Adam Massey, Esq.

Adam has extensive experience of working with victims of complex stalking, harassment, and privacy violations. He has worked with dozens of nonconsensual pornography victims and has removed thousands of images and videos from the Internet.

His work has generally focused on defamation defense, nonconsensual pornography litigation, and sexual assault litigation. With a patient and thoughtful approach, he works closely with his clients to define their goals and understand their concerns. He is currently litigating Title IX cases and Defamation Defense cases for survivors who spoke publicly about sexual assault.

Adam joined C.A. Goldberg, PLLC seven years ago. He graduated from the Cardozo School of Law, where he was a Paulsen Scholar.

He is admitted to practice law in New York and New Jersey.

Adam in the press:

• Washington Post: Why Andy Parker created an NFT of his daughter’s murder footage
• CNN Business: She thought a dark moment in her past was forgotten. Then she scanned her face online
• Washington Post: States are moving to penalize ‘cyber-flashing’

Some of Adam’s recent work for C.A. Goldberg, PLLC clients includes:

• Pioneering product liability litigation for victims of catastrophic injuries against technology and social media companies, including representing the plaintiff in Herrick v. Grindr.
• Providing effective law enforcement advocacy leading to the arrests of offenders executing cruel and horrific cyber-attacks against clients, including United States v. Juan Thompson.
• Representation of victims in: US v. Ian Diaz (CA), US v. Griffin Kapelus (NY),  US v. Joel Kurzynski (WA).
• Title IX suit against NYCDOE, resulting in significant recovery for young woman of color with developmental disabilities.
• K-12 Title IX cases against the NYC Department of Education to fight for underage victims of sexual assault unfairly punished for reporting abuse including L. W. as parent and guardian, on behalf of her infant daughter K.M., v. The City Of New York, The NYC Department Of Education, Carmen Farina, As Chancellor Of The NYC Department Of Education.
• Represented plaintiff in Estate of Devins v. Oneida County, in which a NY district attorney’s office allegedly distributed child pornography of a teenager – and video of her being murdered – to the press, in violation of federal law.
• Successfully represented a defamation defense client who had spoken out about a sexual assault and faced a retaliatory lawsuit. 
• Successfully represented a group of artists being sued for defamation for speaking about an abuser on social media; defamation claims were dismissed
• Six-Figure Pre-Litigation Settlement For Sexual Abuse Survivor
• Six Figure Settlement Related To Distribution Of Non-Consensual Pornography

Selected presentations:

• CLE at New York County Lawyers Association: Presentation on digital domestic violence 
• University of South Carolina School of Law: Presentation on best practices for combatting nonconsensual pornography 
• Albany Law School: Panel on tech-enabled abuse
• Installation Committee panel on sexual assault on campus, East Stroudsburg University entitled “What Were You Wearing?”
• Stevens Institute of Technology, New Jersey: Sexual Privacy and Consent event

Selected publications:

• Amicus curiae brief in Wynn v. Bloom
• State-Sanctioned Humiliation: Why New York Needs a Nonconsensual Pornography Law by Carrie Goldberg and Adam Massey, May 2017 NYSBA Journal

Here’s what our clients say about working with Adam:

“I contacted C.A. Goldberg, PLLC because an ex-partner had threatened to continue his control and abuse through online revenge. I had no idea that this was considered sexual assault. I called three other attorneys who either did not get back to me or did not know what to do. There is no good way to say “thank you” for what Adam Massey has done for me – my emotional wellness, my physical safety. He did whatever it took to stop the abuse as fast as he could. When I was incapable of fighting, he did it. When I was ready to do the fighting, he cheered me on and stayed close. Adam’s legal advising and knowledge are informed by his deep convictions about survivor advocacy and victim care. He is as intellectual as he is strategic; and, most importantly, he is a passionate good person. I am grateful for my life every day and for what he did to keep me safe.” – WOMAN, EDUCATOR, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVOR

“When I first spoke to Adam, I was frightened and bewildered by the vicious attacks on my reputation that were online for everyone to see. I was in the middle of an academic job search, and I feared that potential employers would google my name and find all of these crazy rants against me, my family and my work. Walking through all of this material with the firm, documenting it, recording it, and making decisions on how to best proceed and counter it, gave me back a sense of control over my professional reputation. It also provided me with the much-needed confidence to address it more publicly, sharing my experience with others who have been similarly targeted.” – WOMAN, 50s ONLINE HARASSMENT SURVIVOR

Adam Massey is a good egg.  He pays strong attention to detail and he digs into matters thoroughly, almost voraciously. He seems to have fun doing this, which is probably why he’s so good at it. He communicates very well. He sets expectations upfront, then explains things clearly without over complicating things. He doesn’t get annoyed and he doesn’t talk down to you. He never makes you feel stupid because you are not a lawyer. To me, this is the sign of someone who knows how to wield power responsibly.

Matt Mireles –  Founder/CEO | OASIS