorable Deborah Batts.
In early 2016, he started as an attorney with the Innocence Project in New York. Working in the litigation department, Mr. Adams earned one of his first victories, exonerating a man in the same Wisconsin prison where he had served time during his wrongful conviction.
Mr. Adams launched the Law Offices of Jarrett Adams, PLLC, in 2017 with offices and attorneys in New York, NY, Chicago, IL, and Milwaukee, WI. He expects to open a Los Angeles, CA office in the near future.
He is also a co-founder of Life After Justice, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing wrongful convictions and developing an ecosystem of support and empowerment for exonerees’ as they rebuild their lives after exoneration.
As an author, Mr. Adams shares a cinematic story of hope and redemption in his memoir, Redeeming Justice, to be released on September 14, 2021. His account of incarceration, exoneration, and redemption has been featured widely in the media, and he has become a sought-after motivational speaker for athletes, students, inmates, attorneys, and others.
Our Team
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Jeffrey Patza - Attorney
Attorney Jeffrey Patza has 15 years of experience representing clients in a wide variety of civil rights claims. Mr. Patza has achieved successful results in cases involving wrongful death, excessive force, illegal searches and seizures, false arrests, and the failure to provide medical attention.
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Sarah Hensley - Attorney
Sarah's legal practice focuses on righting constitutional wrongs through litigation at the trial and appellate level. In her past work as an Assistant County Attorney, Sarah also had a key role in advising on legislation concerning short-term rentals in one of the largest counties in the United States. In her role as supervising attorney, Sarah enjoys mentoring interns, new lawyers, and support staff.
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Megan D. Baca - Attorney
Megan D. Baca worked as the Assistant Legal Director and Director of Investigations at Loyola Project for the Innocent (LPI). During her six years at LPI, Megan helped to free eight people who were wrongfully convicted of crimes they did not commit and who cumulatively spent 196 years in prison. Megan began her work at LPI as a post-conviction investigator in 2017 before becoming Director of Investigations.
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Carla Broadnax - Chief Administrative
Carla is the trusted partner to the owner and founder of Jarrett Adams Law, with over 25 years of experience in managing casework, conducting investigations, and overseeing operations. She ensures seamless communication within the firm and upholds strict confidentiality for every client. Known for solving problems with flair, Carla has a deep passion for civil rights and advocating for the wrongfully convicted.
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Ariana Hazzard - Office Administrator
Ariana Hazzard is an avid and ambitious student who has recently embarked on a thrilling journey into the world of law. With a passion for justice and a vivacious mind, Ariana is committed to make an impact in this field. She is a New York native and discovered her fascination for law through the media and social Justice movements blazing through the streets of her hometown.
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Kendall Elliott - Legal Intern
Kendall discovered her passion for civil rights work when completing her undergraduate degree in public health at the University of Iowa where she learned about the disparate impacts of complex systems like healthcare, education, and the law. Kendall’s passion has only grown throughout her time in law school.
Of Counsel
Michael L. Flanagan
Since beginning his practice, Mr. Flanagan has garnered millions of dollars for his clients and has been named a Rising Star by Super Lawyers 2020 - 2023, a distinction awarded to only 2.5% of lawyers under 40 or in practice for less than 10 years in the State of Illinois.
Education
Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Chicago, Illinois
Honors: National Black Law Students Association
Honors: Sports and Entertainment Law Society
Honors: Loyola University Chicago School of Law's study abroad program
Bar Admissions
Illinois, 2017
U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, 2017