Marisa M. Halm
About Marisa
Marisa M. Halm joined Brown & Patterson after 12 years of representing indigent youth and families. She is broadening her criminal defense practice while continuing to represent youth in juvenile delinquency matters, as well as youth and families in education matters — areas she practiced in for over 10 years at Connecticut’s Center for Children’s Advocacy.
Marisa is a staunch and compassionate advocate who approaches representation holistically, striving to minimize collateral consequences and help her clients plan for life after the storm has passed. She has an extensive background working with justice-involved youth and young adults, as well as with students facing school discipline, including expulsion. Marisa has also advocated for individuals whose legal needs are tied to developmental age and/or disability. Her efforts have brought systemic changes to both the education and incarceration sectors.
Marisa has been recognized for her work in the case Alicia B. v. Dannel Malloy, et. al., 3:16-cv-00065-(SRU) (D. Conn.), in which she represented a client who, with others, obtained individual and systemic relief from state and local agencies for engaging in discriminatory and unfair practices in expelling Black students. For her impactful work, Marisa was honored with the Connecticut Law Tribune’s 2022 Game Changer award. The lawsuit led to the establishment of monitoring and oversight to address the disproportionate discipline of students of color across Connecticut’s school districts.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Marisa worked with national partners to improve conditions for youth and young adults held in the custody of the Connecticut Department of Correction. She helped negotiate a pre-litigation settlement to ensure better access to education, mental health services, and out-of-cell time — critical legal rights she worked to protect during the public health crisis.
Known for her depth of knowledge and communication skills, Marisa has delivered countless trainings to youth, service providers, and lawyers on subjects around education, school discipline, and reentry after incarceration. For over 10 years, she also taught and oversaw law students as part of the University of Connecticut School of Law’s clinic at the Center for Children’s Advocacy.
Marisa earned her JD from UConn Law in 2006 and her BA, cum laude, from Mount Holyoke College in 1994. She is a member of the Gault Center, a national organization for youth defense, and the Connecticut Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.
Awards
- 2022 Connecticut Law Tribune Game Changer Award
Notable education decisions
Reg’l Sch. Dist. No. 9 Bd. of Educ. v. M., No. 3:07-CV-01484 (WWE), 2009 US Dist. LEXIS 71032 (D. Conn. Aug. 6, 2009) – decision denying Regional School District No. 9’s motion for summary judgment, granting parents’ cross motion for summary judgment and affirming the administrative hearing officer’s decision in favor of M, which granted M’s parents compensatory education for denying M a free and appropriate education
Reg’l Sch. Dist. No. 9 Bd. of Educ. v. P, No. 3:06 CV 01278 (CFD), 2009 US Dist. LEXIS 2176 (D. Conn. Jan. 12, 2009) – decision denying Regional School District No. 9’s motion for summary judgment, granting parents’ cross motion for summary judgment and affirming the administrative hearing officer’s decision in favor of P, which granted P’s parents’ reimbursement for a private special education placement
Alicia B., et. al. v. Dannel Malloy, et. al, 3:16-cv-00065 (SRU) (D.Conn.) – lawsuit filed by Black expelled students claiming their equal rights had been violated by a state of Connecticut and individual school districts, resulting in a confidential stipulated settlement
Sample articles
- Opinion: co-authored with Riha Shah Shah, ”Connecticut youth deserve a clean slate,” Connecticut Mirror, March 29, 2019
- Opinion: “It is time to unshackle Connecticut’s juvenile defendants,” Connecticut Mirror, March 24, 2015.
- Contributed to “Credit overdue: How states can mitigate academic credit transfer problems for youth in the juvenile justice system,” Juvenile Law Center, Education Law Center-PA, Drexel University, and the Southern Poverty Law Center, a report publication by Southern Poverty Law Center, 2020