April 11, 2025

BUFFALO, NY – WilmerHale achieved a major pro bono victory when a unanimous federal jury awarded $28 million to its client, John Walker Jr., a member of the Buffalo Five who was wrongfully convicted of a 1976 murder and spent 22 years in prison and 17 on parole. Representing Walker in a civil rights case against Erie County, the firm showed that his conviction was based on coerced testimony and that prosecutors had withheld 21 pieces of critical Brady evidence, including reports pointing to other suspects and supporting his alibi. After the tragic passing of co-defendant Darryl Boyd shortly before trial, the WilmerHale team continued with Walker’s case and secured the verdict following a three-week trial in the Western District of New York. The jury found that the Erie County District Attorney’s Office had violated Walker’s constitutional right to a fair trial, resulting in one of the largest wrongful conviction awards in U.S. history.

We are pleased to recognize the exceptional contributions of our Impact Trial team in this landmark case. Congratulations to Thomas S.Y. Lee, Clinton Lam, Adrianna Rivas, Alex Bievenour, and Justin Chauncey for their dedication and outstanding work in close collaboration with the litigation team at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP.

The case is John Walker, Jr. v. The City of Buffalo et al., Case No. 1:22-cv-00520-MAV-JJM, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York.